Succulent-Shaped Ravioli Is the Ultimate Pasta Dinner Idea for Plant Lovers

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, pretend you do by whipping up a batch of this adorable succulent-shaped stuffed pasta.

You might be able to guess by the look of our pasta recipe archives, but here at Better Homes and Gardens, we love to use our noodles. From zoodles and gluten-free to stovetop mac and spaghetti, we’re definitely pro pasta.

Even though we’ve tested and perfected thousands of pasta recipes to include in the pages of our cookbook, magazines, and online, we still come across an occasional new noodle idea that surprises us—and has us wishing we dreamed it up first.

Introducing Succulent Ravioli

One recent creation by Danny Freeman (@dannylovespasta) had us swooning at first sight and running to the kitchen to recreate it. In case you missed it, Freeman is a lawyer for a nonprofit organization by day and recipe developer by night. He started making fresh pasta during the pandemic to pay homage to his Italian-American grandma, who passed away in 2020.

Related: Our Best Classic Italian Dishes to Bring Home the Flavors of Italy

“It really kind of took off, so I got a reputation of coming up with a little creative, a little bit wild, a little bit weird pasta dishes,” Freeman said on an episode of the Rachael Ray Show, where he demonstrated how to make the buzzy ravioli recipe that has our hearts.

So what makes his cheese ravioli stand out from the rest of our semi-homemade frozen ravioli recipes and our mix-and-match ravioli filling and sauce pairings? The eye-catching shape and colors. Freeman tints a portion of the dough green to resemble a succulent plant and another portion of the dough orange to act as an edible terra cotta pot. Since the “G” in BHG stands for garden, after all, we couldn’t resist running to the kitchen to recreate this trendy ravioli recipe.

How to Make Succulent Ravioli

In addition to sharing his how-to demo several times on social media as well as on the Rachael Ray Show and POPSUGAR, Freeman includes detailed instructions (with handy photos) for succulent ravioli in his new cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta. Here's how to make these eye-catching creations at home.

Step 1: Mix the Green Pasta Dough

To follow Freeman’s lead, start by mixing the green pasta dough. In a pot of boiling water, blanch 9 ounces of fresh spinach for 30 seconds. Transfer the spinach to a clean dish towel to squeeze out the excess moisture. Then, in a blender alongside two eggs, blend the blanched and drained spinach until smooth.

On a clean work surface, add 400 grams of flour. Freeman recommends a mix of semolina and “00” flour, both of which are available online and at some major retailers. Make a well in the middle. Add the spinach mixture, and use a fork to slowly incorporate the flour into the spinach mixture. When it becomes too tough to stir, use clean hands to mix and knead until a dough ball forms, or for about seven minutes. Cover the green pasta dough in plastic wrap and allow it to rest for an hour or so.

Step 2: Make the Orange Pasta Dough

To make the orange pasta dough, put 300 grams of flour on a clean work surface. Make a well in the middle, crack in three eggs, and add ½ teaspoon paprika. Use a fork to slowly incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. Again, when it’s too tough to stir, use clean hands to mix and knead for about seven minutes until you have an orange dough ball. Cover the orange pasta dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for about an hour.

Step 3: Prepare the Filling

For the filling, mix 1 cup ricotta cheese, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl,

Step 4: Roll and Cut the Dough

On a clean, flour-dusted work surface or using a pasta machine, roll out both doughs separately until very thin (⅛-inch or less is best). With the green dough sheets, use a succulent fondant cutter to create zigzag shapes. If you don’t want to invest in a separate piece of equipment, use a knife to cut 3-inch by 5-inch rectangles. Cut out triangles about ½-inch long and ¼-inch wide along the long sides to add spikes. Repeat this process until you use up all the green dough.

Step 5: Add the Filling

Squeeze a line of cheese filling down the center of each piece of green “succulent” dough using a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Fold the dough over the filling, and press down to fully seal the edges.

Step 6: Assemble the Pots

For the "pots," use a knife to cut 3-inch by 1-inch rectangles from the orange pasta dough. Slice thin strips of orange dough the same length. Place the thin strips on the top edge of the thicker rectangles to mimic the rim of a terra cotta pot.

Wrap the orange rectangle around the base of the green stuffed pasta dough, using a little water to help the pieces adhere if needed. Use a knife to trim off any extra dough. Repeat with the rest of the dough pieces to create about 30 ravioli “plants.”

Step 7: Steam the Ravioli

The final secret lies in the cooking process. Instead of simmering the intricate ravioli in a full pot of boiling water, place the pieces, leaf-side up, in a shallow pan of boiling water (see how it’s done here). You’re aiming to have only the pot portion submerged. This helps the “leaves” steam to tender perfection rather than wilt under the pressure of boiling water. Cook in batches for about six to eight minutes.

Step 8: Add Your Favorite Pasta Sauce

Use tongs to carefully remove the succulent ravioli from the skillet, and pair them with the pasta sauce of your choice. Freeman swears by browned butter sauce with fresh sage, and we agree it is a top-notch accompaniment.

While these are a labor of love more than most of our easy pasta recipes, the edible succulents are far simpler to make than we originally imagined—plus, they’re show-stopping and sneak in an extra dose of vegetables. If you’re in the mood for more stuffed pasta adventures, don’t miss our complete guide on how to make homemade ravioli, including the St. Louis staple, fried ravioli.

Related: Yes, You Can Make Four Different Pastas From One Recipe

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