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Easy Cheesy Baked Ravioli

Published: / Updated: / 45 Comments

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This baked ravioli recipe has cheese ravioli, ground beef, marinara sauce, and melty parmesan and mozzarella. It's so simple to make and is total comfort food!

If you like baked pasta, you'll love my Baked Penne with Sausage or this Easy Meatball Casserole.

close-up of cheesy baked ravioli casserole (in baking dish with some being lifted out with spatula)

Super easy pasta bake

This baked ravioli is a huge hit in my home, and I'm so excited to share it with you! It's especially great because the ravioli cooks right in the oven. That's right, you guys. There's no need to boil it separately first! It's SUCH a time saver, making this an awesome easy weeknight meal. Even your picky eaters won't be able to resist this one.

I love making cozy pasta recipes like this that have simple to find everyday ingredients. There's nothing fancy in here. Ground beef is my go-to when I am creating an inexpensive and filling dish. Add in a bunch of cheese, and it's total bliss. This is a family-friendly dinner, which is important when you're a busy parent and just want to get supper on the table fast with no hassle! It's kinda like a lazy lasagna.

What goes into it

  • Olive oil - for sautéing the onion
  • Onion - I love cooking with Vidalia onions, but yellow or white work as well
  • Ground beef - we're using extra lean ground beef in this recipe
  • Garlic - always use fresh garlic cloves vs the stuff in the jar, and you can add more than the suggested amount if you prefer
  • Marinara sauce - it's a big component, so use a jarred brand you actually enjoy the taste of, or make a homemade marinara sauce!
  • Ravioli - I used cheese ravioli, but you can change up the variety no problem or even sub in tortellini. I'd add another 10-15 minutes to the baking time if you're using frozen ravioli.
  • Mozzarella and parmesan cheese - these two cheeses combine to make an ooey, gooey masterpiece of a pasta bake! I prefer to grate my own cheese for better flavor and texture, and I use this cheese grater.
cheesy baked ravioli in a shallow bowl

Make ahead tip

  • You can easily assemble it ahead of time! Simply complete the recipe through step 6, and then tightly cover and freeze the whole baking dish for up to three months.
  • When you want to cook it, bake it for a bit longer than suggested. You'll want to check it's fully warmed through before the broiling step.

How to make baked ravioli

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

cooking ground beef in a skillet and adding marinara sauce and ravioli to a baking dish

Start by sautéing the onions and ground beef in a skillet. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven, and grab a 9x13 baking dish. Once the beef is cooked, stir in some of the marinara sauce into the skillet, and then add the rest to the baking dish. Add the first layer of ravioli. This doesn't have to be done perfectly!

adding the beef and cheese layers to baked ravioli in a casserole dish

Add half the ground beef mixture and top with cheese. Then you'll want to repeat it and do a second layer with the rest of the ravioli, ground beef, and cheese. Cover with foil, bake, and then broil to bubbly, golden cheesy goodness!

Substitutions and variations

  • You don't need to be super precise with this recipe. Use round ravioli if you prefer that shape. Change it up with a different flavor than cheese. Use more/less than 20 ounces. It's all good!
  • Try swapping the beef for ground turkey or even ground pork.
  • You can change up the cheeses too. Cheddar would be great, or try Gruyère.
  • Instead of using marinara sauce, feel free to use whatever jarred tomato-based pasta sauce is your favorite. You could even add a little Alfredo sauce between the layers for added flavor and creaminess.

What to serve with it

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers will keep for a few days in the fridge.
  • Reheat them in the oven, covered by foil. You could always broil for a bit at the end as well. Microwave will be okay if that's your only option.
  • I wouldn't recommend freezing leftovers. The pasta will lose firmness, and it just won't be as tasty!

More pasta bake recipes

cheesy ravioli bake in a white baking dish

Will you give this baked cheese ravioli recipe a try? Questions? Talk to me in the comments below! 

cheesy baked ravioli in a shallow bowl

Easy Baked Ravioli

This baked ravioli recipe has cheese ravioli, ground beef, marinara sauce, and melty parmesan and mozzarella. It's so simple to make and is total comfort food!
4.82 from 11 votes
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 658 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 1 pound extra lean ground beef
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (one 24 oz. jar) divided
  • 20 ounces uncooked cheese ravioli see note
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and move the rack to the top third of the oven. Prep the cheeses.
  • Add the oil and onion to a skillet and sauté for 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat.
  • Add in the ground beef and garlic. Cook it, breaking the beef up with your spoon as you go along, until it's browned and cooked through (about 8 minutes). If there's a lot of excess fat, spoon it out. Season with a bit of salt & pepper.
  • Add 2 cups of the marinara sauce to the ground beef mixture (give it a good stir and let it heat through).
  • Pour the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce into a greased 9x13 baking dish (spread it evenly along the bottom).
  • Add half the ravioli to the baking dish (some overlap is totally fine, but try to arrange it in a fairly even layer), then add half the beef mixture followed by half of each of the cheeses. Repeat this process so you've got 2 layers and it's finished with the layer of cheese on top.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off and broil for a few minutes so you've got a nice, bubbly, browned cheese layer, then serve immediately.

Notes

  • I used refrigerated cheese & spinach ravioli. If using frozen ravioli, increase cook time by 10-15 minutes as needed. You can use a bit less or a bit more than 20 ounces ravioli for this recipe... it doesn't have to be exact.
  • Please see the blog post for make-ahead tips, substitution suggestions, and process photos if step 6 is confusing to you.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 658kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 47gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1764mgPotassium: 736mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 927IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 420mgIron: 13mg
Keyword baked ravioli, ravioli bake, ravioli casserole, ravioli lasagna
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. BB says

    4 stars
    This is very similar to lasagna, but easier and faster to make. I was happy to get a meal together quickly for my husband to have before he went to work. He really enjoyed it and ate all of the leftovers when he came home. I doubled up on the pasta sauce.

    Reply

  2. Margaret says

    Do you have any experience subbing out the beef for Impossible Meat or some similar plant-based option? I saw the comment about using mushrooms, which I would like, but others I'd be making it for would not.

    Reply

    • Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says

      Hi Margaret! We have not tested the recipe with a plant-based alternative to meat, but you're welcome to try! Apparently Impossible Meat cooks quite similarly to ground beef, but it's not an ingredient we have experience with.

      Reply

    • Natasha says

      I am in Canada and use a brand called Stefano. Most of my readers are in the USA, so that's why I don't typically recommend it as most readers likely can't buy it. 🙁

      Reply

  5. Penny says

    Made this recipe last night, very easy to make and we all loved it. I did do a couple of things differently though just for personal taste. I used beef ravioli instead of cheese ravioli and Italian sausage instead of ground beef. It was still very cheesy and delicious!

    Reply

  6. Shirley says

    4 stars
    Tasty and easy! I added some Italian seasoning, mushrooms and spinach to the mix and it was tasty. I was worried my top layer of pasta wouldn't be cooked enough as I used a smaller dish and required three layers. But it turned out just fine!

    Reply

  7. Kimberley Sanchez says

    5 stars
    Amazing!!! I made this recipe exactly as written. It was delicious!! So easy to prepare. Will definitely be making this frequently.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! I have never tried doing something like that, so I really can't advise on timing, unfortunately. In theory I don't see why it wouldn't work, though. Let me know if you try!

      Reply

  10. Barb says

    5 stars
    This was a very good (and easier than traditional lasagna!) recipe, and I’ll definitely be adding it into my rotation. I do want to comment, though, that if you use a glass baking dish, like Pyrex or Corelle, it might be best to not do the broiler step. I’ learned the hard way that glass baking dishes explode if you try to use the broil function of your stove. 😣

    Reply

  11. Cindy says

    Does this freeze well? Looking for a recipe for elderly people to have on hand for meals to heat up. This looks wonderful! Thank you for your help!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi! Hmm not really. It has a pretty unique flavor. I mean you could just use whatever cheeses you have on hand and see how you like it.

      Reply

  14. Olivia Dewitte says

    I made this and it was amazing !! However the nutrition at the end is that for the entire recipe or per serving?! I am having to log what I eat for a nutrition class and break it down so was just wondering how to input it! Thank you!

    Reply

  17. Chan says

    5 stars
    I was looking for a new delicious pasta dish to make and came across your baked ravioli recipe. I cooked his dish for my family last night and it was such a big hit. Everyone was raving about how good it was. I'll be trying out the creamy garlic chicken recipe next. Thanks!

    Reply

  18. K. says

    Delicious! I made this with a pound of mushrooms (making sure to cook off all of the liquid before adding the sauce) instead of beef, and it was perfect. Another great recipe!

    Reply

  19. Kara says

    5 stars
    This recipe is so good and easy to throw together! I used a 25oz bag of frozen ravioli, cooked for 30 minutes and then took to a friends house to finish baking for 20-25 minutes (last 5 uncovered). It was a hit!

    Reply

    • Kaitlin says

      This recipe sounds delicious and I want to give it a try. I’m using. Frozen ravioli, should I boil it first before layering in pan or layer the frozen ravioli directly with the other ingredients?

      Reply

      • Natasha says

        Hi Kaitlin, I explain in the blog post what to do in the notes & tips section. Don't boil it... but add extra time (10-15 min should do it, but add more if needed). Hope that helps and you enjoy the recipe! 🙂

        Reply

  20. Molly says

    5 stars
    I was just about to hit up pinterest for a baked pasta recipe for dinner tonight when I saw you post this on Instagram. My kids and husband (and I) love all of your recipes. Do you think I could add some spinach and mushrooms to the beef to add some veggies in this? Maybe drain any liquid before adding the marinara? Thanks so much!!

    Reply