Baked Ravioli

This Baked Ravioli is an easy, kid-approved dinner that takes just 10 minutes to prep! Cheese ravioli is tossed with pasta sauce and Italian sausage, topped with parmesan and mozzarella and baked to cheesy perfection.

Love a cozy baked pasta? Try my Easy Lasagna Recipe, Tuscan Chicken Pasta Bake or Lasagna Roll Ups!

Can we all agree that pasta is just the best? It’s one of those classic, easy dinners you can always count on.

But sometimes plain old pasta just doesn’t cut it. Baked ravioli to the rescue! It’s just as quick and easy as pasta but on another level of delicious cheesiness. Just boil your favorite ravioli, toss it with some sauce and Italian sausage, top it off with cheese, and bake it until the cheese is gooey and melty.

Easy dinner just got better!

Baked ravioli ingredients:

• Italian Sausage: you can use mild or spicy Italian sausage depending on your preference!
• Onion: diced to incorporate well into the Italian sausage.
• Marinara or Tomato Pasta Sauce: I usually just use jarred sauce to keep this recipe simple but if you have a favorite homemade pasta sauce you can absolutely use that.
• Minced Garlic: I keep a jar of pre-minced garlic in my fridge for convenience, but you can use freshly minced garlic or even finely chopped garlic.
• Italian Seasoning: pasta sauce and Italian sausage are already well seasoned, but I love to add extra Italian seasoning to give even more flavor.
• Ravioli: I usually use fresh cheese ravioli, but you can use whatever your favorite ravioli is!
• Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese: melted over top the pasta bake to add so much cheesy gooey-ness.
• Fresh Basil: for garnish, if desired!

How to make baked ravioli

This is an easy, kid-approved dinner that takes just 10 minutes to prep!

1. Make the sauce: In a large skillet, cook the Italian sausage and onion until the sausage is browned. Mix in tomato sauce, garlic, and Italian seasoning, then simmer while you cook the ravioli.
2. Cook the ravioli: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add in the ravioli, then cook until al dente. Remember to reserve some of the pasta water before you drain it! We add it to the sauce to keep it, well, saucy! Otherwise this baked pasta can become quite thick in the oven.
3. Assemble and bake: Add the cooked ravioli and sauce to a lightly greased 9×13″ baking dish and toss lightly to coat. Top with mozzarella and parmesan, then bake for 15 minutes.
4. Serve: Top with fresh basil, then serve and enjoy!

Do you have to boil the ravioli first?

You can make this Baked Ravioli with uncooked pasta, but it will just take roughly double the time to bake, and you will need to add 1 cup of water to the sauce to account for the water that will be absorbed by the pasta as it cooks.

Cover and bake for 30-40 minutes until pasta is tender.

To make things simpler, I like to boil it for 2-3 minutes before adding it to the pasta bake to keep the bake time at 15 minutes!

Can you use frozen ravioli?

You can! To bake with frozen ravioli, add one cup of water to the sauce, combine the sauce and frozen ravioli in the baking dish, cover and bake for 30-40 minutes until pasta is cooked.

Once the pasta is tender, add the cheese and continue baking until it’s melted!

Can you use another meat?

You can, but the Italian sausage comes with a lot of seasonings and flavor. If you use another type of meat you will most likely want to add more seasonings yourself!

With that in mind, this recipe works great with ground beef, turkey, or chicken.

Tips and tricks for baked ravioli

Baked ravioli is ridiculously easy and also incredibly customizable! Here are a few tips and swaps for this recipe:

• Boil al dente. You don’t want to fully cook the ravioli in the boiling water because then it will become overcooked and mushy in the oven.
• Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheeses contain an anti-caking agent that can cause a gritty texture when it’s melted. I recommend shredding your own cheese for the best results.
• Add veggies. If you want to kick the nutrition up a notch, feel free to sneak some veggies in when you cook the Italian sausage. You could use spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, etc. Whatever you use, cut them pretty small in size so they incorporate well with the pasta and sausage.
• Swap the ravioli. I love cheese ravioli in this recipe, but you can use any type of ravioli you like! Another option is to swap the ravioli out for tortellini or check out my baked tortellini with turkey and vegetables.
• Make it vegetarian. You can easily make this baked ravioli vegetarian by leaving the Italian sausage out or using a meatless variety.

Serving suggestions

This baked ravioli is perfect next to a side of steamed or roasted veggies, a simple green salad, or homemade breadsticks.

This Broccoli Salad is another one of our favorite ways to add some green to our meals!

Can this be made ahead of time?

Absolutely! To make this ahead of time, follow the instructions up until the casserole is assembled but don’t add the cheese.

Instead of topping and baking it, cover and store it in the fridge for 3 days or wrap it tightly and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake, defrost overnight in the fridge if frozen, then add the cheese and bake as directed. This may add a little bit of cook time, so make sure you check that the ravioli is warmed through before serving!

How to store leftover baked ravioli

Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm in the oven until heated through.

More baked pasta recipes you’ll love

• Rigatoni Pasta Bake
• Baked Spaghetti
• Baked Ziti with Italian Turkey Sausage
• Chicken Alfredo Bake