If you have any special dietary requirements, be careful which ravioli you buy. Ravioli is often stuffed with cheese, meat, or both, although you should be able to find non-meat and non-dairy varieties. The dough is usually made from wheat flour unless stated otherwise.

Do not try to thaw frozen ravioli. Put it into the pot while it’s still frozen.

Be sure to place a lid on the pot. This will help retain the steam—the heat and the moisture—and make the ravioli cook more quickly. Most ravioli recipes call for 4–6 US quarts (4,000–6,000 ml) of water to each pound of ravioli. Extra water quickly recovers the boil when the pasta is added; gives the noodles room so that they don’t stick to one another; and dilutes the starch that they release, so they don’t end up with a “gluey” texture. Feel free to use less water, however, as long as there’s enough to submerge the ravioli. [3] X Research source

Salt the water to taste. As a rule of thumb, add one teaspoon of salt for each quart of water that you use. Consider adding olive oil to the water to keep the pasta from sticking: again, about a teaspoon of oil per quart of water.

If the ravioli begins to look bloated, or begins to come apart, then it may be slightly overcooked. Taste your ravioli throughout the cooking process. This is the best way to tell when it’s ready. Nibble on the edge of a ravioli piece to discern whether it’s done. If the ravioli is still at all cold or frozen, keep cooking. If the ravioli tastes doughy or floury, it may not be done.

If you don’t have a pasta strainer, pour the water out of the pot while keeping the pasta within. Tilt the pot sideways so the water trickles out the top. Hold the lid of the pot over the opening to hold back the pasta. Leave a tiny crack between the lid and the rim of the pot so that the water can slip through, but the ravioli cannot. Pour the water into the sink to dispose of it, or use it to water your garden. If you drain the pasta into another bowl or pot, you can carry the extra water outdoors and reuse it.

You can pour the sauce over the ravioli, or you can keep the sauce in a separate bowl. The latter option will allow each diner to portion their own sauce.

Eat ravioli with a fork. Serve it with a ladle or a large spoon.