Dinner made easy with a Cheese Beef Ravioli Bake casserole made with 5 simple ingredients and a dash of spices. Hot from the oven in under an hour!
Is there anything that screams we’ve moved into cooler weather than serving a piping hot casserole for dinner? We LOVE our pasta baked with a mound of melted cheese on top…and this ravioli bake doesn’t disappoint. It’s made super simple by using cheese-filled ravioli from the grocery (no boiling or cooking!!), marinara sauce and ground beef, then piled high with shredded cheese. Be sure to serve it with slices of warm bread to up get every last drop of the tasty sauce!
How To Make Cheese Beef Ravioli Bake
Friends, it’s all about EASY here! Simple ingredients layered together for the MOST INCREDIBLE tasting ravioli casserole with ground beef! Serve it with fresh Italian bread or go cheese crazy and bake up our Best Cheesy Garlic Bread alongside the ravioli.
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE RAVIOLI BAKE
- Cheese Ravioli – for this recipe, I used frozen cheese ravioli, thawed first in the fridge. It was much less expensive than the pre-made refrigerated ravioli at my grocery store and tasted just as good.
- Ground Beef – lean ground beef saves the mess of having to drain off the extra fat. This recipe is excellent with ground chicken or turkey too!
- Marinara Sauce – Jarred or fresh work equally well, but I like to make my own using my 10 Minute Homemade Marinara Sauce recipe. I keep a stash of this sauce in the freezer.
- Mozzarella Cheese – shred your own from a block for the best melting!
- Parmesan Cheese – grated parmesan from a canister is fine, or use fresh grated.
- Garlic – for this recipe, I used my secret weapon – pre-minced garlic from a jar. It’s a super time-saver. If you’re a garlic purist – go ahead – mince up fresh garlic.
- Italian Seasoning – this mixed spice is so convenient…but you can sub in dried oregano if that’s what you have.
- Onion Powder – adds a nutty onion flavor to the dish. I like to use this finely ground onion powder that mixes easily into sauces.
- Fresh Basil – so much fresh herb flavor!
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZING RAVIOLI BAKE
This cheesy ravioli casserole recipe makes a fantastic make ahead or frozen meal. The key is to NOT bake the ravioli until you’re ready to serve it.
To Make Ahead : Make the meat sauce and store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days in advance. Thaw the ravioli in the refrigerator. Before baking, assemble the layers in your pan and bake according to the recipe instructions. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley and serve hot.
To Freeze: Assemble the ravioli bake in a freezer-safe foil pan. DO NOT BAKE. Cover the pan tightly with foil, then wrap in plastic. Label and freeze for up to three months.
- To Bake: No need to thaw – remove plastic and place foil covered pan in a 350 F oven and bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until heated thru. Remove foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes longer until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling around the edges. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley before serving.
More Easy Dinner Casserole Recipes
- Chicken Taco Casserole
- Cheesy Potato Smoked Sausage Casserole
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Easy Taco Biscuit Casserole
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Mac and Cheese
Easy Cheese Beef Ravioli Bake
Ingredients
- 24 ounces frozen cheese ravioli 2 (12-ounce) bags
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 32 ounces marinara sauce
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese divided
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray with cooking spray a 9 x 13 or similar size baking pan.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef, breaking into crumbles with spoon. Drain fat as needed. To the pan, add the garlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, marinara sauce and 1 TBSP basil. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook 5 minutes until heated thru and flavors are blended.
- Spread 1/3 of meat mixture in the bottom of your baking pan. Top with 1/2 of the raviolis, laying out in a single layer. Top with another 1/3 of the meat mixture and one-half each of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Repeat the layers of ravioli, then meat sauce, ending with the cheeses.
- Cover your pan with foil and bake on the center rack of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes more until casserole is bubbling around the edges. Garnish with remaining basil and serve warm.
Chef Tips
Equipment Used
Nutrition Facts
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