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Our Ravioli Lasagna Recipe is made with layers of frozen cheese ravioli in place of traditional lasagna noodles. All the classic elements of lasagna, like red sauce and ricotta, but with cheese filled ravioli in place of flat noodles.
Okay, I have a very important question to ask you. One that is probably going to cause a lot of controversy. One that you will likely have super strong feelings about.
Ready?
Okay. Deep breath. Here goes.
When you make lasagna, do you use ricotta cheese or cottage cheese?
I know that a lot of you are angry that I’d even ask that question. Like, why is cottage cheese even an option, because everyone knows that their Italian grandmother uses ricotta and obviously that’s the only way to make lasagna.
It’s just…you guys. I often make lasagna with cottage cheese.
Don’t leave me.
I love ricotta, but my husband? Not so much.
I’m happy to report that it doesn’t really matter one way or the other, because this ravioli lasagna is delicious made with either one! Use ricotta if that’s what your ancestors demand of you. Use cottage cheese if this is what your heart tells you to do.
Whatever you do, please just serve our baked ravioli lasagna recipe with a side of my ever popular cream cheese garlic bread. Or take our quick dinner rolls and shape them into breadsticks and then brush them with garlic butter!
Ingredient Notes:
Pasta – We’re using frozen cheese ravioli. You could also use beef ravioli, if you want things extra meaty.
Sauce – I’m a fan of Rao’s personally, but use whichever jar of sauce you like or try our homemade spaghetti sauce!
Ricotta Mixture – You’ll combine ricotta (or cottage cheese) with egg, Parmesan, parsley, and seasoning. This mixture will make the creamy layer between the pasta.
Mozzarella – We top it all off with a thicker layer of mozzarella. I prefer to shred my own for the best, most creamy result.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step By Step Instructions:
Meat Sauce: Make the meat sauce by browning the beef and onion together and then stirring in the marinara.
Cheese Filling: While the meat is cooking, stir together the ricotta, parmesan, egg, parsley, and seasonings.
Assemble: Spread a thin layer of meat sauce in the bottom of your pan and top it with a single layer of ravioli. Top that with more meat sauce and the ricotta. Repeat your layers and then finish it all off with mozzarella.
Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and finish baking for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot!
Expert Tips:
An important question that I hear a lot is “when making lasagna what goes on the bottom layer?“
The answer is sauce! You start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of your dish to keep the pasta moist and prevent it from sticking and getting crunchy.
For a browned cheese topping, pop your ravioli under the broiler for a minute or two until the cheese gets toasty. Keep a close eye on it as the broiler works very fast.
If you’re wondering how to reheat lasagna, I recommend using the oven. Bake it, covered, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until it’s warmed through.
More pasta recipes to try:
- Chicken Spaghetti: Cheesy comfort food!
- Italian Pasta Salad: This one is LOADED with veggies, meats, and a simple homemade dressing.
- Baked Spaghetti: My family’s absolute favorite spaghetti dish!
- Homemade Hamburger Helper: We love how easy this is!
- Shrimp Alfredo: Hard to go wrong with this 20 minute dinner!
Ravioli Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 24 ounces marinara
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 25 ounces frozen cheese ravioli
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef and onion. Brown the beef, crumbling it as it cooks. Drain the grease from the pan.
- Add the marinara sauce and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often, over low heat.
- While sauce is simmering, mix ricotta, egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.
- Spoon 1/3 of the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread across the bottom.
- Top with a single layer of ravioli, ½ of the ricotta mixture, and 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat the layers, ending in marinara sauce.
- Sprinkle the top with the shredded mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 10 minutes more.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with minced parsley.
- Let set for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Sandi says
This was a very simple recipe, but more importantly it was delicious. I will be making this again.
Karly says
Love to hear that! Thanks, Sandi!
Diane says
Very flexible recipe. The other half doesn’t like lasagna or ravioli (I know!?!) so this is very doable as a single serving in a small loaf pan. For ME to enjoy. I made a few together, ate one, froze the rest. Now when Mr Bland has his blah supper I can pop out one of these and eat well! Thank you for the idea!
