This baked ravioli recipe has cheese ravioli, ground beef, marinara sauce, plenty of garlic, and melty parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Simple to make and total comfort food!
This ravioli bake is a hit at my house. I even tested it on a visitor who happened to be around when I was making this, and she liked it so much that I sent her home with the leftovers. 😉
This recipe is great because you don't need to boil the ravioli ahead of time. It cooks right in the oven. I love making comforting recipes like this with everyday ingredients. Ground beef is my go-to when I am looking to make something inexpensive and filling.
If you liked baked pasta, you may also like my Baked Penne with Sausage, this Baked Tortellini (Tomato & Meat Sauce), or my Simple Ground Beef Casserole.
This baked ravioli casserole is very straightforward to prepare. You 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, you stir in some of the marinara sauce and then add the rest to the baking dish. It's then time to layer the ravioli (sorta like lasagna but easier). This doesn't have to be done perfectly. I do two layers, so I simply layer half the ravioli, then half the beef mixture, then half the cheese, then repeat. Easy peasy! (Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below)
There are few things in life better than baked pasta! I really hope you'll enjoy this recipe.
Baked ravioli notes & tips:
- 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.
- You could sub tortellini for the ravioli if you choose.
- 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. Or make your own marinara sauce (I usually save time and buy whatever looks good at the store!). You could even add a little Alfredo sauce between the layers for added flavor and creaminess.
- I prefer to grate my own parmesan cheese (better flavor & texture), and I use this cheese grater.
- The best option to reheat leftovers is in the oven, covered by foil. You could always broil for a bit at the end as well. The microwave will work too if that's your only option.
- Can you bake frozen ravioli? Yes! I'd add another 10-15 minutes to the baking time if the ravioli are frozen.
- Make ahead tip: Another option is to assemble the entire thing (complete the recipe through step 6 and then tightly cover and freeze the whole baking dish). 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).
More delicious recipes to try:
Will you give this baked cheese ravioli recipe a try? Questions? Talk to me in the comments below!
Easy Baked Ravioli
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.
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!
Natasha says
Hi Cindy! My suggestions for freezing are in the blog post under the recipe notes & tips section. 🙂
Shellie Ann LaTourette says
So LOVE ALL YOUR RECIPES. CAN I AM THIS 2-3 HOURS AHEAD OF TIME AND KEEP IT IN THE FRIG? 💞
Natasha says
Thank you! Yes. I would then bake it for a bit longer since it won't be warm anymore.
Monica says
I can’t wait to make this! I don’t have any parmesan cheese. Do you have any recommendations?
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.
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!
Natasha says
Hi! It's for one serving. I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Heidi maghirang says
Can I use frozen beef ravioli?
Natasha says
I think that should be fine. I would increase cook time by 10-15 minutes (or possibly more if needed).
Julie Whitehair says
Another great S&L recipe! I love that this is so adaptable!
Natasha says
Thank you, Julie!! I'm glad it was a hit! 😀
Chan says
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!
Natasha says
I'm so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment.
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!
Natasha says
Fantastic! Love the idea.
Kara says
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!
Natasha says
I'm so happy you enjoyed it so much!! Thanks for commenting, Kara! 🙂
Molly says
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!!
Natasha says
Love that! Yes, I think that would work just fine. 😊 Let me know how it goes!
Molly says
Added rough chopped spinach and mushrooms, it was awesome. Huge hit with the kids and super easy! Thanks!!!
Natasha says
Great!! That's what I like to hear. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a stellar review!