When you want cheesy lasagna goodness with less effort, this Lazy Ravioli Lasagna recipe saves the day! My version includes a fabulous layer of Cheesy Yum, for extra good measure — because if you’re doing lasagna, you should do it RIGHT.
This Ravioli Lasagna recipe, aka Lazy Lasagna, gives you all the flavors and textures of a Classic Lasagna, with easier, faster results. I’ve never been called lazy, but I particularly love that I don’t need to boil lasagna noodles for this 9×13 pan of comfort. And I get to enjoy AGAIN that glorious Cheesy Yum, which first appeared in my viral Lasagna Soup recipe, and then made its way into my Spaghetti Casserole and Lasagna Beans – it definitely kicks this dish up a couple notches!
Why It’s Worth Ditching the Lasagna Noodles for Ravioli
When my family first heard that I was tucking cheese ravioli into a pan of lasagna, it caused quite the chatter. They loooooove puffy, chewy, cheesy ravioli, and waited (not very) patiently for me to take it out of the oven. When they proceeded to help themselves to seconds and thirds, I knew I had a winner. And then the two who don’t live here full-time anymore even asked if they could take home the leftovers. The nerve! (Of course I loved that. The very best compliment!)
What you can expect:
- So much easier. No boiling noodles! Truly, that’s my least favorite thing about making lasagna. The big pot of water! All the noodles that inevitably tear! And then when you drain them, they all stick together! Ravioli lasagna eliminates all of that.
- Cheesy comfort food. There’s cheese ravioli, ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan to satisfy your cheesiest cravings.
- Family-friendly. Kids love this! The tender cheese-filled pasta, meaty red sauce, and all the other cheese make this ravioli lasagna a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
- Perfect make-ahead recipe. Assemble the lasagna the night before, pop it in the fridge, and bake it when you’re ready to eat.
What You’ll Need
The ingredients list for this ravioli lasagna overlaps a lot with a traditional lasagna recipe (not to mention my Lasagna Dip and Skillet Lasagna). Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and full recipe instructions.
- Ground beef – Ground chuck (80/20) delivers the best flavor and tender texture.
- Salt & pepper – Basic seasonings add flavor to the ground beef.
- Onion and garlic – These veggies are cooked until softened and boost the flavor of the entire dish.
- Italian seasoning – A simple dried herb blend that amps up the Italian flavors.
- Marinara sauce – Use your favorite jarred brand.
- Water – Loosens the sauce just enough to help the ravioli cook properly.
- Basil – Fresh basil adds fresh, delicious flavor.
- Cheese ravioli – No need to boil first; they cook right in the sauce!!
- Mozzarella – I recommend using whole milk mozzarella for the best melt and some epic cheese pulls.
- Cheesy Yum – A mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, and a little salt adds extra decadence to this ravioli lasagna.
How to Make Ravioli Lasagna
Here’s a step-by-step guide to making lazy ravioli lasagna.
- Prepare. First, preheat your oven to 375ºF and spread a thin layer of marinara in a 9×13 pan.
- Brown the beef. Cook the beef in a skillet with the salt and pepper. Add the onions and once they soften, add the garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, stir in the Italian seasoning.
- Simmer the sauce. Add the remaining marinara and water to the skillet with the beef; simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix the Cheesy Yum. Stir together the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and mozzarella.
- Layer the lasagna. Layer half the ravioli over the marinara in the pan. Dollop the Cheesy Yum on top of the ravioli and then spread it out evenly. Add basil, followed by half the beefy marinara and the rest of the ravioli.
- Finish layering. Spread the remaining beefy marinara over the top, and finally the mozzarella.
- Bake. Cover the pan and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 minutes more, then broil until the cheese starts to blister and brown.
- Rest and serve. Let the ravioli lasagna set for a few minutes to make it easier to slice and serve. Add more fresh basil if desired before serving.
Recipe Variations
There’s a lot of room to get creative with ravioli lasagna. Here’s some inspiration to get you started.
- Try different ravioli. Spinach, mushroom, or meat ravioli all work. Just make sure it’s a flavor that works well with the marinara you are using.
- Swap out the beef. Try Italian sausage, ground turkey, or ground chicken as an alternative.
- Add some veggies. Add a layer of fresh torn spinach, or mix chopped spinach into the Cheesy Yum. Or add mushrooms or bell pepper to the ground beef to sneak some extra veggies into the meat sauce.
- Make it spicy. Add some chili pepper for a spicy tomato sauce called Arrabbiata (“angry” in Italian).
Serving Suggestions
Like my Lasagna Roll Ups, ravioli lasagna is pretty rich and decadent, which means you really don’t need much else. But if you’d like, a simple green salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette would be perfection. For a salad with a bit more attitude, give my robust Italian Chopped Salad a go. Or go with a simple fresh veggie side dish like Roasted Asparagus.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store leftover ravioli lasagna in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze the lasagna tightly wrapped in the pan or in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat.
- To reheat: Warm small portions in the microwave or reheat larger portions in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
More Cheesy Comfort Food Dinners
Lazy Ravioli Lasagna
Ingredients
Ravioli Lasagna
- 1 pound ground beef (use ground chuck for best beefy flavor and tender texture)
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 24 ounces your favorite tomato marinara sauce, divided
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, plus a bit more for garnish
- 20-25 ounces fresh, refrigerated cheese ravioli (do not cook)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella (use whole milk variety if possible, for best meltability)
Cheesy Yum
- 1 cup ricotta
- ½ cup grated Parmesan
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella (use whole milk variety if possible, for best meltability)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 9" x 13" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add the ground beef to a large skillet over medium heat. With a spatula, break it up into small pieces. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Add onions and stir to incorporate. Cook until beef is just browned and onion is softened, stirring every 1-2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain away any excess fat and juices. Then stir in Italian seasoning.
- While the beef mixture is browning: Add ½ cup of the marinara to the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly over the bottom. Also stir together the four Cheesy Yum ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Once the beef mixture has finished browning, stir the remaining marinara and ¼ cup water into the beef. Simmer lightly for 5 minutes, then remove skillet from heat.
- Assemble lasagna in the baking pan, in this order: Layer half the ravioli in an even layer over the marinara. Dollop all of the Cheesy Yum over the ravioli, then spread into an even layer to cover all the ravioli. Sprinkle with all the basil. Spread half the beefy marinara evenly over the top of the ricotta and basil. Add remaining ravioli in an even layer. Evenly spread the remaining beefy marinara over the top, ensuring there are no bare spots showing on the ravioli (so the ravioli will have moisture to cook properly). Sprinkle mozzarella over the top to finish.
- Cover pan with lid or aluminum foil (tent if needed, so the foil doesn't touch the cheese). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake 5 minutes, or until just lightly bubbling. Then broil 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is just starting to blister. Do not over-broil.
- Remove from oven and let rest a few minutes. Then sprinkle with a bit more fresh basil and enjoy hot!
Good recipe, tasting like lasagna without all the work. I made this in two 9×9 pans , one with cheesy yum, one without. I used Italian sausage filled ravioli, too.
Hi Carolyn – I LOVE to hear this, so happy you liked this recipe. Thanks for sharing how you made adjustments to suit your needs. And thank you for coming back here to rate the recipe, much appreciated! – Brenda