Ravioli vs tortellini: What’s the difference between them?

Filled pasta or stuffed pasta, comes in many varieties, with ravioli and tortellini being two of the most popular. They can easily be mistaken for one another, especially once they’re covered in sauce. However, they differ in shape, texture, and traditional fillings. 

Knowing the difference between ravioli and tortellini is important because their shape and texture determine how well they hold the sauce and enhance the overall flavour. 

That said, here’s a ravioli vs tortellini guide to help you choose the right type of filled pasta if you want to cook some at home.

What is ravioli? 

A serving of ravioli pasta topped with cheese and herbs. (Source: iStock)

Ravioli is an Italian stuffed pasta made with egg pasta dough. The filling is sealed in the dough, which is traditionally square. Nowadays, you can find mezzaluna ravioli in circular or half-moon shapes.

A ravioli-shaped pasta is an old classic stuffed pasta that dates back to the 1300s. It first originated in Liguria, Italy, with the earliest ravioli stuffed pasta recipes featuring a filling of cheese, mixed herbs, and beaten eggs. However, some theories suggest that the Genovesi sailors invented this dish. During long voyages, they often had limited supplies, so their practice was to wrap their leftover portions in dough pockets for a more diverse meal. 

Centuries later, different versions of ravioli recipes have been created across Italian regions, each reflecting their unique local culinary traditions. Today, ravioli is readily available in supermarkets worldwide, and many countries can now enjoy it.

What is tortellini? 

A serving of tortellini pasta garnished with sage leaves. (Source: iStock)

Tortellini is also an Italian stuffed pasta shaped like a ring or navel. It involves folding a square of thin egg pasta dough around the filling and then bringing the edges together to form a ring.

The origins of tortellini pasta can be traced back to northern Italy, particularly the Emilia-Romagna region, where the cities of Bologna, Modena, and Parma reside. However, there have been legends about the origins of Tortellini. 

One popular narrative is the Venus’ Navel Legend, in which an innkeeper in an Italian town spied on the Roman goddess of love, Venus, through a keyhole, only seeing her navel. He found her so beautiful that he went to the kitchen in a rush afterwards and made pasta shaped like Venus’ navel, and this is how Tortelli was first created. 

Traditionally, many Italians cook Tortellini in chicken broth, which became a staple dish for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. This warming winter dish also suits the UK festive season. Today, many different kinds of tortellini recipes and fillings have emerged, with some even using sweet fillings like pastry cream and serving it as a dessert.

Tortellini vs ravioli: Which one do you really need?

Both tortellini and ravioli are stuffed pastas rich in flavour, but which of the two is ideal for the recipe you had in mind? Keep reading to find out.

In terms of shape and appearance

Fresh ravioli and tortellini pasta arranged in a wooden tray. (Source: iStock)

Imagine a small pillow of dough with stuffing – that’s what a ravioli looks like. It has square or circular-shaped pasta pockets with crimped or frilled edges. Moreover, it has a flat bottom and a domed top with the filling seen bulging at the centre.

On the flip side, tortellini looks like a small croissant. It has a distinctive smooth round surface with sealed ends. Unlike ravioli, the filling inside a tortellini isn’t visible because it’s encased within the pasta dough. Also, when you place ravioli and tortellini side-by-side, you’ll notice that the tortellini is smaller and almost bite-sized.

Although these filled pastas have different shapes, they have the same yellowish colour, as both are made from egg pasta. Other variations are made from spinach dough or tomato, so you’ll likely find some with green or red colours.

In terms of taste and texture

The taste of a ravioli can vary widely because it can be made with various fillings. It tastes creamy if stuffed with cheese, hearty with meat, or fresh with vegetables. 

Instead of evaluating the taste, look at the texture of the ravioli so you can easily differentiate it from other types of stuffed pastas. Ravioli is thin and tender with a slight al dente if you cook it properly. Also, when you eat ravioli, it feels creamy and chunky with a slight chewiness because of the crimped edges.

