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
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-inch by 13-inch baking dish (or two 8-inch dishes) with cooking spray. Pour a very thin layer of marinara sauce into the prepared baking dish to cover bottom (about ½ cup).
- Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce.
- Top with half of the remaining marinara sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat layers once more, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 20-25 more minutes. Let the dish stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or basil, if desired.
Notes
- 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.
- Recipe modified from Tasty Kitchen.
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.
This is so easy! Thanks for the quick weeknight idea!
I hope you get to try it, Karly! The easiest!!!
This is so delicious and easy!
Yessssss! Thanks, Dana! 🙂
Question…Im cooking for a potluck, should i bake tonight and reheate in the morning, or prep the frozen ravioli and cook in the morning. Not sure how it will taste reheated
I would wait to bake it just before serving. I never think pasta casseroles are as good when reheated since the pasta absorbs the sauce and it tends to dry out a bit. 🙂
Thanks! Believe it or not, I’d never made anything using frozen ravioli before and really didn’t know how to make use of a bag of bought. I didn’t want to dirty an extra pot to boil, nor did I have the time or patience, LOL. This was SO easy, just “dump” everything in and good to go! I didn’t have enough mozzarella on hand so I added some provolone that I had as well as a boy of cheddar cheese. Came out absolutely gooey and delicious! Love that it’s only one dish and that same casserole dish can move to the fridge to store leftovers afterwards. Love how easy substitutions are as well. Thank you, thank you!! This is definitely moving into regular rotation.
Wonderful, Randi! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the dish. Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave me a note! 🙂
Could I use ravioli that is not frozen?
Hi, Tracy! We haven’t actually tested it that way. The baking time will be different, and the fresh pasta might absorb a different amount of liquid than the frozen pasta, but it will likely be okay!
I love the versatility of this recipe, I’ve made this so many different ways and it always turns out fantastic. I used chicken and Alfredo with an herbed cheese ravioli in tonight’s, as always was a huge success. Thanks so much!
Sounds perfect. Thank you, Rose!
Can you use refrigerated ravioli instead of frozen?
Hi, Kathy! Probably, but I haven’t actually tested it that way. The baking time will be different, and the fresh pasta might absorb a different amount of liquid than the frozen pasta, but it will likely be okay!
Hi, Robin! I’m sorry it didn’t work for you — I’ve never experienced that problem with this recipe, so I’m not sure what happened. It sounds like it was just overdone and needed to come out sooner? Again, I’m sorry it wasn’t a success. 🙁
I figured out why my Ravioli Bake got way overcooked! My oven wasn’t the problem. The spegetti sauce that I used was too thick, & even though I used a little bit extra sauce, it wasn’t runny enough & completely absorbed/cooked, thus a very dry, overcooked dish. So, I just made the recipe again, this time adding 1-1/2 cups of water to the pasta sauce before using it. The recipe turned out perfectly & was delicious!
Oh, well that’s good to know! Thanks for following up, Robin. I’m glad that you were able to make it work! 🙂
Just an idea~ get an oven thermometer and check to see how accurate your temp settings are. My oven runs a full 25 degrees hotter than the temp setting. If a recipe says to set my oven at 375, I’ll know to set my particular oven at 350. 🙂
I guess I’ll need to do that! Thanks for the idea. Nothing else I ever cook overcooks though.
Yes! That’s always a great idea, Alena. Thank you!
I have made this so many times and sometimes just google ravioli bake because I forget the oven temp… I’ve done 350-425 degrees on this. 350 definitely takes over an hour to get it cooked all the way through but definitely play with your oven temp! This was a meal I made when I was pregnant and continue to make for family get together a and for my family weekly. They love it. I make it for new parents too. It’s so fulfilling and so flavorful. You would never expect it to be so easy!
Thanks, Molly!
Mine does the same thing. In my house, ” Is 425 the instruction setting or our oven setting? ” is often said.
I love your dump and bake ravioli I make it at least once a week now it is so easy and everyone that I have told about it loves it it’s the best
That’s so great to hear, Lisa! Thank you for letting me know and for sharing it with your friends, too. 🙂
Why don’t you check your food as it’s cooking? A simple visual check could have avoided this in my opinion
Thanks, Blair! Searching for easy fix meals for my daughter to take back to college. Ravioli’s are one of her favs, This is just perfect.
Awesome! I hope that she enjoys the meal! 🙂
Hi:
I have made this and can you thaw the ravioli first instead of putting it in frozen? This is very good.
Thanks I will be changing my e-mail address a little later but will send you my new one.
Hi, Eunice! Yes — you can definitely thaw the ravioli first. Just decrease the cooking time to account for the thawed pasta. I don’t know the exact timing because I haven’t tested it this way, so you’ll just have to keep an eye on it. Enjoy!
Thanks I was a little late getting around to reply BUT I will use Frozen and follow the recipe as it is written. I can hardly wait to get it made. Thanks again my problem is I have WAY too many recipes I have now taken the time to go through and pick out the ones I really want to try and yours was one of them
Thanks again I will be making this SOON.
Awesome! Enjoy, Eunice!
I’m glad I can do my raviolis this way, as when I boil my home made raviolis , some burst open!! This should solve the problem!! I cook
Lasagna that way without boiling noodles. So basically this is the same thing!! Never skimp on a good home made sauce!!
Thanks, Peggy. Enjoy the meal!
