This Baked Ravioli is an easy, kid-approved dinner that takes just 10 minutes to prep! Cheese ravioli is tossed with pasta sauce and Italian sausage, topped with parmesan and mozzarella and baked to cheesy perfection.
375gramsItalian sausage(mild or spicy) about ¾ pound
1medium onion
3cupsmarinara or tomato pasta sauce
2teaspoonsminced garlic
1teaspoonItalian seasoning
500gramsfresh cheese ravioli(about 1 pound)
2cupsshredded mozzarella cheese
2tablespoonsshredded Parmesan cheese
fresh basil for garnish if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13" baking dish.
In a large skillet, cook Italian sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is browned.
Stir in tomato sauce, garlic and Italian seasoning and simmer on low while you cook the ravioli.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli for 2-3 minutes, just until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain the rest.
Stir ¾ cup pasta water into the sauce -- it will look thin, but it will keep the pasta nice and saucy as it bakes! You can add up to 1 cup if you prefer.
Add cooked ravioli and sauce to pan, and toss lightly to coat. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is starting to brown.
Top with fresh basil or other herbs before serving if desired.
Notes
Notes:
Boil al dente. You don't want to fully cook the ravioli in the boiling water because then it will become overcooked and mushy in the oven.
Grate your own cheese. Pre-grated cheeses contain an anti-caking agent that can cause a gritty texture when it's melted. I recommend shredding your own cheese for the best results.
Add veggies. If you want to kick the nutrition up a notch, feel free to sneak some veggies in when you cook the Italian sausage. You could use spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, etc. Whatever you use, cut them pretty small in size so they incorporate well with the pasta and sausage.
Swap the ravioli. I love cheese ravioli in this recipe, but you can use any type of ravioli you like! Another option is to swap the ravioli out for tortellini or check out my baked tortellini with turkey and vegetables.
Make it vegetarian. You can easily make this baked ravioli vegetarian by leaving the Italian sausage out or using a meatless variety.
Storage:Leftovers will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm in the oven until heated through.