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!
- Sauce
- Pasta
- Ground beef
- Sauce
- Cheese
- 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
Baked Ravioli 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 cup fresh spinach - coarsely chopped
- 1 (24 oz)jar marinara sauce - your favorite
- 1 (20 oz) package ravioli - your favorite
- 2 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese - finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- 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.
- In a 9x13-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.
- 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.
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
Oh YUM! This looks so good! We always have a pasta side dish for every holiday and this would be perfect for Easter! I’ll give it a test run for an easy dinner one night. That’s so much!
Made this over the weekend and doubled the recipe. I got 3 foil pans full: one for my family of 3, one for my parents and one for a friend who is not in great health. Absolutely delicious!! Kept mine in the fridge and brought it to room temp a few hours before baking today. Baked at 350 for 40 minutes with the foil on the 20 minutes without foil. It was perfect. Served with some garlic bread. I just love your recipes Natalie! And I will make this as our pasta dish for Easter. Awesome recipe that can be made ahead of time with great ease. Well done!
Do you cook the ravioli before assembling the dish?
Nope!
Did you use refrigerated or frozen ravioli? Will that make a difference in preparing it ahead of time? I want to make this with refrigerated ravioli and prepare the night before, will that work??
I used refrigerated ravioli. I think it would be just fine if you made it the night before 🙂
Can you make this ahead and freeze it? Have you tried using frozen ravioli that you defrost first? I always have Trader Joe’s ravioli in my freezer.
Yes!
This is so simple to make and the entire family will eat it! No leftovers with this meal!!!
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
My kids are going to LOVE this dish! Can’t wait to make it!
Thank you! I made two tonight. One for dinner – and one for the freezer for later. LOVE this kind of efficiency with delicious cooking – makes busy weeknight meals so much easier. Thank you!!
This is so good! I made it for dinner and the family devoured it. Not to mention, it was super easy to make.
My whole family loves this dish! I always make more and freeze it!