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Delicious seasonal recipes from the Post Food team.

Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto. (Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

By Becky Krystal

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Good morning, everyone. I hope your Saturday is off to a relaxing start. I think I’m still recovering from an epic day in the kitchen on Monday, when, if my count was accurate, I made seven different things — a combination of recipes tests, meal prep for the week and one pistachio-coffee smoothie that alone probably justified the purchase of my Vitamix earlier this year.

It was a lot. And all that cooking just reminded me that kitchen shortcuts are meant for these moments — store-bought shortcuts included. Especially when paired with fruit, vegetables and whole grains, ready-made staples can round out a well-balanced meal (and diet). As a working parent, honestly, what choice do I have? When you need to feed a busy family, there’s no room to stand on ceremony about everything having to be made from scratch.

Thankfully, Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger — a registered dietitian nutritionist — agrees. Her Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto, this week’s featured recipe, shows how to put the “store-bought is fine” mentality (thank you, Ina) into practice in a better-for-you way. Ellie starts by grabbing a package of fresh or frozen cheese ravioli and a container of pesto at the store, then combines them with a robust amount of asparagus and peas. This family-friendly meal is on the table in 40 minutes, and it’s full of saucy, herby, cheesy satisfaction.

Could you swap in any other quick-cooking vegetable you like? Absolutely. Choose ravioli with a different filling? You bet. Use homemade pesto instead of store-bought, especially if you keep a batch in the freezer, as I do? Of course. Make the recipe work for you however you like, but don’t feel bad about leaning into the ready-made elements. Below you’ll find a few more ideas for recipes that take advantage of handy shortcuts.

Do you have a favorite store-bought ingredient or recipe that uses it? I’d love to hear from you and potentially share in a future newsletter.

Speaking of getting in touch, mark your calendars for my next live weekly cooking chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. (Fittingly, this week we debated the merits of jarred minced garlic.) Submit your questions now, then be sure to return when I kick off the conversation.

Until next week, happy cooking.

Gnocchi With Creamy Spinach Sauce

(Scott Suchman for The Washington Post/food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post)

This pantry-friendly recipe inspired by creamed spinach spins the classic steakhouse side dish into the main attraction thanks to shelf-stable gnocchi.

By Aaron Hutcherson

Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto

Turn a package of cheese ravioli into a vibrant meal in a bowl that’s packed with spring vegetables and lemony, herbal flavors.

Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Enchiladas Verdes)

While many recipes for enchiladas Suizas with chicken start with homemade salsa verde, this one uses store-bought salsa for ease.

Skillet Turkey Kielbasa With Lentils and Kale

This skillet meal is thrifty, tasty and requires minimal effort and time, thanks in part to canned lentils

Spicy Peanut Noodles With Ground Beef

Fresh noodles star in this spicy dish that’s aromatic with garlic, ginger and scallions.

Recipe of the Week

(Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

Lemony Ravioli Primavera With Pesto

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

Save or print the recipe

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Servings: 3

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated
5 scallions, light green and white parts, sliced (1/3 cup)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut at an angle into 1-inch pieces
1/8 teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
One (10-ounce) package refrigerated or frozen cheese ravioli
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost, if frozen)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from the same lemon)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade (see related recipes)
Grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Steps

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

2. In a large (12-inch), deep skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and scallions, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

3. When the water comes to a boil, season with salt, if desired. Add the ravioli to the pot and cook according to the instructions on the package, about 4 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining the ravioli.

4. While the ravioli is boiling, add the peas to the skillet with the asparagus, then stir in the lemon zest and juice, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus and peas are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

5. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the pesto, then add the cooked ravioli and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the skillet, and gently toss to combine. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed, to thin the sauce to the desired consistency. Divide among shallow bowls, garnish with grated parmesan, if desired, and serve.

From cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger. Tested by Becky Krystal.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 503; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 8 g; Cholesterol: 54 mg; Sodium: 723 mg; Carbohydrates: 58 g; Dietary Fiber: 9 g; Sugar: 9 g; Protein: 21 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas: