Ravioli lasagna bake is a shortcut lasagna made by layering frozen cheese ravioli with pasta sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan in a 9×13-inch dish and baking it until hot, saucy and golden on top. The ravioli stand in for the noodles and the ricotta filling at once, so there is no boiling, no mixing and no careful stacking. It takes 10 minutes to put together and tastes like a pan of baked lasagna. It is a reliable dinner for busy nights and for feeding a table of eight.
How to make ravioli lasagna bake: Heat the oven to 400°F and spray a 9×13-inch dish. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce in the bottom and cover it with frozen cheese ravioli. Add half the sauce and half the mozzarella and Parmesan, then repeat, ending with Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, to 165°F in the center. Rest 10 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- No boiling. The ravioli go in frozen.
- Four main ingredients. Ravioli, sauce and two cheeses.
- Ten minutes of work. The oven does everything after that.
- Feeds eight. One big pan, cut into squares.
- Easy to build on. Add cooked sausage, beef or spinach between the layers if you like.
Ingredient Notes
Cheese ravioli. One package of about 35 ounces, frozen. Do not thaw it.
Pasta sauce. Twenty-eight ounces of your favorite jarred marinara.
Mozzarella. Two cups, shredded.
Parmesan. Two cups, shredded. It is mixed with the mozzarella and also finishes the top.
Fresh parsley. A 1/4 cup, chopped, for serving.
Cooking spray. For the dish.
Ingredients
- 1 package (about 35 ounces) frozen cheese ravioli
- 28 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Cooking spray, for the baking dish
How to Make Ravioli Lasagna Bake
1. Prepare the dish. Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. Start with sauce. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce over the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of frozen ravioli over it.
3. Build the layers. Top the ravioli with half of the remaining sauce and half of the cheeses. Repeat with the remaining frozen ravioli, sauce and cheese, finishing with Parmesan on top.
4. Bake covered, then uncovered. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Check that the center reaches 165°F with a food thermometer.
5. Rest. Let the bake rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley, then cut and serve.
Can Frozen Ravioli Go Straight In?
Yes. Do not boil the ravioli and do not thaw them. They go into the dish frozen and cook in the sauce as the casserole bakes. This is the whole reason the recipe is so quick.
The bake has two stages, and each has a job.
| Stage | Time | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Covered with foil | 30 minutes | The frozen pasta heats through and softens in the sauce |
| Uncovered | 20 to 25 minutes | The cheese melts, bubbles and starts to brown |
| Resting | 10 minutes | The layers settle, so the squares hold together when cut |
How to tell the middle is done
Bubbling sauce at the edges and browned cheese on top look right, but they do not tell you about the center. The middle of a frozen casserole is always the last part to heat. Push a food thermometer into the center of the dish, down into the bottom layer of pasta. It is ready at 165°F. If the top is browning before the center is hot, lay the foil loosely back over it and keep baking.
Can you use fresh ravioli?
Yes. Fresh, refrigerated ravioli cook faster. Plan on about 10 minutes less baking time, and still check the center.
Tips for Success
Why sauce on the bottom first?
The thin layer keeps the pasta from sticking and gives the bottom ravioli liquid to cook in.
How should I arrange the ravioli?
In a single, snug layer, with as few gaps as you can manage. A little overlap is fine.
Should the pasta be covered with sauce?
As much as possible. Bare edges of pasta dry out and turn hard in the oven.
How do I keep the foil from sticking to the cheese?
Spray the underside of the foil, or tent it so it does not touch the top.
Why let it rest?
Straight from the oven the sauce is loose. Ten minutes on the counter lets it thicken, and the pieces lift out cleanly.
How Long Does It Take?
About 70 minutes: 10 minutes to assemble, about 50 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes to rest.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw frozen portions in the refrigerator, and reheat to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
A green salad and garlic bread are all this needs. If you would like to use the slow cooker, make the slow cooker ravioli lasagna. For a homemade sauce, there is this easy ravioli sauce. For more lasagna-style dinners, try the 3-cheese sausage lasagna roll-ups or the hot sausage and sweet potato lasagna. And for another night, bake the Italian bake or the chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you bake ravioli straight from frozen, without boiling it?
Yes. Layer it frozen. It cooks in the sauce while the dish bakes.
How can you tell whether the center of a ravioli lasagna bake is done?
Use a food thermometer. The center should read 165°F.
Can you use fresh ravioli instead?
Yes, with about 10 minutes less baking time.
How should you store and reheat leftovers?
Refrigerate them within 2 hours, keep them for 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
I toss the two cheeses together in a bowl before I start, so each layer is one quick handful. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Ravioli Lasagna Bake
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Ingredients
- 1 package cheese ravioli about 35 ounces; frozen
- 28 ounces pasta sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- cooking spray for the baking dish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F and coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce over the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of frozen ravioli over it.
- Top the ravioli with half of the remaining sauce and half of the cheeses. Repeat with the remaining frozen ravioli, sauce and cheese, finishing with Parmesan on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown. Check that the center reaches 165°F with a food thermometer.
- Let the bake rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley, then cut and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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