These Easy Baked Ravioli are a quick fix dinner to make on a busy night – you just need 5 ingredients, including frozen or refrigerated ravioli, to whip it up.
I love a good easy casserole. I mean, when I have time to spend in the kitchen, I’ll absolutely whip up a Shepherd’s Pie or a Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole from scratch, and I live for a good Baked Ziti or Spaghetti Casserole.
But when I’m short on time? This easy Baked Ravioli is the way to go! With just 5 ingredients and a super quick prep time, it’s a dinner you can whip up without making a huge fuss.
Ingredients you’ll need
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Cheese: Feel free to add grated parmesan as well for more flavor.
- Cream cheese: I mostly make this recipe with cream cheese, because that’s a staple I always have on hand. Ricotta makes this recipe feel more special, and it’s especially delicious – but regular old cream cheese (I use the kind from a tub here) works just as well when you need dinner in a snap.
- Ravioli: I prefer the square ravioli for this recipe and always go for the cheese or ricotta stuffed variety. It doesn’t matter if you use refrigerated or frozen ravioli. If using frozen, there’s no need to defrost!
- Spaghetti sauce: I like a chunky style pasta sauce or a marinara here. Do not get the kind of jarred spaghetti/pasta sauce with meat added, since you’ll be using ground beef in the recipe! Pizza sauce works in a snap, if that’s all you have on hand and don’t feel like going out!
- Beef: I either use lean ground beef, or use regular and drain the fat after browning. You can also use ground turkey if you prefer, or ground sausage!
Step by step instructions
This recipe has two key parts: The meat sauce (which is incredibly easy!) and the layering (which doesn’t take long).
For the sauce, brown the ground beef, then stir the spaghetti sauce into the meat. That’s all there is to the sauce!
Then, spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish. This is to avoid dry and burned pasta on the bottom of the casserole, so don’t skip this step.
Then, place ⅓ of the ravioli on top. You don’t need to arrange them all neatly like I did, I only did this for the photos… Mostly I have a toddler clinging on to me and just spread the ravioli in the pan somehow!
Then spoon ⅓ of the meat sauce over the ravioli, dot with ⅓ of the cream cheese and top with ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella.
Repeat this again…
and once more! If you’re feeling extra-lazy, you can also just do two layers (each with ½ of the ingredients instead of ⅓). I prefer the casserole with the 3 layers, but the two layers work in a pinch.
Finally, bake the casserole until heated through and bubbly! This will take around 45 minutes. I love just-melted cheese, so I always pull the casserole out after 40 minutes and throw an extra handful of mozzarella (and parmesan if I have it) on top, then finish baking for 5 minutes. So good!
Recipe tips
- Don’t skip the thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. This keeps the bottom ravioli from drying out.
- There’s no need to cover the casserole during baking, I always bake it uncovered and it comes out perfectly.
- Feel free to leave out the cream cheese from the top layer (use it all in the first and second layer instead). Some people don’t like the way it firms up on top of the casserole, but over here my kids fight over the slice with the biggest bit of cream cheese on top 😅
Freezer instructions
Assemble the casserole, but don’t bake it.
Wrap it firmly in plastic wrap, then in aluminium foil. Label with the name and use-by date (freeze for up to 3 months) before placing in the freezer.
To reheat, remove the dish from the freezer and remove both foils. Let the casserole sit on the counter as the oven preheats.
Loosely cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with extra cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, or until heated to the center and bubbly around the edges.
More easy casseroles to try
More easy pasta recipes
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Easy Baked Ravioli
Recipe details
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (32-oz) jar pasta sauce (see notes)
- 2 pounds refrigerated OR frozen cheese ravioli do not thaw if frozen
- 1 (8-oz) tub cream cheese spread OR ricotta cheese
- 1 (8-oz) bag shredded mozzarella cheese
- grated parmesan optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400°F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch casserole dish.
- Brown beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain if you like, then stir through pasta sauce.
- Cover bottom of prepared dish with a thin layer of meat sauce.
- Layer as follows: Add ⅓ of layer of ravioli to the dish. Top ravioli with ⅓ of the meat sauce, then dot with ⅓ of the cream cheese and sprinkle with ⅓ of the mozzarella. Repeat layers two more times.
- Bake casserole in the hot oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the casserole is bubbly. Add more mozzarella cheese and parmesan for the last 5 minutes of baking, if you like.
Notes
- Spaghetti sauce: I like a chunky style pasta sauce or a marinara here. Do not get the kind of jarred spaghetti/pasta sauce with meat added, since you’ll be using ground beef in the recipe! Pizza sauce works in a snap, if that’s all you have on hand and don’t feel like going out!
- Sauce amount: If I can’t find a 32-oz pasta sauce at my store, I usually take a 45-oz jar and eyeball about ⅔ of it (I use the rest to make a quick tomato soup for my lunch the next day). You can also use two 14-oz jars if you prefer, or a 24-oz jar, it’s just a little less saucy.
- Beef: I either use lean ground beef, or use regular and drain the fat after browning. You can also use ground turkey if you prefer, or ground sausage!
- Don’t skip the thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. This keeps the bottom ravioli from drying out.
- There’s no need to cover the casserole during baking, I always bake it uncovered and it comes out perfectly.
- Feel free to leave out the cream cheese from the top layer (use it all in the first and second layer instead). Some people don’t like the way it firms up on top of the casserole, but over here my kids fight over the slice with the biggest bit of cream cheese on top 😅
Michelle Cannon says
This looks so good, Nora! I love ravioli!