Olive Garden Mushroom Ravioli Copycat Recipe
This Olive Garden mushroom ravioli recipe brings the restaurant’s creamy, earthy pasta dish to your own kitchen in about 40 minutes. If you’ve been thinking about it since your last visit, this is a solid weeknight version that doesn’t ask much of you.
The filling is a savory mix of mushrooms and ricotta, and the whole thing gets finished in a simple brown butter and sage sauce. No special equipment needed beyond a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife.
Why I Love This Recipe
The brown butter does a lot of work here. It turns the sauce slightly nutty and rich, which balances the mildness of the ricotta filling without making the dish feel heavy.
The mushroom filling comes together in one pan, and because you cook the moisture out first, it holds its shape well inside the pasta and doesn’t make the dough soggy.
This is the version I keep coming back to on nights when I want something that feels a little special without a long list of steps.
Recipe Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour – Plus extra for dusting; bread flour works but gives a chewier result
- 2 large eggs – Room temperature; the dough comes together more smoothly
- 1 tbsp olive oil – Goes into the dough; adds a little pliability
- 2 tbsp water – Add one tablespoon at a time if the dough feels stiff
- 300g (10.5 oz) cremini mushrooms – Cremini have more flavor than white button; portobello works too
- 1 cup (250g) whole milk ricotta – Drain it in a sieve for 20 minutes if it looks watery
- 30g (1 oz) Parmesan, finely grated – Plus extra to serve; Grana Padano is a fine swap
- 2 garlic cloves, minced – Fresh only here; jarred garlic muddies the filling flavor
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves – Or 0.5 tsp dried if that’s what you have
- Salt and black pepper – To taste throughout
- 115g (4 oz, 1 stick) unsalted butter – For the sauce; unsalted gives you control over seasoning
- 8 fresh sage leaves – They fry in the butter and go crisp; dried sage won’t give the same result
- 1 tbsp lemon juice – Freshens the sauce at the end
- 1 egg, beaten – For sealing the ravioli edges
Variations / Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour – Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend; the dough will be a little more fragile, so handle it gently and chill it for 30 minutes before rolling.
- Vegan filling – Swap the ricotta for a firm cashew cream cheese and skip the Parmesan, or use 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a similar savory note.
- Spinach and mushroom – Stir 60g of wilted, well-squeezed spinach into the filling for a more substantial bite.
- Extra heat – Add 0.5 tsp of dried red pepper flakes to the butter sauce along with the sage.
- Goat cheese instead of ricotta – The filling gets tangier and a little denser, which pairs well with the brown butter.
- Cream sauce instead of brown butter – Pour 120ml (0.5 cup) of heavy cream into the pan after the butter browns, stir until it thickens slightly, and toss the ravioli in that instead.
If you enjoy making fresh pasta at home, the Olive Garden Five Cheese Ziti al Forno Copycat Recipe features a similar baked pasta dish with a rich tomato sauce.
How To Make Mushroom Ravioli
Step 1: Mix the Pasta Dough
On a clean work surface, pile the 2 cups (250g) flour into a mound and make a well in the center. Crack in the 2 large eggs, add the 1 tbsp olive oil, and start with 1 tbsp of the water. Use a fork to beat the eggs gradually, pulling flour in from the sides. Once it starts to look shaggy, switch to your hands and knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky, but not sticky. Add the second tablespoon of water only if it feels dry and refuses to come together.
The dough should feel a bit like soft leather when it’s ready. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This isn’t optional — resting lets the gluten relax, which makes rolling much easier and prevents the dough from snapping back.
Step 2: Sauté the Mushroom Filling
While the dough rests, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil, then add the 300g cremini mushrooms, finely chopped, in one layer. Don’t stir them for the first 3 to 4 minutes — letting them sit is what gets you golden edges instead of a steamed, pale result. Once they’ve colored, stir in the 2 minced garlic cloves and the 1 tsp thyme leaves. Cook for another 2 minutes until the garlic smells fragrant and any remaining liquid has cooked off.
Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool for 10 minutes. Then stir in the 1 cup (250g) ricotta and the 30g grated Parmesan. Season generously with salt and black pepper. The filling should be thick enough to hold a shape when you scoop it — if it looks wet, the ricotta may need another few minutes draining before you mixed it in, but it’ll still work fine.
Step 3: Roll and Fill the Ravioli
Cut the rested dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep the rest covered), roll it out on a lightly floured surface to about 1mm thick — thin enough that you can almost see your hand through it. Cut the sheet in half. On one half, place heaped teaspoon-sized mounds of filling at roughly 5cm (2-inch) intervals. Brush around each mound with the beaten egg, then lay the second half of the sheet over the top. Press firmly around each mound to push out any air pockets, then cut into individual ravioli with a ravioli cutter or a sharp knife.