Just found your recipe and I’m making this tonight since I have everything. I’m using a 3-cheese ravioli (I have 1/4 bag I need to use) along with some mushroom truffle ravioli..yum!. I’m adding some canned mushrooms, frozen spinach (thawed and liquid squeezed out) and some fully cooked frozen diced chicken. Really it took me 10 minutes to put this together and now I’m waiting to cook it! Thanks for sharing your recipe with everyone! I can’t wait to to try it!
Awesome! Enjoy, Bobbie! I’m sure it will be a hit. 🙂
How many people will this recipe serve? I need enough to serve 12.
Hi, Jane! In the top of the recipe card, you will notice that the recipe says that it serves 6 people. Of course that’s just an estimate, and it can vary depending on how much each person eats. To be safe, I would double the recipe and prepare two separate casseroles. That should give you enough to serve 12. Enjoy!! 🙂
Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try it. My friends might be delightfully surprised. Serving it Tuesday.
Wonderful! I hope they all love it!
It was awesome! My friends loved it. Thank you for a great and easy meal. It made my party a hit.
I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know, Jane!
Hi! I am trying this tonight and wondered when you would add spinach? Fresh or frozen? Thanks!
Hi! We recommend adding it in step 4. Either fresh or frozen will work. Just be sure to drain the excess liquid if using frozen. We hope you enjoy!
Any suggestions or guidelines on adding some veggies to this?
Hi, Dominic! You can add just about any veggies that you like. A nice addition might include chopped onion, bell peppers, and sliced mushrooms. If chopped finely, you can just layer the raw ingredients right into the dish with the rest of the raw ingredients and they should be tender by the time the casserole is done. Another nice addition would be spinach — either fresh baby spinach leaves that wilt in the oven, or frozen and thawed chopped spinach that you squeeze dry before adding to the casserole when assembling.
This was absolutely incredible!!! So easy & very true to recipe! I followed every single instruction exact & my entire family is in heaven. Thanks so much for sharing this!!!
That makes me so happy to hear, Hannah! Thank you! 🙂
Third time in a month . Like right now. And we all love it.. let the kids pick out the flavor of ravioli.. ingredients on hand, and ❇️! Momma doesn’t have to go to the store❇️❇️ Thank you so much❇️❇️❇️ Cheers to all the moms and moms to be❇️❇️❇️❇️
Yay! So easy, right?! These are my favorite kind of meals — no grocery shopping necessary and the kids actually eat it! 🙂
Do I need to adjust the cooking time if I freeze the entire dish?
Hey, Katherine! Yes, you’ll either need to thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and then let it sit on your counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temp before baking; OR increase the baking time significantly if you’re starting with a frozen casserole. I can’t give you a specific amount of time for the frozen casserole since I haven’t tested it that way, but I would plan on at least an hour to an hour and 15 minutes (maybe even more).
What is the difference between marina sauce versus spaghetti sauce? Thanks!
Hey, Jeff! Technically, marinara is simply tomatoes and seasonings while spaghetti sauce contains more ingredients such as meat or other vegetables. In recipes like this, they’re often used interchangeably, so you can grab a jar of your favorite sauce — whether it’s labeled “marinara sauce” “spaghetti sauce” or something else like “tomato basil sauce.” They’ll all work! 🙂
Could not find 23 oz bags of ravioli, only 20 oz. So buy 2 bags or shorten the dish you cook it in. I had to go back and buy another bag of ravioli.
Made this tonight with ground beef mixed in the sauce and it was absolutely delicious!!!!
I’ve yet to try to make a regular lasagna, so I thought this would be great to get my feet wet and was so easy and fast to through together, just had to brown the ground beef before mixing in with the sauce….
my husband was delighted and stuffed by the time he finished eating!!
Thanks, Shannon! I’m so glad that you and your husband enjoyed it. It’s definitely a great option when you want a quicker version of lasagna! 🙂
This is differently a keeper, it’s my second time making it first with cheese ravioli and ground beef in the sauce. They all loved it. Now I’m I’m making it with a combination of meat and cheese ravioli. Thanks so much for the great recipe! Please continue to keep these simple recipes coming
Thanks, Sheila! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a note and let me know. 🙂
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was deliciouus……..am making it right now with cheese and beef raviolis…..thanks for a quick and easy recipe to get dinner on the table in no time…..it’s yummy in my tummy
That’s awesome, Marti! I’m so glad that it was a hit! 🙂
I love this dish! I do mine a bit different with the same result. Spray the baking dish with vegetable oil, put a light layer of sauce on the bottom, place all ravioli in the baking dish, put remaining sauce and 1 can of diced tomatoes (any kind works but we like the basil, garlic and oregano), give it all a little mix and put the cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes uncovered. Viola! A dish even my picky eaters love!
Your version sounds equally delicious, Tina! Thank you!
During Covid, I am cleaning out the fridge and freezer and this is an excellent idea!
also found a half loaf of sourdough that will make a great garlic bread.
Pantry cooking can be really fun.
Sounds like the perfect meal, Lisa! Enjoy. 🙂
Searched “what to do with frozen ravioli’ and this popped up. Glad it did. Even my partner who hates cheese ravioli enjoyed it. Easy peasy. Thank you.
That’s wonderful! Thanks, Gee! So glad that you found the recipe. 🙂
What would be the baking time if you used mini?
Hi, Michele! I don’t know off the top of my head, but I would bake it covered for 20 minutes, then remove the cover and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Then check the ravioli to see if it’s tender. If so, you’re done. If not, just return it to the oven for a few more minutes, or until it’s completely done. Enjoy!