Easy Baked Ravioli Casserole Recipe

This Baked Ravioli Casserole recipe is a delicious and comforting dish. Made with simple ingredients including cheese ravioli, seasoned ground beef, rich tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. This hearty and easy-to-make casserole is perfect for feeding a crowd, or for meal prep, as it can be made in advance and reheated when ready to serve. With its savory flavors and gooey cheese, Baked Ravioli Casserole is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

Easy Baked Ravioli Casserole Recipe

If your family loves ravioli then they are going to love this simple recipe that is perfect for busy weeknights! This is one recipe that my whole family loves and since it is easy to change things up to fit what I have on hand I make this delicious recipe often.

Baked Ravioli Casserole is an effortless but delicious dinner idea, then look no further than this easy pasta casserole. It is so simple to make and requires minimal effort thanks to the convenience of using store-bought ravioli. That means less work and time in the kitchen.

This easy ravioli recipe uses just a handful of ingredients and has only a few minutes of prep time making it the perfect meal that the entire family will enjoy when you need an easy weeknight dinner or just because you want a tasty yet quick to make meal.

Easy Pasta Recipes

• Avocado pasta sauce recipe
• Shrimp Alfredo Recipe with homemade alfredo sauce
• Chicken Alfredo Ravioli Casserole
• Spinach and sausage pasta

What to Serve as a side dish with Ravioli Casserole

To have a complete meal I serve it with garlic bread and a freshly made salad but there are many other side dishes that will pair well with it.

Salads are a great side because you can keep them as simple as you want or make them as fancy as you want. When I make a simple salad I like to make a homemade salad dressing and other times I make a salad like Caesar Salad, Spinach Strawberry Salad or Olive Garden copy cat salad.

If you don’t have garlic bread on hand Garlic Cheddar Biscuits and Buttermilk Biscuits are great options to use instead.

Variations of this Recipe

Change up the ground meat. This recipe can also be made with Italian sausage, ground beef, ground chicken or ground turkey, instead of ground beef.

Add vegetables. You can also add in your favorite vegetables like bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini to make it heartier. Just dice them into small pieces and add them to the sauce.

Change up the type of ravioli. I use cheese ravioli but you can also use beef ravioli or even veggie raviolis like mushroom ravioli to change things up a bit. You can also use frozen ravioli instead of the fresh ravioli from the refrigerator section of the grocery store when making this recipe.

Change up the sauce. You can use a jar of pasta sauce or your favorite homemade sauces. The great thing about this easy recipe is that you can really use whatever sauce you have on hand. Depending on what I have on hand I have used marinara sauce, meat sauce (if using this I skip adding the ground beef), homemade spaghetti sauce, and even bacon spaghetti sauce.

What homemade Pasta Sauce Recipes will work well with this recipe?

If you want to use homemade sauces there are many options. I make large batches of pasta sauces and keep them in my freezer to use when I need sauce instead of using jarred sauce. These are some of my favorite sauces to keep on hand:

• Sun dried tomato Pasta Sauce
• Spicy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauce

Can I use frozen Ravioli instead of Fresh?

This recipe can easily be made using frozen Ravioli. I like to cook my Ravioli while preparing my meat mixture as it speeds up the cooking time. Make sure to follow the package directions for your Ravioli. If using frozen Ravioli, do not thaw them prior to cooking. You will have a sticky mess and won’t get the Raviolis apart without ripping them. If using Frozen Ravioli, add some additional sauce (around 1 – 1/2 cups) as the Ravioli will absorb moisture during the baking process.

How can I make this a vegetarian meal? 

You can simply omit the meat in this recipe and have a vegetarian option. Alternatively, I also like adding another onion and a couple of bags of fresh spinach to my sauce for a great vegetarian alternative.

Do I need to cook the ravioli first?

I prefer to when I have the time, but if you are short on prep time and just want to get dinner in the oven you can skip cooking the ravioli and just put the frozen ravioli in the casserole dish. You will want to add 10-15 minutes to the cook time so they cook. I would also add an extra 1-1.5 cups of pasta sauce as the ravioli will absorb moisture from the sauce when it is baking.

Can I make this in advance?

This casserole can easily be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator uncooked for up to 2 days. 

Can I make this a freezer meal?

Yes! This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and then freeze to use as a freezer meal. You can assemble the casserole and freeze it before baking. I like to use a disposable baking dish. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then bake as directed. Freeze for up to 3 months and let thaw before baking. 

How to Store Leftovers

To store baked leftovers, simply place them in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You may need to add a little water when reheating as the pasta continues to absorb moisture. I would not recommend freezing leftovers as the ravioli will break apart and make a bit of a mess.

How to reheat a Pasta Casserole?

To reheat, place the casserole dish in a 350°F oven and heat until hot and bubbling. If you need it quicker, microwave individual servings for 30-second intervals until heated through.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs Ground beef
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 13 ounces packages refridgerated ravioli
• 24 ounces pasta sauce or try my easy homemade Spaghetti sauce
• 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or grate fresh
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
• Additional parmesan cheese for serving

How to Make Baked Ravioli Casserole

Cook Ravioli according to package directions.

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

Roughly dice the onion.

In a skillet over medium-high heat add the onion, ground beef, and garlic and cook until the meat is fully cooked.

Spray the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Add a thin layer of tomato sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish.

Add the remaining tomato sauce and spices to the meat mixture and combine.

Next, add the ravioli to the casserole dish and cover it with the meat sauce mixture.

Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese and cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes till the casserole is bubbling and heated through and the cheese is melted.

Uncover and cook for another 5 minutes till the cheese is bubbly and browned.

Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Easy Casserole Recipes

• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Loaded Chicken and Potato Casserole
• Chicken Dorito Casserole
• Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole