Baked Ravioli

This baked ravioli is a dish even the kids will love! This cheesy, meaty dish is hearty and full of flavor plus it is fast and easy! 

Sometimes you just crave pasta for dinner and this baked ravioli just hits the spot! Serve it with heavenly dinner rolls, cheesy garlic bread, or fruit salad for a quick and comforting meal that everyone will love.

Easy Ravioli Bake

This is a dish we made this past summer. It’s so, so easy! You can put together in about 15 minutes and let the oven do the rest.

While it may not be fancy, it is delicious and effortless… something than any busy mom will love and appreciate. Plus, we usually have all the ingredients on hand which makes things even easier.

So what do you need to make this? Here are the ingredients we used:

• A jar of your favorite marinara (or about 3 cups of homemade sauce)
•  ground beef
•  Italian sausage
• onion and garlic
• spinach,
• seasoning,
• a package of your favorite ravioli
• finely grated parmesan cheese 
• shredded mozzarella cheese

How to Make Baked Ravioli

I like to layer my baked ravioli like I would a homemade lasagna! So in a baking dish I would follow this pattern, repeating once for a total of two layers!

1.  Sauce
2. Pasta
3. Ground beef
4. Sauce
5. Cheese
6. Repeat one more time 

You can either cover it and place it in the fridge until you need it or bake it right away. It’ll bake for 30 minutes with foil over top and 15 minutes uncovered.

Can I use frozen ravioli? Using frozen ravioli will just lengthen the amount of time that the dish needs to be in the oven. I would tack on an extra 10 minutes of cook time. But in terms of texture, it shouldn’t affect it much.

Can I use a different type of cheese? We chose to use mozzarella because it is very Italian and traditionally used for pasta dishes. If you don’t like mozzarella you can substitute it for Parmigiano Reggiano or gruyere. 

How can I make this crispy? If you want to make it crispy you can broil it for the last 5 minutes so that the cheese on top gets a little crisper! 

Ravioli Bake Recipe Tips

How far in advance can I prep this? If you need to, you can make this the night before and have the hubby pop it in the oven for you. As long as it is covered in foil and it remains in the fridge then you are good to go.

Can I freeze this? Yes! This is a great freezer dish. The ravioli themselves can last for up to 6 months in the freezer, but pasta sauce and the cooked meats will only last about 3 months. So I suggest using it within 3 months for sure. And no need to thaw, just put it straight in the oven and increase the bake time slightly!

How do I reheat leftovers? Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days after cooking. To reheat place leftovers in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees or until heated through.

You can sprinkle the top with freshly chopped parsley (or basil), but it’s really just for a pop of color.  It was a huge hit with the kids and myself. I hope it will be a success with you too.

For more pasta recipes, check out:

• Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Baked Rigatoni with Mini-Meatballs
• Spaghetti Casserole
• Cajun Alfredo Pasta
• Pumpkin Sausage Lasagna
• Butternut Squash Ravioli

4-6 servings

Baked Ravioli

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

This baked ravioli is a dish even the kids will love! You can assemble it ahead of time and refrigerate it, then bake it right before dinner!

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/4 lb. ground Italian sausage (regular or hot)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 c. fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1 (24 oz.) jar marinara sauce (your favorite)
• 1 (20 oz.) package ravioli (your favorite)
• 2 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 c. finely grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large skillet set over medium heat, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the ground beef and sausage along with the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Cook until browned. Add spinach and wilt, about 4-5 minutes.
3. In a 9×13-inch baking dish start by adding 1/3 of the pasta sauce. Start by layering the dish with half of the ravioli, then half of the meat, 1/3 of the sauce, and half of the cheeses. Repeat with one more layer using the remaining ingredients.
4. Cover the top of the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or basil if desired.

– You can also make this in a slow cooker. Heat for 3 hours on high or 5 hours on low.

– Mushrooms make a great addition to the ground beef/sausage mixture.

All images and text ©Life Made Simple.