A quick, comforting soup loaded with fresh Swiss chard, carrots, and store-bought ravioli, simmered in a savoury broth. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan for an easy, wholesome meal the whole family will love!

This Ravioli and Chard Soup is the ultimate easy, comforting meal with a delightful Italian flair! It’s a hearty one-pot wonder that comes together quickly using store-bought ravioli, fresh chard, and colourful vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth. Fresh thyme and garlic are the aromatic stars here, bringing a touch of Mediterranean sunshine to every spoonful. The tender ravioli makes it filling enough to serve as a complete meal. Topped with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, this soup is perfect for busy weeknights.

What is Chard and How to Prepare It

Swiss chard is a nutritional powerhouse in the beet family, known for its large, crinkly green leaves and vibrant, crunchy stems that come in a beautiful array of colours. When preparing it for this soup, don’t toss those stems! They offer a lovely earthy flavour and a texture similar to celery once cooked. To get the best results, separate the stalks from the leaves and chop both into bite-sized pieces. Since the stems are heartier and more fibrous, be sure to add them to your simmering broth a minute or two before the leaves; this slight head start ensures the stems become perfectly tender while the delicate leaves stay bright and don’t overcook.

What Type of Ravioli to Use?

For this recipe, I used meat ravioli, which adds a delicious savoury richness and heartiness to the broth. However, this soup is incredibly versatile, so feel free to use whatever variety you prefer or happen to have on hand! Cheese, spinach and ricotta, or even roasted mushroom ravioli, all work beautifully to complement the earthy flavour of the chard.

What Broth is Best? (Vegetable, Chicken, or Beef)

I use chicken broth in this recipe for its mild flavour, which complements the vegetables and ravioli beautifully, but honestly, you can use whatever broth you prefer! Vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian and light, while beef broth adds a richer, heartier depth; all work wonderfully. Homemade broth is always best if you have it, bringing incredible flavour and nutrients, but store-bought broth is absolutely fine, especially when you’re in a hurry and need dinner on the table fast.

ravioli soup with Swiss chard and parmesan

Variations

This soup is incredibly adaptable to whatever you have in your pantry! If Swiss chard isn’t available, fresh spinach is a perfect substitute; just remember it wilts much faster. You can also swap the thyme for dried oregano to give the broth an equally Mediterranean herbal note. While the Parmesan cheese topping isn’t strictly mandatory, it is highly recommended to add an irresistible umami touch. Finally, for those who prefer a richer finish, stirring in a dollop of cream just before serving adds a lovely, velvety touch to every bowl.

Storage and Reheating

Ravioli acts like a sponge, so if left in the broth for too long, it will continue to absorb liquid and lose its firm texture. Here is how to keep your leftovers tasting just as good as the first bowl:

Best Way to Store: If you know you’ll have leftovers, the best trick is to cook the ravioli separately and only add them to the individual bowls as you serve. Store the leftover broth and the cooked ravioli in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Storing Combined: If the soup is already mixed, cool it down as quickly as possible before refrigerating. Keep in mind that the ravioli will naturally soften and swell slightly as they sit in the liquid overnight.

How to Reheat: Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Since the pasta will likely have absorbed some of the broth, you may need to add a splash of water or extra stock to restore it to your desired consistency. Avoid a rolling boil, as this can cause the ravioli to break apart.

Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this soup with the ravioli already in it, as the pasta texture becomes quite mushy once thawed. However, the chard and broth base freezes beautifully for up to 3 months! Just add fresh ravioli when you’re ready to eat.

Other Meal-in-a-Bowl Soups

5 from 5 votes

Ravioli & Chard Soup

By: Marie Breton

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean, winter

Servings people

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 8

Total Time 20

This comforting soup blends hearty meat ravioli with vibrant, nutrient-packed Swiss chard for a satisfying 20-minute meal. It's a versatile, family-friendly bowl that’s perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

1 L chicken broth vegetable or beef
250 g ravioli meat, ricotta, mushroom
6 leaves Swiss chard
1 carrot
½ onion
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp olive oil
thyme
parmesan to taste

Instructions

Wash the Swiss chard thoroughly. Separate the crunchy stems from the leafy greens. Finely chop the stems and roughly chop the leaves into bite-sized ribbons, keeping them in two separate piles.
In a large pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add a diced onion and carrot and sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and translucent.
Add the thyme and garlic and let it cook for a minute before adding the broth.
Bring the liquid to a gentle boil and let it cook until the carrots are tender.
Add your meat ravioli (or your preferred variety) to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat slightly and cook according to the package directions.
About 2 minutes before the ravioli is finished cooking, stir in the chopped chard stems. Let them simmer for a minute or two to soften slightly.
Add the chopped chard leaves to the pot. Stir gently for about 60 seconds until the leaves are wilted and bright green. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls. While not mandatory, it is highly recommended to top each serving with a generous sprinkle of grated parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Video

Notes

Easy Swaps: You can easily substitute the chard with fresh spinach (add it at the very end) or swap the dried thyme for oregano. A splash of heavy cream at the end is optional but adds a delicious, velvety richness.

Nutrition

Keywords: 20-minute dinner, chard soup, Mediterranean soup, parmesan, ravioli soup, Swiss chard recipes, weeknight meals

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Did You Make This Recipe?

Share your thoughts on it! Leave a comment or share a picture and tag me @littlenomadsrecipes on Instagram.

10 Comments

Lilly says:

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Comfort food and healthy too, who would have thought? I loved how quickly this Ravioli soup came together with the ready made pasta and I felt really good about eating it with all the greens. Just right for cold winter days.

1. Marie Breton says:
  
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  Yes, a nice balance of everything, a bit of carbs to keep you going and loads of veggies!
  
Sam says:

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This recipe is super comforting without being heavy. Really tasty!

1. Marie Breton says:
  
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  The secret is in choosing good quality broth and tasty ravioli!
  
Meg says:

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Fantastic and so easy! Swiss chard has always been a favorite–it was a great addition.

1. Marie Breton says:
  
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  If Swiss chard isn’t available, you can always use spinach.
  
Swathi says:

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This chard soup with ravioli so good and filling perfect for the current weather. I am going to make it again.

1. Marie Breton says:
  
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  It’s an easy one for those cold nights! Glad you liked it!
  
Lina says:

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Such a cozy, no-fuss soup that feels like a hug in a bowl. Love how the ravioli makes it hearty while still keeping it easy and weeknight-friendly.

1. Marie Breton says:
  
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  Yes, the perfect heart warming dinner for a busy weeknight!