This one pot baked ravioli recipe is a game-changer– no boiling or extra pots required! Layers of fresh or frozen ravioli, savory meaty marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, this ravioli bake is a winner. Convenient enough to make-ahead; toss it in the refrigerator or freezer for stress-free baking whenever you're ready!
In This Post
You're looking at another one pot wonder– one of my absolute favorite ways to cook dinner. Not only does it mean less cleanup, it always reduces the dinnertime stress. This ravioli bake is a beloved iteration that's comforting, cheesy and quite literally melts in your mouth. It's no wonder it's a family favorite!
Why You'll Love This Easy Baked Ravioli Recipe
- Made in one pot!
- Done in 35 minutes
- Tons of flavor from the sauce and cooking it together
- Uses simple, basic ingredients
- Satisfying, comforting all-in-one meal
- Can easily be made ahead of time to refrigerate or freeze!
- Kid-friendly to help and kid-approved!
Grab These Ingredients
- Ground Beef: Easily use any type of ground meat and fat % that you prefer such as ground beef, turkey, chicken, or bison. If you use a higher fat %, you can omit the olive oil or drain the fat before assembling.
- Ravioli: You can use fresh or frozen ravioli of any flavor. Using fresh ravioli reduces the bake time by half.
- Marinara Sauce: Use that leftover pasta sauce sitting in the fridge, make your own or grab a jar from the store. If I use store-bought I always use Paesana (not sponsored, just really love them!)
- Chicken Broth: You don't need much chicken broth, just ¼ cup adds enough liquid to the sauce allowing the ravioli to cook evenly. If you don't want leftover chicken broth you can make sloppy joes, add more marinara sauce or substitute with water.
- Cheese: This recipe uses a combination of shredded (or sliced) mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese.
- Onion: A little diced onion makes for a great flavor base for the sauce.
- Garlic: Flavor!
- Olive Oil: Just 2 teaspoons to begin the sauce.
- Spices: Using basics like salt and pepper and a flavor punch with Italian seasoning.
3 Steps for Baked Ravioli (Fresh or Frozen Ravioli!)
You can also reference the step by step photos below.
- Make the Sauce: Grab a large oven-safe pot and cook the ground beef and onion together until the ground beef is cooked through (no pink remains.) Then, toss in the garlic and spices. Stir in the marinara sauce and chicken broth and let it cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Assemble: Remove ¾ of the sauce mixture and set it in a bowl. Add half the ravioli in a single layer, some overlap is fine, then add half the sauce mixture. Sprinkle on half of the cheese (both parmesan and mozzarella.) Repeat so there are 2 layers of each, finished with the cheese on the top. See the recipe notes for details if you don't have an oven-safe pot.
- Bake: Cover the pot with an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes for frozen ravioli or 20 minutes for fresh ravioli.
Time-Saving Tips & Tricks
- Make the Sauce in Advance: Make the sauce mixture ahead of time, either the morning of or up to 3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator.
- Use Fresh Ravioli: Using refrigerated ravioli or allowing frozen ravioli to thaw overnight in the refrigerator reduces the bake time from 40 minutes to 20 minutes.
- Assemble: This is a wonder make-ahead recipe as it can be fully assembled ahead of time and either stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. The best part: you can bake it directly from the refrigerator or freezer!
FAQ: Can You Bake Frozen Ravioli?
Yes, you can easily bake frozen ravioli– I do it often! I recommend baking it covered in a sauce to prevent it from drying out, like how it's made this recipe.
One Pot Baked Ravioli
Description
This one pot baked ravioli recipe is a game-changer– no boiling or extra pots required! Layers of fresh or frozen ravioli, savory meaty marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, this ravioli bake is a winner. Convenient enough to make-ahead; toss it in the refrigerator or freezer for stress-free baking whenever you're ready!
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¾ cup chopped sweet onion, about ½ medium onion
- 1 lb 85-92% ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce, about 3 cups
- 1 24-ounce package uncooked fresh or frozen cheese ravioli, about 1 ½ lbs
- 2 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the oil, onion and ground beef in a 5-quart or larger oven-safe pot over medium heat (see the recipe notes if you don't have an oven-safe pot.) Sauté until the ground beef is cooked through (no pink remains) break it apart as it cooks and the onions are soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes. If you used a less lean meat (90% or less), scoop out some of the excess fat.
- Stir in the marinara sauce and chicken broth, let it cook for 5 minutes stirring a few times.
- Remove ¾ of the sauce mixture and set it in a bowl (see the recipe notes if you don't have an oven-safe pot.) Add half the ravioli to the pot in a single layer (some overlap is fine), then add half the sauce mixture. Sprinkle on half of the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Repeat so there are 2 layers of each, finished with the cheese on top.
- Cover the pot with an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes for frozen ravioli or 20 minutes for fresh ravioli. With 5 minutes remaining, remove the lid to allow the cheese to brown slightly. If desired, broil for 2-3 minutes, keeping an eye on it so it doesn't burn. Serve immediately.
- Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: This is a wonderful make-ahead recipe. Follow through step 3 in either an oven-safe pot or 9x13-inch baking dish. Then, allow it to cool slightly, cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes for frozen ravioli or 25 minutes for fresh ravioli. You can also make the sauce mixture up to 3 days in advance.
- Freezing Instructions: Follow through step 3 using a 9x13-inch baking dish instead of a pot. Allow it to cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then, place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake at 400°F for 50 minutes for frozen ravioli or 30 minutes for fresh ravioli. You can also bake from frozen covered for 1 ½ hours or until heated through.
- Meat: You can use any type of ground meat or fat % that you prefer such as ground beef, turkey, chicken, or bison. If uses a higher fat % meat you can omit the olive oil or drain the fat before assembling.
- Ravioli: You can use fresh or frozen ravioli of any flavor you prefer– we also love using mushroom ravioli.
- Marinara Sauce: Use that leftover pasta sauce sitting in the fridge, make your own or grab a jar from the store. If I use store-bought I always use Paesana (not sponsored, just really love them!)
- Chicken Broth: The chicken broth is used to help add a bit more liquid and flavor to the ravioli. If you prefer to not have leftover chicken broth you can make sloppy joes, add a bit more marinara sauce or substitute with water.
- Add-Ins: You can easily add in your favorite vegetables like chopped spinach to the recipe keeping it to around 1 ½ cups total. Stir them in during step 2.
- Don't have an oven-safe pot? Follow the recipe through step 2. Then, scoop 1 cup place 1 cup mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish (spread it evenly along the bottom). Add half the ravioli to the pot in a single layer (some overlap is fine), then add half the sauce mixture. Sprinkle on half of the parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Repeat so there are 2 layers of each, finished with the cheese on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 1160kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 73g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 243mg | Sodium: 3540mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1445IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 674mg | Iron: 23mg
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Joan says
Loved this recipe. Even though I set sauce aside in a small bowl, still not much to clean up. Thank you for this! My toddlers ate it all.
Christina says
Hi Joan, thanks so much for leaving a review. I love that your toddlers enjoyed it!