Karly says
Haha, so glad you enjoyed this one! Mr. Bland doesn’t know what he’s missing! 🙂
Rose says
This was my first time making this lasagna. I followed the recipe as written, it was so easy and I would make it again. I cut the recipe in half and
won’t make that mistake again. ?
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed it, Rose! 🙂
susan says
i make this all the time, except i make my own sauce. family loves it!!
Karly says
Thanks, Susan!
Pennie says
Do u cook the raviolis first
Karly says
Nope!
Judy says
I have made this recipe twice now and love it! The second time I made it was for my Beta Sigma Phi sisters. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe! I too used cottage cheese. That’s what we prefer. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Karly says
So glad it was a hit! 🙂
Debbie Dant says
I made this twice now over the years. The first time I made this exactly the way it’s written. The raviolis were very tough for our liking. So the next time I tried it. I boiled the ravioli per the directions on the package. Drained them and let them cool while I prepared the sauce. Then assembled the lasagna and baked it. OMG… that was delicious. The ravioli was plump and delicious, not doughy and tough like before.
Jennifer says
This was really good! I used ricotta, a mixture of four cheese ravioli,as well as spinach&cheese ravioli. I used fresh pasta as that is what I could find. My one quibble would be the oven emperature. After 40 minutes at 350 degrees, it wasn’t anywhere close to being cooked! I bumped the oven up to 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. I can’t imagine how long it would have taken if my ravioli was frozen.
Gail Sharp says
I am getting ready to try this recipe but was curious if there would be a problem exchanging tortellini for the raviolis?
Karly says
It may not have quite the same smooth layers like a traditional lasagna, but otherwise I think it would work great! 🙂
susan says
super easy. made my own sauce, layered it as you would lasagna and i t came out beautifully. i recommend using an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet to catch possible overflows. i used hot italian sausage as well as hamburger also. thanks for the recipe!
Karly says
Thanks, Susan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lo says
I bought refrigerated ravioli instead of frozen, will that work as well?
Karly says
I think it would, but I’ve only tried this with frozen so I can’t say for sure.
Steph H. says
Refrigerated ravioli works perfectly! That’s all I use and personally prefer.
Carol McGuire says
Missing in the recipe instructions:
“Cook the frozen ravioli according to package directions.” ??????
Karly says
Nope, the ravioli goes in frozen. 🙂
Shirley Smith says
Made this recipe last night to take to my granddaughter house. She loved it. Will make it again for me!
Karly says
Glad to hear that! Thanks, Shirley!
Nicole says
I made it the first time following the directions. It was ok, but didn’t know my socks off, kind of bland. I almost didn’t try it again but decided to and tweak it because it was just such a simple recipe and made enough for leftovers. I substituted sausage for the beef and sprinkle salt and pepper in the sauce before adding it. It made so much difference in the flavor. Made it for family tonight and it was a hit. Thanks so much for the simple recipe. Definitely give it a try.
Kelli says
I only use Italian sausage, beef is so bland to mento begin with ?
Kelli says
That was supposed to be a smiley face not a question mark LOL.
Jessica says
Can you freeze it and cook later?
Karly says
I haven’t tried, but I think it would work fine, so long as you don’t thaw the frozen ravioli first.
Nancy says
I made 2 separate portions out of the recipe (Just us two here) Froze the 2nd portion for a later date. Called M&M Foods (Canada – all their casseroles etc. are frozen variety) for their oven instructions. Added oregano to the ricotta mix along with S&P
Delicious!
Karly says
Thanks for sharing, Nancy! 🙂
Kelli says
I do this everytime I make it. I always forget to write down the time difference, but if I remember correctly I think it was 60 min.
Barb says
Made this for Sunday dinner and it was loved by all THANKS
Karly says
So happy to hear that! Thanks, Barb!