Baked Ravioli is an easy one-pan dinner made with pillowy cheese ravioli coated in marinara sauce, ground Italian sausage, and a golden melted cheese topping. It’s the perfect midweek family meal that everyone will love!
If you’re looking for a convenient one-pan meal, then you’ve come to the right place! This cheesy baked ravioli is a comforting main dish that’s cooked from start to finish in an oven-safe skillet for minimal fuss and even fewer dirty dishes!
You can make this delicious recipe your own by mixing veggies into the meaty mixture or using lean ground beef or ground turkey instead of Italian sausage.
It stores well and is a convenient freezer meal. Simply thaw and reheat.
Enjoy it as a complete meal as is or pair it with a side salad, garlic bread, or serving of roasted vegetables. It goes with almost anything!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Italian-style ground sausage – Crumble the sausage as you cook it to avoid large clumps of meat. Ground beef or ground turkey can be used instead of sausage.
- Onion – I’ve used a small white onion but you could use yellow onion instead.
- Garlic – Finely minced from 3 whole garlic cloves.
- Unsalted butter – Reduce the salt called for in this recipe if you use salted butter.
- Italian seasoning – Store-bought or homemade Italian seasoning.
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste, adding more as needed.
- Marinara sauce – If I have the time, I love to make and use my own marinara sauce.
- Fresh ravioli – Since this dish already includes Italian sausage, I recommend a non-meat filling such as mushrooms, cheese, or spinach.
- Mozzarella cheese – If possible, shred your own mozzarella cheese as it will melt better. Other yummy cheeses that melt easily include cheddar, gruyere, and provolone.
How to Make Baked Ravioli
1. Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Cook the sausage: Cook and crumble the sausage in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
3. Soften the onion: Drain any excess grease and then add the onion to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until softening.
4. Add the seasoning and butter: Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and butter. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously, so the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
5. Add marinara: Stir in the marinara sauce and let it come to a simmer.
6. Cook the pasta: Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes or until al dente (they should not be cooked completely). Drain the ravioli with a slotted spoon and transfer them directly to the skillet. Gently stir to combine and coat in the meaty mixture.
7. Bake: Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the assembled dish and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted.
8. Garnish and serve: If desired, garnish the baked ravioli with freshly minced parsley and crushed chili flakes. Serve and enjoy!
Cooking Tips
- Avoid overcooking. Overboiling your ravioli will cause them to split and fall apart.
- I’ve used an oven-safe skillet to make these baked ravioli, which is convenient and reduces the number of dirty dishes. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet or pan, you could use another oven-safe dish to bake the ravioli.
- Try making this recipe with other sauces like alfredo sauce or creamy pesto sauce.
- This baked ravioli dish is also delicious when made with lean ground beef or ground turkey instead of Italian sausage.
- Sneak some vegetables into this meal by including baby spinach, mushrooms, kale, or peas.
Serving Ideas
This comforting baked pasta is fantastic with a side of breadsticks, rolls, or a warm baguette. Add some extra greens with a fresh green salad. Favorites include this balsamic tomato basil salad, light arugula salad, green goddess salad, or Caesar salad. Roasted veggies like zucchini, eggplant, and broccoli are also great additions.
Make-Ahead and Storing Baked Ravioli
- Storing Leftovers: Cool completely then store leftover baked ravioli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Making-Ahead: You can make this pasta dish ahead of time and bake it up to 2 days later or freeze it for up to 3 months. Assemble the casserole as outlined in the recipe instructions below, but do not bake. Allow the dish to cool completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen baked ravioli in the refrigerator overnight before baking. Add approximately 10-15 additional minutes to the baking time if baking directly from the refrigerator.
- Reheating Leftovers: Reheat leftover baked ravioli in an oven-safe dish in the oven at 350 degrees F, covered with foil, until heated through. Individual servings can also be reheated in the microwave.
More Pasta Recipes
- One Pot Creamy Mushroom Tortellini Recipe
- Easy Baked Ziti Recipe
- Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
- Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
- Easy Lasagna Recipe
- Baked Mostaccioli Recipe
If you try making this Baked Ravioli Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Baked Ravioli
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 small white onion - diced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (23-ounce) jar marinara sauce - If you like more sauce, use a 32-ounce jar of sauce
- 1 (18-ounce) bag fresh ravioli
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese - freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt generously.
- While waiting for the water to boil, cook and crumble the sausage in a large, oven-safe skillet set over medium heat.
- Carefully drain any excess oil from the skillet. Cook the onion until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, butter, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and cook until the butter is melted and the garlic becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce and let it come to a simmer.
- When the water is ready, boil the ravioli for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to drain the ravioli from the water and transfer them to the skillet with the sauce. Gently stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top then bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted.
- Serve with freshly minced parsley and crushed chili flakes if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I haven’t made this recipe yet but plan to very soon! My question is about the pan you were using for browning the sausage, etc. Could you tell me about that? It looks like what I’ve been looking for. Love so many of your recipes! Thanks!
Its a Lodge Enamaled 🙂