You will be amazed at how simple it is to make this extra cheesy Ravioli Lasagna! Take a delicious shortcut tonight, and use cheese ravioli to build the layers of the perfect easy lasagna!
I don’t know why it took me so long to try this ravioli lasagna recipe! It is truly brilliant: Instead of layers of lasagna noodles and ricotta cheese, we’re using cheese ravioli, nestled in between a delicious meat sauce and plenty of melty mozzarella cheese.
The result is a lasagna that’s just as delicious as one that took you hours to assemble, and this recipe is ready much quicker than that.
I’ll never make lasagna any other way! I had everything I needed to make this in my freezer and pantry (except ricotta,) I used Trader Joe’s garlic marinara and I used their frozen meatballs, which I cut in half while still frozen. This made it even quicker since I didn’t have to brown ground beef! This will probably be my next go-to dish to take to a sick friend too.
Susan
Try my other lasagna recipes! Lasagna Roll Ups take another spin on the classic dish, and my Alfredo Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups are a fun variation with a rich, creamy sauce and shredded chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Reduced Prep Time – For convenience and time savings, you can make this recipe with frozen ravioli and jarred marinara sauce, and you don’t even have to boil the pasta!
- Easy to Customize – There are so many flavors of fresh and frozen ravioli available now, and you can use any type of ravioli to make lasagna! Try this recipe with sausage ravioli, mushroom ravioli, or even spinach ravioli. You’ll still end up with a ravioli casserole that your family will devour.
- A Family-Friendly Meal– Kids and adults will all love it when you make lasagna with ravioli! Little ones might also enjoy helping you layer the ingredients into the lasagna pan.
Key Ingredients in Ravioli Lasagna
Here’s what you need to make this lazy lasagna with ravioli:
- Meat Sauce: A jar of your favorite marina is cooked with ground beef and seasonings. I prefer to use lean ground beef for this recipe, but it will work with any ground beef or ground meat that you like.
- Ravioli: The basic recipe calls for cheese ravioli, but you can use other varieties too! Either fresh or frozen ravioli will work perfectly. Choose square ravioli rather than round ones so that you won’t have any gaps.
- Cheese: Even though there is cheese in the ravioli, this lasagna needs more! Shredded mozzarella, shredded parmesan, and ricotta cheese are also layered in.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Ravioli Lasagna
- Brown Meat: Start by preheating the oven to 350°F/180°C. Then, in a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef with olive oil, breaking it up as you do, until it’s fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain the grease and return the pan to the stovetop.
- Simmer the Sauce: Add Italian seasoning, ground black pepper, and marinara sauce. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste the sauce, and add salt if you need it, then remove from the heat.
- Start Layering: In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer a third of the meat sauce, half of the ravioli, and half of the ricotta. Then add another third of the meat sauce, the remaining ravioli, and the remaining ricotta. Finish with the rest of the meat sauce, and finally, top with the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Bake: Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake again for 15 minutes.
Tip!
Do you like browned, bubbly cheese on top of your lasagna? Turn on the broiler to crisp it up at the very end of the bake time!
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to coat the bottom of the pan with sauce. This first layer keeps the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Fresh parsley or chopped basil makes a beautiful garnish for this dish. Add it after you remove the ravioli lasagna from the oven.
- Add vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms or zucchini to the sauce if you like.
Storing Tips
Store leftover lasagna in the refrigerator. If properly stored in an airtight container, it will stay fresh for about 5 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave.
Make Ahead Ravioli Lasagna
This casserole is easy to turn into a freezer meal! Layer the casserole into a disposable casserole dish, cover and wrap well with plastic wrap and foil, then store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
If you’d rather not use a disposable pan, you can press plastic wrap into the inside of a glass baking dish. Assemble the ravioli lasagna in the pan, then freeze for a few hours. Remove the frozen lasagna from the glass pan, and wrap well with more plastic wrap and foil before putting it back in the freezer.