Work at a decent pace here — fresh pasta dries out quickly. Lay the finished ravioli on a lightly floured tray and keep them in a single layer so they don’t stick together.
Step 4: Boil the Ravioli
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add the ravioli in batches of about 8 to 10 at a time. They’ll take 3 to 4 minutes to cook — they’re done when they float to the surface and the edges look slightly translucent. Lift them out with a slotted spoon rather than draining through a colander, which can tear fresh pasta. Set them aside on a lightly oiled plate while you finish the sauce.
Don’t walk away during this step. Fresh ravioli cook fast, and an extra 2 minutes can make the filling waterlogged.
Step 5: Brown the Butter and Glaze the Pasta
In a wide skillet over medium heat, melt the 115g (4 oz) unsalted butter. Once it foams, add the 8 sage leaves and let them fry for about 2 minutes, stirring once. The butter will turn a golden amber color and smell nutty, and the sage leaves will turn crisp. Add the 1 tbsp lemon juice carefully — it will spit a little. Slide the cooked ravioli into the pan and toss gently to coat for about 1 minute over low heat.
Transfer the ravioli to warmed plates, spoon any remaining brown butter from the pan over the top, scatter over extra grated Parmesan, and lay the crisp sage leaves on top to serve.
Recipe Tips
- Dry the mushrooms well. Pat them with a paper towel before chopping. Wet mushrooms steam instead of browning, and you’ll end up with a watery filling.
- Don’t overfill the ravioli. A heaped teaspoon per pocket is enough. Too much filling means the edges won’t seal properly and they’ll burst in the water.
- Watch the butter closely. Brown butter goes from amber to burnt in about 30 seconds. As soon as it smells nutty and looks golden, add the lemon juice and pull the pan off the heat if needed.
- Make-ahead option. You can freeze the uncooked ravioli on a tray for 1 hour until solid, then transfer to a bag. Cook straight from frozen and add 2 extra minutes to the boiling time.
Cook times by pasta thickness and batch size:
| Pasta Thickness | Batch Size | Boil Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1mm (standard) | 8 to 10 | 3 to 4 mins |
| 1.5mm (thicker) | 8 to 10 | 4 to 5 mins |
| From frozen | 6 to 8 | 5 to 6 mins |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Cooked ravioli keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Store them with a little of the butter sauce so they don’t stick together.
- Reheating – Add them to a skillet with a small splash of water and a knob of butter over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Microwaving works but makes the pasta a little soft.
What To Serve With Mushroom Ravioli
A simple arugula salad dressed with lemon juice and olive oil works well because the bitterness of the greens cuts through the richness of the brown butter. Crusty bread is useful for mopping up any sauce left on the plate. If you want a vegetable on the side, roasted asparagus or broccolini at 220°C (425°F) for 12 minutes comes out slightly charred at the tips, which contrasts nicely with the soft pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use wonton wrappers instead of homemade pasta dough?
Yes, they work as a shortcut. The texture will be softer and thinner than pasta, but the filling tastes just as good. Brush the edges with beaten egg to seal them, and reduce the boil time to 2 to 3 minutes.
Can I make the filling a day ahead?
Yes. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Give it a stir before using, as the ricotta can release a little liquid overnight.
My ravioli burst open while boiling. What went wrong?
Usually it’s one of two things: the edges weren’t sealed firmly enough, or the water was boiling too aggressively. A gentle boil rather than a hard rolling boil is kinder to fresh pasta.
Can I double the recipe to feed a crowd?
Easily. Make the dough in 2 separate batches rather than one large one, since a bigger ball is harder to knead evenly. The filling scales without any adjustments.
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Ingredients
Method
- Combine the flour, eggs, olive oil, and water on a work surface, knead for 8 minutes until smooth, wrap, and rest for 30 minutes.
- Sauté the chopped cremini mushrooms in a hot skillet for 3 to 4 minutes without stirring, add the garlic and thyme, cook 2 more minutes, cool, then stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Roll each piece of rested dough to 1mm thick, portion heaped teaspoons of filling at 5cm intervals on one half, brush around the filling with beaten egg, top with the second half, press to seal, and cut into individual ravioli.
- Boil the ravioli in well-salted water in batches of 8 to 10 for 3 to 4 minutes until they float, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, fry the sage leaves for 2 minutes until crisp and the butter turns golden amber, add the lemon juice, toss in the ravioli, plate, and finish with Parmesan and the crisp sage leaves on top.
