Kale and Vegetable Ragu Over Spinach Ravioli

Ingredients

• 4 cups kale, thoroughly washed, roughly chopped or torn by hand

  
• 2 cups cherry tomato medley, halved
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 3 small sweet mini peppers, red, yellow, and orange, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced, use up to 6 cloves to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons roasted red pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon Calabrian pepper paste, adjust to heat preference
• 1/2 cup Chardonnay, dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, unrefined, organic
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling to finish
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil, for second round of sauteing
• 38 oz spinach and goat cheese ravioli, fresh or refrigerated, cooked al dente per package instructions
• 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved, to thin ragu to desired consistency
• to taste salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup freshly shredded vegetarian cheese, for topping, use your preferred variety

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash the kale thoroughly. Chop it or tear it by hand into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

   Step 1
2. 2

   Heat 1 tablespoon coconut oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the kale and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is slightly wilted and has some char on the edges. Remove the kale from the pan and place it in a bowl. Set aside.

   Step 2
3. 3

   Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add the diced red onion and celery. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent.

   Step 3
4. 4

   Add the diced green bell pepper, sweet mini peppers, cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, cilantro, roasted red pepper, and Calabrian pepper paste. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine, then let the mixture cook without stirring for 5 minutes to allow the tomatoes to char on the bottom and begin to pop open.

   Step 4
5. 5

   Once the tomatoes start to soften and release their juices, add the reserved sauteed kale back into the pan. Stir everything together and continue cooking on medium-high heat for 8 to 10 more minutes, until all vegetables are fully soft.

6. 6

   Pour in the 1/2 cup Chardonnay. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes, letting the wine reduce slightly.

7. 7

   While finishing the ragu, bring a separate large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spinach and goat cheese ravioli al dente per the package instructions. Reserve at least 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Drain the pasta but do not rinse it.

8. 8

   Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetable mixture directly in the pan until you reach your desired consistency. For a chunkier ragu, pulse just a few times. For a smoother sauce, blend longer. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a blender in batches and blend until smooth. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time to thin the ragu to your preferred thickness.

9. 9

   Plate the ravioli in a shallow bowl. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the pasta. Spoon the blended ragu generously over the top. Finish with freshly shredded vegetarian cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Substitutions & Variations

• →Swap Chardonnay for dry vegetable broth if you prefer to cook without wine.
• →Use Swiss chard instead of kale for a milder, slightly sweeter flavor.
• →Any filled pasta works in place of spinach ravioli, including cheese tortellini or plain ravioli.
• →Replace Calabrian pepper paste with red pepper flakes if you cannot find it at your store.
• →Use your preferred cooking oil throughout if you do not have all three oils on hand. Olive oil alone works fine.