Zucchini Ravioli Recipe With Spinach Ricotta Filling: Low Carb Dinner

2 servings
45 min

Make this tasty zucchini ravioli recipe as a low carb dinner idea for your family. This vegetarian zucchini recipe uses the popular summer squash in place of pasta noodles in this delicious meal. They add extra vitamins and minerals to your diet without adding carbs from pasta. So it not only tastes great, it is also an easy way to use extra zucchini from your garden for delicious meal ideas.


One zucchini plant can produce up to 10 pounds of squash each year. Zucchini also produces for several months in the summer, so there’s generally no shortage of zucchini to use for easy zucchini ravioli in the summer.


Zucchini is easy to grow, so most people plant one or two plants each year. If gardening isn’t your thing or you’re short on space, these squashes are overabundant from farmer’s markets or friends during the summer. Use them to learn how to make squash ravioli for a delicious light summer meal that’s packed with extra vegetables, including spinach and tomatoes.


I love to make delish zucchini ravioli using fresh vegetables from my garden. This healthy dinner idea can also help you save money by buying extra zucchini when squash is in season. Not only is this recipe a tasty alternative to traditional ravioli, it’s both vegetarian and low in carbs. It’s a great choice for meatless Mondays, those looking to reduce their red meat intake or as a meatless dish for vegetarians.


I make this ravioli using sliced zucchini in place of the pasta. I also make my own zucchini ravioli filling from scratch using fresh, vitamin rich spinach and ricotta cheese. (You can substitute the ricotta cheese with feta cheese to make zucchini ravioli without ricotta cheese, if desired.) While the tomato sauce for this dinner recipe isn’t homemade to save on time, you’re welcome to use your own or your favorite store bought brand.


You can also make this low carb dinner idea to freeze for later. The leftovers can be frozen in individual portions for lunch throughout the month. Or you can simply meal prep this dish and freeze it for an easy dinner on a busy weeknight.


How to Slice Zucchini for Low Carb Ravioli


To make this easy zucchini ravioli, you will need to slice the squash. This is a quick and simple process. Following is information on how slice your zucchini squash:



  • There’s no need to peel your zucchini squash for this recipe. The peel is full of vitamins and minerals, so you can leave the zucchini peel on for slicing. While the peel is not tough to slice through, it can get tough on larger squash. Therefore I recommend using small to medium sized, bright green zucchini to make this low carb dinner as they tend to have softer peels.
  •  As you’ll be slicing the zucchini, there won’t be much peel on each slice. The peel will also soften as it cooks. Therefore, I don’t peel my zucchini slices when I make low carb zucchini ravioli. However, you do want to make sure you rinse the zucchini well as part of your prep. You also need to chop off the ends before prepping the zucchini to peel.
  • I recommend using a mandolin slicer or a potato peeler to make slices for this zucchini ravioli recipe. The mandolin slicer is easier to use, so use that if you have one available. It also makes uniform slices that they cook evenly. It’s also better suited for larger vegetables.


For tips and tricks on making zucchini ravioli, step-by-step photos of the process, variation ideas and tips for freezing this dish, be sure to visit my original post on how to make zucchini ravioli here.



Zucchini Ravioli Recipe With Spinach Ricotta Filling: Low Carb Dinner
Recipe details
  • 2  servings
  • Prep time: 25 Minutes Cook time: 20 Minutes Total time: 45 min
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Ingredients

  • 1 medium zucchini (or 2 small zucchinis)
  • 8 oz feta cheese (or ricotta cheese)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions

Use a mandolin slicer or potato peeler to slice the zucchini into thin slices. You should get about 20 slices from each zucchini squash. The strips should be thin so they can fold without breaking.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoons avocado oil and mince two garlic cloves. Cook until fragrance
Add chopped fresh spinach to the skillet and stir while cooking for two minutes. 
Remove the skillet from heat. Add feta cheese or ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and the salt and pepper. Stir until combined
Use a food processor or hand mixer to mix the spinach and feta or ricotta cheese mixture until smooth.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
To make the tomato sauce, place the tomato sauce, one garlic clove, and dried oregano in a blender and pulse until smooth
Pour the sauce into an 8x8 pan. 
To make the easy zucchini ravioli, place three slices of zucchini on top of each other spread out to make a star shape. 
Add a spoonful of cheese mixture to the middle of each zucchini star. Fold the strips over the cheese, one strip at a time, until all of the zucchini is wrapped up to make easy zucchini ravioli. 
Set the zucchini ravioli in the pan with the tomato sauce. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and zucchini is soft.
Rebecca D. Dillon
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