Ravioli Lasagna Casserole (Easy Baked Recipe)

Name: Ravioli Lasagna Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 5 cups (40 ounces jar) prepared tomato basil sauce; 38 ounces (2 19-ounce) bags frozen 4 cheese ravioli (divided (one bag used for each layer - Celentano brand used)); 2 cups freshly shredded whole milk low-moisture mozzarella cheese (divided (1½ cups in the middle layer and ½ cup for the topping)); ¼ cups freshly shredded parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

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This ravioli lasagna casserole is the easiest lasagna I make, and it still tastes like I spent all afternoon on it. Cheese-stuffed ravioli stand in for the noodles, so every layer is loaded with melty cheese and rich tomato sauce that pulls into long stretchy strands the second you scoop it out.

Serving spoon lifting cheesy baked ravioli lasagna from a glass dish.

This is the dinner I pull together on the nights I have no energy to cook but still want a real meal on the table. I have made it enough times to know exactly how it should look going into the oven, and it comes out right every time with almost none of the work.

What keeps me coming back to it is how much it does with so little. There is no filling to stir together, no noodles to boil, and no browning at all unless you want to add meat. One jar of sauce and two bags of ravioli build the whole pan with nothing left over, and it feeds eight people like a full lasagna in a fraction of the time.

TESTED FAVORITE

How I Keep Every Bite Saucy, Cheesy, and Full

I have tested this version enough times to know exactly why it works so well. Layering the sauce over the top instead of finishing with a plain sheet of cheese lets it melt down into the pasta, so every bite stays saucy from edge to edge. It bakes up rich and full, and holds together in neat squares when I cut it. It is the only way I make it now.

The One Thing I Always Tell People

The ravioli you grab at the store decides whether the finished lasagna looks full or full of holes. Round ravioli leave little gaps all over each layer, and those gaps turn into thin, sauce-only spots once the pan bakes.

Reach for square, cheese-filled ravioli instead. Lay them in a single layer with the edges barely overlapping so they cover the whole bottom of the dish with no bare patches. As they bake, they puff and press together into one solid layer.

Do this on both layers of ravioli and every scoop comes out full instead of patchy.

What You’ll Need

Full amounts are in the recipe card below. These are the ones worth a note before you shop.

Frozen four-cheese ravioli: These replace the noodles and carry the cheese layer at the same time, so the ravioli do most of the flavor work. I reach for four-cheese because it has the richest filling, which is what makes each bite taste like a full lasagna.
Jarred tomato basil sauce: The sauce is most of what you taste here, so use one you actually like. I use Rao’s because it is thick and rich and does not turn watery in the oven. One 40-ounce jar covers all three sauce layers, and if you can only find smaller jars, aim for about 5 cups total.
Whole-milk low-moisture mozzarella: Shred it fresh off the block. Pre-shredded bagged cheese is coated so it will not clump, and that coating keeps it from melting into the smooth, stretchy pull you want between the layers and on top.
Parmesan: A little freshly shredded parmesan over the top browns into the deeper golden spots and adds a salty, sharp edge against all the mild, mellow cheese.

Spatula lifting a cheesy portion of baked ravioli lasagna from the dish.

How to Make Ravioli Lasagna

Step 1: Start the Base Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread a thin layer of sauce, about half a cup, across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish so the ravioli have something to sit in and will not stick. Marinara sauce spread over frozen ravioli in a glass baking dish.

Step 2: Add the First Ravioli Layer Lay one bag of frozen ravioli across the sauce in a single layer, edges barely overlapping, so the bottom is fully covered with no gaps. Frozen ravioli arranged in rows over marinara sauce in a baking dish.

Step 3: Layer Cheese and Sauce Scatter 1½ cups of the mozzarella over the ravioli, then spoon 2 cups of sauce over the cheese and spread it carefully to cover everything. Layer of marinara sauce spread over shredded cheese in a ravioli lasagna dish.

Step 4: Add the Second Ravioli Layer Add the second bag of ravioli in the same overlapping single layer, then pour the remaining 2½ cups of sauce over the top and spread it to the edges. Marinara sauce covering a layer of ravioli in a glass baking dish.

Step 5: Top and Cover Sprinkle the last of the mozzarella and all of the parmesan over the sauce. Lightly spray one side of a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the dish tightly, sprayed side down, so the cheese does not stick as it bakes. Shredded cheese sprinkled over ravioli lasagna before baking.

Step 6: Bake, Then Rest Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. For a deeper golden top, broil the last 2 to 3 minutes and watch it closely. Let it rest 10 minutes so the layers set, then scatter fresh parsley over the top and serve. Overhead view of baked ravioli lasagna garnished with parsley, with parsley and cheese bowls nearby.

Easy Ways to Switch It Up

Add seasoned ground beef. As written this is meatless, but a beef layer makes it heartier. Brown one pound of lean ground beef with two teaspoons of minced garlic and a teaspoon of Italian seasoning over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, until no pink remains, then drain off the grease. Divide it evenly over both ravioli layers as you build the pan and bake as directed.

Make a smaller batch. This works in an 8×8 dish with about two-thirds of the ravioli. A smaller dish bakes faster, so start checking it earlier and pull it once the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Close-up of baked ravioli lasagna with a portion removed, showing layers of pasta and sauce.

Make It Ahead and Store It

This one freezes well before it bakes, which makes it a good one to keep on hand. Assemble the whole pan, wrap it tightly in two layers of heavy-duty foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely in the fridge before baking as directed.

Once it is baked, let leftovers cool, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 325-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through.

What to Serve With It

This is a full dinner on its own, but a green vegetable and some bread round it out. I usually serve it with a side of buttery feta and bacon green beans.

When I want bread on the table, my cheesy garlic pull-apart bread is the one my family reaches for first. It is one of my go-to easy casserole recipes for a busy weeknight.

Plated ravioli lasagna with marinara sauce, melted cheese, and basil garnish.

Ravioli Lasagna Questions

Do I need to thaw the frozen ravioli first?

No. Add them straight from the freezer. They bake right in the sauce, and thawing them first makes them soft and hard to layer without tearing.

Can I use fresh or refrigerated ravioli instead of frozen?

Yes. I developed this with frozen ravioli, so if you use fresh or refrigerated, reduce the bake time and start checking for doneness around the 25 to 30 minute mark.

Do I need ricotta?

No. The four-cheese ravioli already have cheese inside, so this version skips the separate ricotta layer and you do not lose a thing.

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