This Baked Ravioli recipe can be made with refrigerated or frozen ravioli with no boiling required! It’s an easy make-ahead recipe that you can refrigerate or freeze to bake later! The meaty marinara sauce has a hint of cream with simple seasonings and the best flavor enhancers.
Be sure to try my Italian Sausage Pasta recipe next!
Baked Ravioli
My favorite part about this recipe, (aside from how delicious it is), is the fact that you don’t have to boil the ravioli prior to assembling. 🤯 There is an abundance of sauce in this recipe that the ravioli cooks in while it’s in the oven. Not only does it make the ravioli super flavorful, but you can rest assure that the ravioli will be perfectly cooked without splitting and falling apart.
💥BONUS #1: Refrigerated or frozen ravioli works beautifully for this.
Now about this meat sauce. It has a hint of creaminess to it which is a nice way to offset the acidity from the marinara, and the meat itself is flavored with the best combination of seasonings and subtle flavor enhancers, all of which makes this an above-average dish.
💥BONUS #2: You can also make it ahead of time and bake it up to 2 days later or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Be sure to serve this with Garlic Bread with Cheese and try my Classic Lasagna or Lasagna Roll Ups recipe next!
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Cook the ground beef, onions, seasonings, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic in a large skillet. Drain excess grease. Add 2 + 1/4 cups marinara sauce and half and half. Stir to combine and set aside.
Spread 3/4 cup marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and add half of the ravioli.
Top with half of the meat sauce and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
Top with remaining ravioli and meat sauce.
Top with remaining cheese. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Remove cover and broil at 450° for 1-2 minutes. Remove and serve!
Make Ahead Method
- Refrigerator: Assemble the ravioli as outlined and cover it tightly. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let it sit for 30 minutes prior to baking, or add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezer: Assemble as outlined and cover it tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months and let it fully thaw in the fridge for 24 hours prior to baking. Let it sit for 30 minutes prior to baking, or add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Pro Tips
- Ravioli:
- Frozen ravioli may also be used, add 15 minutes of additional baking time, or until the cheese is melted when you lift up the cover for broiling.
- I use Rana 4-cheese refrigerated ravioli for this recipe, but any filling option that you like will work! Rana is usually in the refrigerated area of the produce section.
- Marinara Sauce:
- If you love extra saucy ravioli or anticipate leftovers, consider using up to 1 additional cup of sauce. (32 oz. total.) The ravioli absorbs sauce during cooking and even more after it’s been baked/during storage.
- I use Rao’s marinara sauce for this recipe. You can also try my homemade marinara sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese:
- Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella has the best consistency for this recipe. Shred it from a block to ensure it melts and tastes the best.
- I love using Dragone mozzarella.
- A combination of ground beef, pork, and/or sausage can be used in this recipe.
- The hot sauce/Worcestershire sauce act as flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright.
- Ensure that your casserole dish is safe for broiling, do not broil if using a glass casserole dish.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- 9 x 13-inch casserole dish– This is oven safe up to 500°
- Box Cheese Grater– Always grate the Parmesan from a wedge so that it melts and tastes the best
- Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer.
- Pinch Bowls– for measuring out seasonings ahead of time.
- Ove Gloves– These make it easy to transfer casseroles to and from the oven.
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Baked Ravioli
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, doesn’t make it spicy
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- 20 oz. refrigerated ravioli, uncooked. see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and add it to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and crumble it for 3 minutes. Add the seasonings, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and the onions and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Tilt the skillet and spoon out any excess grease. Reduce heat to low.
- Spread 3/4 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and add the rest to the skillet with the meat. Add the half and half and stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Arrange half of the ravioli on the bottom of the casserole dish and top with half of the meat sauce, then top with ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Top with remaining ravioli, then the meat sauce and remaining mozzarella.
- Cover and bake for 35 minutes. If covering with foil, spray one side with non-stick cooking spray to prevent it from sticking to the cheese while it bakes.
- Remove cover and broil at 450 to brown the top slightly. It’ll take just 1-2 minutes, watch it closely during this time.
- Remove from heat and serve!
Notes
- Ravioli:
- Frozen ravioli may also be used, add 15 minutes of additional baking time, or until the cheese is melted when you lift up the cover for broiling.
- I use Rana 4-cheese refrigerated ravioli for this recipe, but any filling option that you like will work! I also use Rao’s marinara sauce, it’s a great quality marinara sauce.
- Marinara Sauce:
- If you love extra saucy ravioli or anticipate leftovers, consider using up to 1 additional cup of sauce. (32 oz. total.) The ravioli absorbs sauce during cooking and even more after it’s been baked/during storage.
- I use Rao's marinara sauce for this recipe. You can also try my homemade marinara sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese:
- Low moisture, whole milk mozzarella has the best consistency for this recipe. Shred it from a block to ensure it melts and tastes the best.
- I love using Dragone mozzarella.
