The recipe is so simple and it starts off with frozen ravioli and a layered delight that comes together quickly this is either done in a slow cooker, stovetop or baked in the oven so you can save time with all our cooking methods below!
Of course, you can make my homemade ravioli recipe, but we use the frozen ones, and are perfect for this recipe!
Tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, loose seasoned ground beef, or sausage can all be store-bought or homemade using frozen meatballs crushed to save time.
This whole ravioli casserole meal can be done in less than 35 minutes by baking in the oven.
I love ravioli layered with meat, we have so many suggestions and additions below for you to adapt or just tailor to what your family enjoys just check my tips.
You will don't need anything more than meat with tomato sauce and cheese!
The other option is to use meat-filled ravioli and then add a layer of ricotta.
This recipe just skips the longer process of regular lasagna.
If you love creative pasta like this one, even our Zucchini Lasagna is fabulous!
For those in a hurry try our Lasagna Soup recipe.
You may also like Mom's Lasagna recipe or even our Baked Ziti recipe, both are always a hit and feeds a large crowd.
Scroll down for this easy ravioli casserole you can eat any day of the week in no time.
Weeknight Meals
This is so fast to make, that you can whip it up even during a busy weeknight.
Everything can even be made the night before and just heated when you get home.
I also have made this is the slow cooker layered before a shopping day and come home to a great meal.
Served with a light salad and garlic bread this may be your new family favorite like ours.
Tips:
- Use any kind of frozen meatballs crushed or make your own seasoned ground meat.
- Adding a little fennel seed ( around 1 teaspoon) will make the ground meat taste more like sausage.
- I usually layer my lasagna the day before and then bake it when it's almost time to serve, and the flavors are enhanced.
- Ravioli casserole can be made with or without ricotta cheese.
- For vegetarian lovers, add a layer of thin-sliced zucchini, eggplant, or peppers instead of meat along with the spinach.
- Use all meat ravioli if you're not fond of ricotta
- Use escarole boiled or other greens if you're not fond of spinach
- Bottled meat sauce of choice can be used for this recipe or homemade sauce
- Tortellini frozen can be cooked and substituted for ravioli
- To save time use all store-bought ingredients
- This can be layered in a greased slow cooker on low for 2 to 4 hours
Ingredients You Will Need
Scroll to the recipe card for exact measurements
- Spinach leaves
- Ground beef or Loose Sausage or a combination of both fried
- frozen cheese or beef ravioli boiled to package instructions (or make them homemade)
- a handful of fresh basil
- Italian Meat Sauce
- shredded mozzarella
- salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder to taste
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- olive oil or canola oil for cooking
- Optional: whole milk ricotta
Other Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker: First oil sprays a 5-quart slow cooker or a slow cooker liner. Add 1 cup of sauce on the bottom then a layer of frozen ravioli. Add a layer of loose cooked ground meat or loose cooked Italian sausage and ( add raw or frozen spinach if using) more sauce then end with mozzarella cheese and grated cheese on top. Slow cook on Hight for 4 hours.
- Stovetop: In large frying oil sprayed deep frying pan, saute the spinach and meat together. Boil the ravioli separately. Layer the ravioli in the pan with meat, spinach sauce, and cheese cover until cheese melts on low heat.
Vegetable Alternatives:
(This would be for a meatless casserole using just vegetables)
- Artichoke hearts, drained
- Thinly sliced eggplant
- Thinly sliced zucchini
- Sliced fresh tomatoes
- Thinly sliced mushrooms
- Julienne peppers
- Steamed chopped broccoli
- Steamed chopped cauliflower
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Easy Casseroles
We love easy recipes like this one all in one pan.
Ravioli already has the cheese in it but as I mentioned you can still add more for cheese lovers like my crowd.
The sauce can be store-bought or our family Sunday Sauce recipe.
Perfect for holiday, family functions, and great to bring to any events, just layered this in a slow cooker to reheat!
