Description
This Easy Baked Ravioli is a comforting and hearty Italian-inspired casserole featuring layers of cheese ravioli, a savory ground beef and marinara sauce mixture, and a generous topping of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Perfect for a family dinner, it requires minimal prep and bakes to bubbly, golden perfection in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups marinara sauce (one 24 oz. jar, divided)
Main Ingredients
- 20 ounces uncooked cheese ravioli
Cheeses
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F and position the rack in the top third of the oven. Prep your cheeses by shredding the mozzarella and grating the parmesan.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Cook the beef: Add ground beef and minced garlic to the skillet. Break the beef into small pieces as it cooks, continuing for about 8 minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add marinara to beef: Stir in 2 cups of marinara sauce into the beef mixture and heat it through to meld the flavors.
- Prepare baking dish: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly across the bottom.
- Assemble layers: Layer half of the uncooked ravioli in the baking dish. Spread half the beef and sauce mixture over the ravioli, then sprinkle half of each cheese. Repeat this layering with the remaining ravioli, beef mixture, and cheeses, finishing with cheese on top.
- Bake and broil: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through. Remove the foil, switch the oven to broil, and broil the top for a few minutes until the cheese turns bubbly and golden brown. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Feel free to use vegetarian ravioli to make this recipe meat-free.
- For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes to the beef mixture.
- Make sure to drain excess fat from the beef to keep the dish from becoming greasy.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
