Description
This easy and comforting Baked Ravioli recipe combines seasoned ground beef, marinara sauce, creamy half and half, and melty mozzarella cheese layered with refrigerated ravioli and baked to perfection. It’s a hearty, cheesy casserole perfect for a family dinner and can be made ahead or frozen for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasonings
- 3/4 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (doesn’t make it spicy)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce and Cheese
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
Pasta
- 20 oz. refrigerated ravioli (uncooked)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook the Ground Beef: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the beef, cooking and crumbling it for about 3 minutes until starting to brown.
- Add Seasonings and Vegetables: To the beef, add onion powder, dried basil, dried oregano, mustard powder, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and diced onion. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute to develop flavor.
- Drain Excess Grease: Tilt the skillet carefully and spoon out any excess grease to reduce fat content, then reduce heat to low.
- Prepare Sauce Mixture: Spread 3/4 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Add the remaining marinara sauce and half and half into the skillet with the meat mixture. Stir well to combine, then remove from heat.
- Layer the Casserole: Arrange half of the uncooked ravioli in a single layer on top of the sauce in the casserole dish. Spread half of the meat sauce mixture over the ravioli, then sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Repeat by adding the remaining ravioli, topping with the remaining meat sauce, and finishing with the last 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese.
- Cover and Bake: Cover the casserole dish with a lid or aluminum foil. If using foil, spray one side with non-stick cooking spray to prevent cheese sticking. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
- Broil to Brown: Remove the cover and switch the oven to broil at 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Broil the casserole for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the top cheese slightly. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your cheesy baked ravioli!
Notes
- This baked ravioli recipe works great with refrigerated or frozen ravioli, making it versatile for whatever you have on hand.
- It’s perfect as a make-ahead meal to assemble in advance and refrigerate or freeze until baking day.
- Spraying foil with non-stick coating prevents the cheese from sticking when covering the casserole.
- Broiling is quick; watch carefully so the cheese browns nicely but doesn’t burn.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 549 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 1507 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 108 mg