Baked Ravioli Lasagna Casserole
Yield: 8
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
If you have are looking for an easy casserole, this easy layered ravioli pasta dish will fill you up in half the time it takes to make a lasagna. The taste is great and everyone thinks its the real deal!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Ground beef or Loose Sausage or a combination of both fried or use frozen meatballs thawed then crushed
- 2 lbs bag or frozen cheese or beef ravioli boiled to package instructions (or make them homemade)
- a handful of fresh basil
- 4 cups or more of Traditional Sunday Italian Sauce or use your favorite kind of store-bought tomato meat sauce
- 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 clove of minced garlic
- salt, pepper, and granulated garlic powder to taste
- 1/2 cup or more Grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- olive oil or canola oil for cooking
- Optional: Casserole Versions:
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, and dried or fresh parsley instead of meat use all cheese casserole layered with mozzarella
- Vegetarian Lasagna: instead of meat use 1 Large Bag of Fresh spinach leaves sauteed in olive oil and 2 cloves of minced garlic (use any greens you prefer IE escarole)
- We have substituted cooked shrimp for any meat using all cheese ravioli plus the addition of ricotta and spinach
Instructions
- Saute the meat first until the pink is gone seasoned with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and sprinkle evenly with granulated garlic powder (if you would like a sausage flavor add 1 teaspoon of fennel seed to the meat (or use loose sausage and ground beef in a combination).
- Drain the fat from the meat and throw it away.
- Boil the ravioli of choice to package instructions and drain.
- Oil spray or grease a 13 x 9 deep baking dish with oil spray.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread around 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish and add an even layer of ravioli.
- Add the shredded mozzarella evenly on top. (and if using ricotta a dollop here and there scattered on top then more tomato sauce) then a small amount of meat layer.
- Note: If using spinach omit the meat and add the sauteed spinach, then top with some sauce and shredded mozzarella just a little.
- Layer last with more ravioli, another meat (or spinach see different versions) ending with ravioli on top, more tomato sauce, grated cheese, shredded mozzarella, and fresh basil evenly on the top.
- Bake just until the cheese is melted around 25 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
- For a crispy topping broil for 2 minutes on high.
- For Sauteed Spinach Version:
- Rinse the spinach in cold water.
- Saute the spinach in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil fresh garlic, salt, and pepper to taste until the spinach is soft and wilted around 2 minutes on low heat.
Notes
Tips:
- Use any kind of frozen meatballs crushed or make your own seasoned ground meat.
- Adding a little fennel seed ( around 1 teaspoon) will make the ground meat taste more like sausage.
- I usually layer my lasagna the day before and then bake it when it's almost time to serve, and the flavors are enhanced.
- Ravioli casserole can be made with or without ricotta cheese.
- For vegetarian lovers, add a layer of thin-sliced zucchini, eggplant, or peppers instead of meat along with the spinach.
- Use all meat ravioli if you're not fond of ricotta
- Use escarole boiled or other greens if you're not fond of spinach
- Bottled meat sauce of choice can be used for this recipe or homemade sauce
- Tortellini frozen can be cooked and substituted for ravioli
- To save time use all store-bought ingredients
- This can be layered in a greased slow cooker on low for 2 to 4 hours
- Broil the top for 2 minutes after baking if you like a crispy cheese topping
Other Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker: First oil sprays a 5-quart slow cooker or a slow cooker liner. Add 1 cup of sauce on the bottom then a layer of frozen ravioli. Add a layer of loose cooked ground meat or loose cooked Italian sausage and ( add raw or frozen spinach if using) more sauce then end with mozzarella cheese and grated cheese on top. Slow cook on Hight for 4 hours.
- Stovetop: In large frying oil sprayed deep frying pan, saute the spinach and meat together. Boil the ravioli separately. Layer the ravioli in the pan with meat, spinach sauce, and cheese cover until cheese melts on low heat.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
510.45Fat (grams)
33.52Sat. Fat (grams)
14.22Carbs (grams)
23.12Fiber (grams)
3.6Net carbs
20.64Sugar (grams)
7.01Protein (grams)
29.39Sodium (milligrams)
29537.54Cholesterol (grams)
101.25
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Some Other Recipes To Try
Mom's Homemade Ravioli
Lasagna Soup
15 Favorite Pasta Recipes
