this is a fun cooking activity to do with kids – from mixing to scooping to folding – making zucchini ravioli together! it’s a perfect recipe for my gluten free child and healthier than eating pasta. yum!

i looked at several recipes to make this. the first time i tried this recipe i used a spiralizer to create the zucchini strips but the strips were too thick so little one and i had a hard time folding the zucchini ravioli. this time, i used the vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini and it was just right!

there are plenty of variations for the stuffing and sauce: some stuffing ingredients include eggs, herbs and multiple kinds of cheese; a lot of tomato sauce is seasoned with garlic and heavily salted. since my little one can’t eat eggs or garlic, i substituted different herbs and spices instead. the result is a fabulous ravioli that i plan to make again and again!

cooking tools

• vegetable peeler
• baking pan

ingredients

“pasta”

• 2 large zucchini

filling

• 1 cup spinach
• 16 ounce ricotta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped basil

sauce

• 16 ounce strained tomato
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• salt & pepper, to taste

serve

• Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste
• crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

preparation

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

for the “pasta”
using a vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini into thin flat slices. if desired separate zucchini slices with a shorter length on one side and longer length zucchini slices on the other side. set aside.

for the filling
chop the fresh spinach into small pieces. chop basil into tiny pieces. add both into a medium mixing bowl with ricotta cheese. season with pepper, if desired.

for the sauce
in the baking pan, pour 12 ounces of strained tomato. add spices and salt & pepper to taste. stir well then make sure bottom layer of baking pan is completely covered.

prepare the ravioli
on a chopping board or flat plate, place 2 slices of short

resources

• Zucchini Ravioli from Sumptuous Spoonfuls
• Zucchini Ravioli by Lauren Miyashiro from delish
• Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini Ravioli from The Healthy Maven