To cook from frozen, bake at 350°F/180°C, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the lasagna is heated through. Then bake for 15 minutes uncovered.
You can also prepare this recipe and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before baking it, according to the recipe instructions.
What To Serve With Ravioli Lasagna
All this hearty ravioli casserole needs is a side of garlic bread or copycat Olive Garden breadsticks and a tasty caesar salad on the side.
Make a delicious Italian dessert to enjoy after dinner too. Ricotta Cookies or my Easy Tiramisu will be the perfect finish!
Recipe FAQs
To make a vegetarian version of ravioli lasagna, you can just leave the ground meat out. It’s super simple! You might also like to try it with a meatless alternative, such as Beyond Meat or Impossible Burger.
Many cooks like to use cottage cheese in place of ricotta in recipes like this one. The texture is a bit different, but it’s a smart substitution, and often can be less expensive.
This baked ravioli recipe does not require you to thaw the ravioli first! You may find that you need an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven if your ravioli are particularly thick, but they will thaw and cook while the lasagna is baking.
More Baked Pasta Recipes
All Pastas →
Enjoy this super easy Ravioli Lasagna Recipe! It’s the fastest way to make lasagna, and I just know that your family is going to love it.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Ravioli Lasagna
Equipment
- Foil
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound (450 grams) ground beef
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 32 ounces (900 grams) marinara sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt optional, taste the sauce before adding
- 24 ounces (1.5 pounds) (680 grams) ravioli frozen or chilled
- 15 ounces (425 grams) ricotta cheese
- ½ cup (43 grams) shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 cups (240 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- Fresh basil or parsley chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and cook the beef breaking it apart with a spatula or a wooden spoon as you cook it. Drain grease, and return to the stovetop.
- Add Italian seasoning, ground pepper, and marinara. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes, taste the sauce and see if it needs any salt (I find marinara to be salty enough). Remove from heat.
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer a third of the meat sauce, half of the ravioli, and half of the ricotta.
- Then add another third of the meat sauce, the remaining ravioli, and the remaining ricotta. Finish with the rest of the meat sauce, and finally, top with the shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes. If desired place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes:
- Taste your sauce before adding salt. I often find that marinara sauce is salty enough to begin with. To reduce sodium, use a no-salt-added tomato sauce instead.
- Be sure to coat the bottom of the pan with sauce. This first layer keeps the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Fresh parsley makes a beautiful garnish for this dish. Add it after you remove the ravioli lasagna from the oven.
- Add vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms or zucchini to the sauce if you like.
- Use any type of frozen or refrigerated ravioli that you enjoy.
- To Store: Store leftover lasagna in the refrigerator. If properly stored in an airtight container, it will stay fresh for about 5 days.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the recipe as instructed, but instead of baking it, wrap the dish well and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bake as directed when you’re ready.
- Freezer Meal Instructions: Layer the casserole into a disposable casserole dish, cover and wrap well with plastic wrap and foil, then store in the freezer for up to 6 months. To cook from frozen, bake at 350°F/180°C, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the lasagna is heated through. Then bake for 15 minutes uncovered.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Nita says
I made this for a Sunday potluck and it was a bit hit with everyone so good and so easy to make
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Yes! This recipe is perfect for potlucks. So glad everyone liked it.
Susan says
I’ll never make lasagna any other way! I had everything I needed to make this in my freezer and pantry (except ricotta,) I used Trader Joe’s garlic marinara and I used their frozen meatballs, which I cut in half while still frozen. This made it even quicker since I didn’t have to brown ground beef! This will probably be my next go-to dish to take to a sick friend too.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for the great feedback. I love the choices you made – what a great idea to use cut-up meatballs to save time!
Brenda says
Do you have to pre-cook the ravioli before using?
Little Sunny Kitchen says
No, you do not need to cook the ravioli, that’s why this recipe is so simple! If yours are frozen, you’ll need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time, but otherwise ravioli are already cooked, so they just need to be reheated.