Try this shortcut ravioli lasagna the next time you’re craving comfort food but don’t feel like cooking.
It’s super tasty and a lazy cook’s dream dinner.
As you might imagine, this is slightly different from your typical lasagna with noodles, sauce, and cheese.
However, it’s just as easy to make and entirely worth it.
It’s the perfect recipe for busy bees or people that maybe don’t love to cook.
That said, it’s insanely good. So make it even if you love spending time in the kitchen. It won’t disappoint.
Easy Baked Ravioli Lasagna (Lazy Shortcut!)
You may be thinking, why mess with a classic dish like lasagna? And that’s a fair question.
After all, it’s hard to beat something so incredible.
But baked ravioli lasagna is great stuff, too.
It’s still decadent, cheesy, and totally comforting. However, using ravioli instead of lasagna gives it a little more oomph.
Lasagna noodles are tasty and easy to work with, but they’re just noodles. On the other hand, ravioli is filled pasta, so it’s extra rich and tasty.
Paired with the robust sauce and melted cheese, it’ll satisfy everyone at the table.
Oh, and did I mention you’ll use frozen ravioli? Yeah, this one is a cinch to make!
Ingredients
Believe it or not, you’ll only need five ingredients to make this terrific lasagna. (Although, if you want to add extra veggies and seasonings, you certainly can.)
Here are the stars of the show:
- Ground Beef: Whether you use sausage- or cheese-filled ravioli, ground beef adds a salty-meaty element.
- Spaghetti Sauce: Pick whichever brand you like best, or make it yourself. Either way, make enough to cover the pasta.
- Ravioli: Use frozen ravioli. It’s more convenient, and it won’t overcook.
- Mozzarella: As you’ll see on the recipe card below, I prefer part-skim mozzarella. You should also use freshly shredded instead of pre-shredded because it melts better.
- Fresh Basil: If you love basil’s slightly peppery, minty flavor, add some to the cooked lasagna. Don’t add it before putting it in the oven, though – that’ll zap the taste right out of it.
Tips for the Best Ravioli Lasagna
Honestly, this recipe is one of the best ravioli lasagna recipes ever.
And this recipe can easily feed up to 12 people, so it’s great for all kinds of family dinners and parties.
So, here are a few tips to make it even better:
- Don’t defrost the frozen ravioli. It’ll cook perfectly from frozen.
- Double the batch and freeze one for later. Instead of a 2 1/2-quart baking dish, use two 9 x 9-inch dishes. Then, cook half the lasagna, and freeze the other half for a later date.
- Let the lasagna cool before serving. If you serve it right away, it may be watery and messy. Ten minutes should do the trick.
- Add veggies to make it more wholesome. Go for onions, peppers, squash, mushrooms, etc. You could even add them to the sauce if you need to hide them from the kids.
- Season the beef well. I like it kind of spicy, but a simple blend of garlic, onion powder, and Italian seasoning works well.
How to Store and Reheat
You can make this lasagna ahead of time and freeze it for up to 6 months!
Store it in a freezer-safe container wrapped in two layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
When you’re ready to serve it, remove it from the freezer a day ahead of time. Let it defrost in the fridge for a day before putting it in the oven.
If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container. They should stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days.
You can warm the leftovers in the microwave.
More Lasagna Recipes You’ll Love
Crockpot Lasagna Soup
Taco Lasagna
Cottage Cheese Lasagna
Sour Cream Lasagna
I made this for my daughter and grandkids (grown) last week. It was such a hit. Fail safe and delicious. Just throw in some garlic toast and fresh salad and it’s a go! Making it tonight at home for my other daughter and grands.
Hi Kat, I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it! It really is such an easy, foolproof meal.
Hello Kim~ I absolutely love your recipe ideas. You have gorgeous and delicious looking foods, so I do thank you!! I am going to try and use ground turkey or pork instead of ground beef. I am just sure it’ll be exciting to try your ideas!! Thank you again!!
Hi Gretchen, thank you so much for the kind words! The lasagna is just as delicious with ground turkey!
This particular recipe looks great. I think the only thing I might do is figure out how to drop in some more dollops of ricotta. And I’m guessing that you’re using the cheese ravioli. I can’t wait to try it
Hi Lissa,
This recipe is great with cheese ravioli, but you can also try other variations to switch things up! Adding more ricotta sounds like a delicious plan to me. 🙂
how can I make this in the crockpot? tia
Hi there!
To make this in a slow cooker:
1. Follow steps 2 and 3
2. Spray the crockpot with cooking spray and spread about half of the sauce in the bottom.
3. Top with half of the frozen ravioli and all of the meat.
4. Top the meat with the rest of the ravioli and then the sauce.
5. Sprinkle cheese over the top and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Let me know how it turns out!
Can you make this casserole ahead and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake?
I’m honestly not sure about the refrigerator, though I think it would be fine as long as you don’t leave too long. But the how to store section does have tips for making it ahead and freezing it:
“You can make this lasagna ahead of time and freeze it for up to 6 months! Store it in a freezer-safe container wrapped in two layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. When you’re ready to serve it, remove it from the freezer a day ahead of time. Let it defrost in the fridge for a day before putting it in the oven.”
But again, I would think refrigerating would be fine, too, as long as you don’t leave it more than a day.