Ravioli with spinach and bacon

Another Real Simple recipe? you ask.

Well, yes. That's what happens when Real Simple is delivered to our house every month. We see the recipes. We drool a little. We buy the ingredients and cook them up.

We blog about them.

This is a tasty little number that takes about 20 minutes to pull together (and we really mean 20 minutes. None of the 10 minute meals that, in actuality, require an hour.).

We used Rising Moon's Butternut Squash ravioli (though you can use whatever variety you prefer) and the sweetness of the squash contrasted nicely with the tangy lemon and salty bacon.

If you buy pre-cooked bacon, which we highly recommend, the prep time goes that much faster.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (Simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 pound ravioli, fresh or frozen

6 slices bacon

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon garlic (or 2 cloves, sliced)

5 to 6 cups fresh baby spinach

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cook ravioli according to package directions.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Cool and crumble (or use pre-cooked and microwave for 30 seconds then chop into small pieces).

Using the same skillet (wiped clean), heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden. Add spinach, salt and pepper. Cook until just wilted.

Stir bacon and lemon juice into the spinach. Mix with ravioli.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Comments

[kcinnova]

Spinach and butternut squash make me happy. Bacon makes my teenagers happy. This looks like a winner!

[Amiyrah]

you guys are on a roll with the recipes! I love when we don't have to wait too long for the next one :o)

[Stu]

I wonder...would it be easier to chop the pre-cooked bacon first and then heat it?

[Half Assed Kitchen]

Stu, I think it'd be about the same amount of work either way. If anything, cooking it first crisps it up and makes the pieces easier to separate.

[rachel]

Delicious! I was a hit at home, at the office. Everything goes better with bacon.