This ravioli bake is easy and delicious. In this recipe, Italian sausage is cooked with jarred pasta sauce and layered with ravioli and mozzarella cheese. Then the casserole is baked until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
In this recipe we use refrigerated ravioli instead of frozen. We get them in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, where the cheese and other fresh pastas are. Here we use the spinach ricotta ravioli, but there are several varieties to choose from.
This baked ravioli dish is filling, comforting and simple. With only 5 ingredients and minimal prep work, it’s a great weeknight dinner the whole family will enjoy. Pair it with a side salad and some crusty bread and you just might have some leftovers for lunch.
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To make this easy ravioli bake you will need
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 pound Mild Italian Sausage, casings removed and torn into pieces (or use bulk sausage)
1 (24 ounce) jar Pasta Sauce, use a meatless variety of your favorite brand
20 ounces Spinach Ricotta Ravioli, refrigerated variety (we used 2 packages of Rana brand ravioli)
8 ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (we used whole milk mozzarella and shredded our own)
You will also need
Casserole dish 2 quart (8 x 11)
Baking Sheet – to place the casserole dish in case it bubbles over
Aluminum foil
Prep Work
The prep work for this delicious baked ravioli recipe is simple. Using jarred pasta sauce and refrigerated ravioli makes this a simple comfort meal that’s perfect for weeknights.
Prepare the sausage by removing it from its casing and tearing it into small pieces. I know this sounds like an extra step, but it will make it much easier to break up the sausage once it hits the hot skillet.
Next, shred the mozzarella cheese if you’re not using prepackaged. I like shredding my own for this, I find it melts a little better, but it’s up to you.
That’s it for the prep work for this baked ravioli.
Start the Italian Sausage Sauce
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the sausage.
Cook the Italian sausage for 5-6 minutes until browned. Stir the sausage frequently while breaking up any large pieces.
Lower the heat to medium-low and add the pasta sauce to the Italian sausage.
Here’s a frugal tip: I like to add a tablespoon or two of water to the empty jar and give it a good swirl. That way I get every last drop of sauce out. Plus it makes it easier to rinse for recycling.
Stir the sauce until it’s combined with the sausage. Then, cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a simmer. If it’s boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a touch. Raise the heat if it’s not simmering. Give it a good stir occasionally.
The sausage will be cooked through way before the 20 minutes are up, but we want to keep it simmering to let the flavors come together. Simmering prepackaged sauces and broths give them more of a homemade taste.
While the sauce cooks, preheat the oven to 350°F
Assemble and bake the ravioli casserole
Add approximately ⅓ of the Italian sausage sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish.
Then add ½ of the ravioli in a single layer. Place them close together, but not overlapping.
Next, top the ravioli with about ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Repeat:
⅓ Italian sausage sauce
The remaining ravioli in a single layer
⅓ shredded mozzarella cheese
Finish with the remaining sauce and remaining cheese
Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet, just in case the sauce bubbles over it won’t make a mess in your oven. Loosely cover the dish with foil. Don’t make a tight seal. Just place it over and lightly press down the sides.
Bake the covered ravioli casserole for 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the center is hot.
Remove the ravioli bake from the oven and let it set for about 5 minutes before serving.
You may also like these easy family favorites
Sheet Pan Sausage and Potatoes
Linguine with Chicken and Tomatoes
Ravioli Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Mild Italian Sausage casings removed and torn into pieces (or use bulk sausage)
- 24 ounce Jar Pasta Sauce use a meatless variety of your favorite brand
- 20 ounces Spinach Ricotta Ravioli refrigerated variety
- 8 ounces Shredded Mozzarella Cheese whole milk mozzarella
Instructions
- You will also need: Casserole dish 8X11 (2 quart), Baking Sheet, Aluminum foil
Start the Italian Sausage Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the sausage.
- Cook the Italian sausage for 5-6 minutes until browned. Stir the sausage frequently while breaking up any large pieces.
- Lower the heat to medium-low, add the pasta sauce to the Italian sausage and stir until combined.
- Cook the sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the sauce at a simmer. If it’s boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit.
- While the sauce cooks, preheat the oven to 350°F
Assemble and bake the ravioli
- Add about ⅓ of the Italian sausage sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Add ½ of the ravioli in a single layer. Place them close together, but not overlapping.
- Top the ravioli with about ⅓ of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Repeat: ⅓ Italian sausage sauce, remaining ravioli in a single layer, ⅓ shredded mozzarella cheese and finish with the remaining sauce and remaining cheese
- Place the casserole dish on a baking sheet, just in case the sauce bubbles over.
- Loosely cover the casserole dish with foil.
- Bake the covered ravioli casserole for 40 minutes.
- Uncover the dish and continue baking for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the center is hot.
- Remove the ravioli bake from the oven and let it set for 5-10 minutes before serving.