- A combination of ground beef, pork, and/or sausage can be used in this recipe.
- The hot sauce/Worcestershire sauce act as flavor enhancers and can’t be tasted outright.
- Ensure that your casserole dish is safe for broiling, do not broil if using a glass casserole dish.
Make-Ahead Method:
- Refrigerator: Assemble the ravioli as outlined and cover it tightly. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let it sit for 30 minutes prior to baking, or add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
- Freezer: Assemble as outlined and cover it tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months and let it fully thaw in the fridge for 24 hours prior to baking. Let it sit for 30 minutes prior to baking, or add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Storage:
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional Information is per serving. The number of servings are at the top of the recipe card in the middle. This recipe has 6 servings.
This dish was so amazing – I don’t think I’ll ever spend the time making a laborious lasagna again. The no-boil ravioli made this recipe super easy and sooo delicious. I didn’t have cream, but I had a lovely fresh ricotta which I substituted directly for the heavy cream. Wow! I didn’t realize that ricotta would turn a sauce so dreamy and creamy. I packed my leftovers to share at lunch the following day, but I’m glad I didn’t tell my colleagues my intentions because I ate the leftovers without sharing. (Oops). This would make an easy and delicious dish to bring to someone who needs meal assistance or really – to anyone. It was simply a-maz-ing.
I’m so happy to hear this Andrea! I agree, the ricotta definitely makes it dreamy and creamy!🙌 And it is so good leftover for lunch! Thanks so much for the great comments and review!❤️
Made this tonight and it was a hit! It was so delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
You’re very welcome Amanda, I’m so happy this was a hit! Thanks so much for the great review!❤️
Oh. My. Goodness! The Baked Ravioli is amazing! I used frozen tortellini since that is what I had on hand, but made sure to add an extra 15 minutes to the baking time. I also used half ground beef, half spicy Italian sausage, and added pepperoni to the dish. I never would have thought in a million years to add dry mustard, Worcestshire, and hot sauce to a jar of spaghetti sauce, and I couldn’t even taste any of it! I will be making this dish again, but with fresh Ravioli next time. Thank you for sharing, Miss Stefanie! 😋
I’m so happy you used the flavor enhancers in this one, it makes such a big difference! It sounds like you really nailed this, thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!😍
It doesn’t say how much half and half to add to the marinara sauce?
Hi Cheryl, give it another look, it says 1/2 cup in the recipe card😀
This recipe is FANTASTIC!! I made it two weeks ago and it was a huge hit with my family! I am currently in the process of making it again for tonight’s dinner! Thanks for all the great recipes!! Keep them coming!
You’re very welcome Beth, thanks so much for your support and for taking the time to leave a review!❤️ I’m so happy you’re enjoying this one, it’s one of my recent favorites!
This has very quickly become a family favorite and meal that we crave! It is sooooooo easy to make and delicious. Since the first time I have made it, I have not had leftovers to save for the next day. We love this meal!
I’m so happy this is a hit with the family Kelsy, sounds like you’re doing a great job with it, nice work!🙌 Thanks so much for the great review!
Sounds delicious as most of your recipes are. Will be making this soon! I cannot thank you enough for adding the storage, make ahead, and cooking after freezing methods to your printable recipe. It makes it so much easier for someone (me) that is not as comfortable on the computer as many younger folks.
That makes me so happy to hear you’re enjoying the storage, make ahead, and freezer methods Cherie. Thanks so much for the kind words and for taking the time to leave a review! I love your support!💖
I stumbled across this recipe on Instagram last week. I follow other food pages and you were suggested. I was intrigued by the photo and then the recipe for this dish. It had some odd stuff in it like mustard powder and hot sauce. But you know what? It was good, real good. Husband also liked it. I only made half and there’s still enough left for another meal. Now you’ve got another follower. This is a good weeknight cold weather meal and it’s easy. I like that I can do some prep in advance if I choose. It was really cold today and this food made me feel warm.
👍👍
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Maria! I’m glad you went with the flavor enhancers. It always strikes people as odd but they add so much flavor. Thanks so much for the great comments and review, I’m so happy to have your support!😍
This is such a wonderful recipe to have on hand. I NEVER, IN A MILLION YEARS, would have thought to layer Ravioli almost like a lasagna. But it wasn’t hard to do and the flavor is incredible!!! It saves so much time and it tastes like I slaved for hours! The half and half in the sauce is a nice touch. I love lots of sauce and the half and half really enhances all the flavors so nothing seems drowned out by it. This is a keeper Mrs Cozy!!!! Thank you! My kids and husband all give it a double thumbs up!!!!
Yayyy! I’m so happy this was such a hit with the family Constantina. Thanks so much for the great comments and review!😀
It’s soooooo good and easy to make. I pit garlic powder because I didn’t have garlic at home.
I’m so happy you found this yummy and easy to make Tamila!😁 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!