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.
I am a novice cook. I bought your cookbook and am on your mailing list. I love your cookbook. I have made 3 recipes from the book and just made the “Ravioli Bake” from your mailing. They are awesome. I have a relative in France who is asking for that recipe. Do you have anyone who can translate? 😁My husband will give it a shot. Thank you to NH Chronicle.
Thanks so much for your support Dana, I’m so happy you’re enjoying the cookbook! I actually do have an option on my blog to change the measurements to Metric! You just hit the ‘Metric’ Button right underneath the word ‘Ingredients’ in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!❤️
Hi Stephanie, can I use already boiled/cooked ravioli? If so, how would you adjust the bake time? I have some leftover and this looks great.
Hi Britt! I haven’t tested it but I think that should be okay, I would pull it after 25 minutes! 🙂
Recipe looks great. I’m a little confused about the meats. I’d like to use breakfast sausage and hamburger. If I use 1 lb. each would that be too much meat?
Hi Nell! You can use one pound of meat total, but I wouldn’t use two. ❤️
This was fabulous – you put on to the right track to baking the ravioli. Yum-O
That’s so great to hear Jeanne! Thanks so much for the review!🩷
I followed the recipe to a T, and it was a huge hit tonight! For sure this will be on our family rotation! Easy and delish, what more can you ask for. So glad I stumbled on this wonderful recipe!
I’m so glad you found this recipe Erin! Thanks so much for the great review, sounds like you’ve got a new dish in your house!💖
This recipe would probably be great as is. I didn’t have all the right ingredients but decided to go for it anyway.
I used 1/2 lb ground beef 1/4 lb Italian sausage and a mix of pizza sauce and marinara (whatever I had in the fridge)
It turned out great!!
Thanks for posting!
Nice work! Thanks for sharing your tweaks, I’m so happy you enjoyed it!🩷
The sauce was spot on! Thank you for sharing, this recipe was easy and so delicious!! I substituted with gluten-free ravioli (cauliflower) and it was still very good.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it Kelvin!! Thank you so much for the review!!
Can you use heavy cream instead of half and half?
Hi Kristy, yes you can! 🙂
Yummy! I made it with Rao’s marinara sauce (I agree, it’s the best) but couldn’t find the Rana cheese ravioli. I was looking in the freezer section at the store. Maybe that was the wrong place to look. But no problems. I subbed with a local brand of cheese raviolis and it turned out great. I used Trader Joe’s whole milk mozzarella & forgot to add the salt. I didn’t miss it. Plus my doctor would be proud of me for cutting my sodium intake. East to put together. Will definitely be making again.
I’m soo happy that you loved it Sandy!! Rana Ravioli/Tortellini is usually found in the refrigerated area of the produce section. (I’ll add that info to the blog post!) I buy it refrigerated and freeze it so that I always have it on hand! I’m so glad that it was a hit, thank you so much for the review, you’re the best!! -Stephanie 🙂
This Baked Ravioli is so so good. It’s very easy to prepare and filled with flavor. I used frozen ravioli and instead of ground beef used sweet Italian sausage. I also divided the recipe in half since there was only 3 of us and there are plenty of leftovers. I took the suggestion and added a bit more sauce to avoid it drying out until we eat the leftovers. This recipe will definitely be going into our dinner rotation. Thanks for yet another great recipe!
Hiii Codie! I’m so happy that you loved this recipe and that the tips were helpful! I appreciate so much that you took the time to leave this review, thank you!! -Stephanie