With just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, this baked ravioli casserole is an easy dinner that the whole family will love!
If you love easy 5-ingredient meals (or less), be sure to try this dump-and-bake meatball casserole, these chicken crescent rolls, and this ham and noodle casserole, too!
Make this Baked Ravioli with Frozen Ravioli for an Easy Dinner
This baked ravioli was one of the very first dump-and-bake recipes that I ever tried in my own kitchen. Needless to say, the ease had me hooked, and we’ve been enjoying the meal ever since. It’s one of those great options that appeals to everyone at the dinner table, can be modified based on our taste preferences or the ingredients that I have on hand, and it comes together quickly in a matter of minutes. In other words, the 4-ingredient ravioli casserole is an all around winner!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- This recipe calls for frozen ravioli. Use cheese ravioli, spinach ravioli, or a meat-based version. You don’t even need to thaw the ravioli before you assemble the lasagna-style dish and pop it in the oven!
- If you want to assemble the dish in advance and keep it in the freezer for a later date, those bake-from-frozen instructions are included below.
- Feel free to bulk up the dish with extra veggies or meat. I’ve included a number of possible variations below the recipe at the bottom of the post.
Fantastic recipe. Straightforward, simple, not a ton of ingredients– and so filling and delicious. I have made this several times, and the fam loves it! Thank you!
– Ava
How to Make Ravioli Casserole
This dump-and-bake frozen ravioli casserole is about as easy as it gets! It’s truly the ideal meal for busy weeknights. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of a large casserole dish.
- Place half of the ravioli in a single layer on top of the sauce.
- Add another layer of sauce, and then half of the cheese.
- Repeat the layers once more to use the remaining ravioli, sauce, and cheese. Finish with Parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for about 20 more minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the casserole is hot and bubbly, the cheese is melted, and the ravioli is tender.
- Let the casserole rest for a few minutes, and then garnish with chopped fresh herbs right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the ravioli bake with garlic bread, homemade focaccia, a crusty loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread, a green salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, roasted broccoli, or sauteed asparagus.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Baked Ravioli Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounce package frozen cheese ravioli
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce (about 2 ½ cups)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian cheese blend
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano, or thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish (or two 8-inch dishes) with cooking spray. Pour a thin layer of marinara sauce into the bottom of the dish (about ½ cup) to cover.
- Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce. Try to keep them flat and even so everything cooks at the same rate.
- Top with half of the remaining marinara sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat the layers: remaining ravioli, remaining sauce, remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly over the top.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 20-25 more minutes, until the casserole is hot and bubbly, the cheese is golden, and the ravioli is tender when pressed lightly in the center.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. This rest time lets the layers settle so the casserole scoops out cleanly. Garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- Don’t thaw the ravioli. Use it straight from frozen. It cooks through in the oven and holds its shape better when layered.
- Sauce quality matters. With only 4 ingredients, the marinara carries a lot of the flavor. A quality jar (like Rao’s) makes a noticeable difference. Don’t skimp on the layers. There’s no added water in this recipe, so the sauce is what keeps the ravioli from drying out.
- Cover tightly. A snug foil seal traps the steam the ravioli needs to cook through evenly, especially in the center layers.
- Let it rest. 10 minutes off the heat lets the layers set; it scoops out much more cleanly.
- Ravioli varieties: Cheese, spinach, or meat-filled all work well. Stick with standard-sized ravioli for even cooking; mini ravioli may finish a few minutes sooner.
- Half batch: Cut all ingredients in half and bake in an 8-inch square pan. Check a few minutes early as baking time may be slightly shorter.
- Make ahead / freeze: Assemble through Step 4, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding extra time as needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Freezing already-baked leftovers is not recommended (the pasta texture suffers when thawed).
- Reheat: Cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions for about 1 minute.
Nutrition
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can prep this dinner in advance and keep it stashed in the freezer until you’re ready to bake it! To do so, simply follow the recipe instructions through step 2 (use a freezer-to-oven safe dish). Cover tightly with foil and freeze the unbaked casserole for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve it, pull it out of the freezer and bake as instructed. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time if necessary.
- How to Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers, as the pasta will have a mushy texture when thawed.
- How to Reheat: Cover the dish with foil and warm in a 350°F oven just until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Baked Ravioli Recipe Variations
- Add veggies to the dish. Good options include spinach, canned diced tomatoes, sauteed bell peppers, sauteed sliced mushrooms, or sauteed zucchini.
- Instead of the vegetarian ravioli casserole, appeal to meat-lovers with some browned Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground beef in the sauce. Choose a different flavor of ravioli (such as chicken or beef). You can also swap out the store-bought pasta sauce and instead use a homemade spaghetti meat sauce.
- If you’re serving a smaller family (or cooking just for 2), cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square pan. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same, although you may be able to shorten the total baking time by a few minutes.
- Prepare two smaller casseroles in 8-inch square pans. Bake one now, and freeze the second for a later meal!
It was amazing! With a side of peas and garlic bread, what a meal! Thank you again!
– Debbie
More Ravioli Recipes to Try
Ravioli Lasagna with Ricotta and Spinach
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Slow Cooker Ravioli Casserole
4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Dump and Bake Chicken & Ravioli in Alfredo Sauce
45 minutes mins
This recipe was originally published in October, 2013. It was updated in June, 2025.
I made this for my married son and family. They all loved it. Then I prepped a pan for their freezer before heading home. I’m making a pan for the two of us tonight. Love that it is so easy with so many variations and possibilities. Thank you so much for sharing this!
That’s wonderful, Lori. Thank you!
This was such a quick, easy and wonderful dish. My picky teenagers loved it too! I used my meat sauce, just for extra protein. Thank you, Blair!
Wonderful! Thank you, Daniela!
What an easy, convenient recipe!! We make it even more decadent by adding some ricotta cheese between the layers of raviolis, along with the mozzarella!! Delish!!!
Yum! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Beverly!
Getting ready to do this recipe, but I wanted to ask whether or not I can use a 9 x 12 slow cooker. I have three of them so I was I’m gonna try to make the most of them so I know it’s gonna be good because I love raviolis and I would like to have your answer and some of your some of your dishes. Look really easy to make so if you can answer me back then I’ll make this and then I’ll do my
Thank You
Frances Di Pietro
Hi Frances,
We haven’t tested this recipe in a slow cooker and can’t say for sure. We recommend our slow cooker ravioli casserole instead!