Meanwhile, tortellini has a rich and savoury flavour since it’s typically filled with cheese and meat. Its pasta dough is thicker and more elastic, with a chewy texture that gives it a firmer bite. This pasta texture prevents it from getting soggy easily when cooked in broths.

In terms of traditional fillings

Spinach-stuffed ravioli with a fresh herb sauce. (Source: iStock)

There are three kinds of traditional fillings for tortellini and ravioli: cheese, meat, and vegan-based. For ravioli, a mix of cheeses, including ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, is often used to achieve a rich flavour. When it comes to meat fillings, ravioli uses ground beef, pork, or veal with a mix of Italian herbs for added flavour. Some use Italian sausage for a slightly spicy kick.

There are vegan ravioli options, too. For instance, some combine ricotta cheese with spinach, garlic, and nutmeg for a pleasantly earthy taste. Others use butternut squash or pumpkin with nutmeg for a sweet and savoury taste. If you want an earthy, umami taste, sauteed mushrooms and herbs are the best options.

Tortellini uses the same cheese fillings as ravioli, but they differ when it comes to meat fillings. Traditional recipes would use Prosciutto (dry-cured ham) with cheese for a saltier and richer flavour or Mortadella (heat-cured pork Italian sausage) for a mild and slightly sweet flavour.

Unlike ravioli, vegetables are less common in tortellini fillings. Although some recipes use spinach and mushrooms, usually, you can only see tortellini with herbs and spices such as nutmeg, pepper, and salt.

In terms of cooking process

The first step is to boil the pasta on a gas or induction hob. Generally, you need 3 to 5 minutes to boil ravioli and tortellini without them getting soggy. If they’re frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes to your boiling time. 

Next, drain the pasta and add the sauce after boiling it. Ravioli are commonly served with heavy tomato sauce like marinara or cream-based sauces like Alfredo. You can serve ravioli in broth, but traditionally, many people use tortellini for broth recipes and lighter butter and parmesan sauce. Afterwards, serve the pasta with bread, and use the bread to finish the leftover sauce with the bread after eating the pasta. 

Just make sure when cooking filled pasta like tortellini and ravioli, avoid overcooking them to prevent the filling from spilling out. Instead of boiling, you may bake the ravioli and tortellini pasta to keep the filling inside the dough intact.

In terms of dietary restrictions

Cutting into ravioli served in a butter sauce. (Source: iStock)

Since both ravioli and tortellini have cheese fillings and eggs in their pasta dough, you may have to avoid eating these filled pasta if you’re allergic to dairy. Fortunately, dairy-free options are available for ravioli. However, when it comes to tortellini, dairy-free versions are less common. 

Moreover, their dough is commonly made with wheat flour, which contains gluten. So, if you have gluten allergies, look for ravioli and tortellini pasta made from alternative flours like rice, chickpea, or almond flour.

In terms of price

Ravioli is generally more affordable than tortellini because they have a simpler shape and because this type of filled pasta is often mass-produced, meaning it’s readily available in local supermarkets and grocery stores. For reference, ravioli costs as low as £1 for 400g in the UK.

On the other hand, tortellini is slightly more expensive because it requires a more intricate preparation and production process. Not to mention, in the UK, finding tortellini in local supermarkets is rare. Usually, you can only buy them at dedicated Italian food stores. For reference, tortellini costs as low as £5.50 for 250g in the UK.

These cost estimates are based on current supermarket prices and may vary depending on location and brand.

Get ravioli and tortellini delivered straight to you with Airtasker

Now that you know the difference between ravioli and tortellini, you won’t have to second-guess which type of filled pasta you should choose the next time you go grocery shopping. But if you don’t have the time to visit the shops, you can always hire a grocery delivery service.

At Airtasker, you can find delivery service providers specifically for Italian food and groceries. So, if you run out of ravioli and tortellini, you can connect with these service providers to fetch the goods for you.