February 24, 2019

Ravioli Lasagna

I love Italian food and have a couple of delicious recipes for lasagna and baked ziti, but they are both fairly involved, so I rarely take the time to make them. After reading Candace's post with her modifications for Food & Wine's Vegetable and Ravioli Lasagna, I knew I had to give it a try. This one's a winner and couldn't be any easier! I've fixed it so many times, I can do it in my sleep. Seriously, I'm pretty sure I've made it at least a half dozen times since I first read about it on Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking. My family, friends and neighbors all thank you, Candace!

Ravioli Lasagna
(Photo Credit: Food & Wine)


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 mild Italian pork sausages (6 ounces), casing removed
1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce, or vegetable pasta sauce
1/2 cup water
2 (14-ounce) packages fresh cheese ravioli
1 (14-ounce) package fresh spinach-and-cheese ravioli
12 ounces (3 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch baking pan (3-quart baking dish).

In a large flying pan, cook sausage over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the accumulated fat and add the marinara sauce and the water, simmering for 5 minutes.

Add all the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain the ravioli and return them to the pot. Add the sausage marinara mixture and toss gently to coat the ravioli.

Spoon one-third of the ravioli and sauce into the baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Repeat two more times (to make three layers in total).

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove the foil and bake 25 minutes until browned and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My Notes:

Any type of ravioli works well for this recipe. I even found some with Italian sausage, which saved me a step and ingredients. I have used cheese tortellini instead of one of the packages of ravioli, as well. If the leftovers are a little dry, just heat some marinara and spoon over each serving.

Adapted from Food & Wine (found on Beth Fish Reads)




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12 comments:

  1. It sounds like I need to give this recipe a try.

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  2. I saved this recipe after Candace posted it, too, but haven't tried it yet. We've had record heat this week, but as soon as things get back to normal I'll make it. Most likely on a night we have my FIL over... pretty sure he'll love it. Glad to know it was a hit for you!

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    1. JoAnn, it's really great and as much as I'd love to make it part of my weekly rotation, I need to refrain from making it too often. Pasta and lots of cheese is not good for my healthy eating plan! I'll bet your FIL will enjoy it. Everyone I've made it for has. Even the picky eaters!

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  3. This sounds fabulous. I was just looking for a good recipe that feeds a lot of people so I can cook for my daughter-in-law and son and their family while my d-i-l is on bed rest. This would be perfect, I think. I’m adding ravioli to my grocery list for tomorrow.

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    1. Deb, I've made two pans for a small gathering and it was a big hit. For the vegetarian in the family, I used mushroom ravioli with three-cheese tortellini. For the non-pork eaters, I used chicken ravioli with the three-cheese tortellini. Super good and you can make it a day or so ahead of time, if need be. The leftovers freeze pretty well, but the pasta gets a little mushy when reheated in the microwave.

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  4. Sounds very appealing, but it has the same problem that I find with lasagne -- there's no way to make a small amount. All the recipes make around 8 to 10 generous servings. And the ingredients (like jars of sauce) don't come in smaller quantities. So it's endless for 2 people.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

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    1. Mae, I wonder if you could make the recipe as written, but divide it into four separate serving dishes (perhaps small disposable aluminum pans) and freeze what you don't need until it's time to bake.

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  5. Sounds so good! I LOVE ravioli! Pasta has become a rare restaurant treat for me now, though, because we have a gluten-free kitchen and the g-f pastas from the store aren't that good a replacement.

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    1. Laurie, I'm sorry to hear that the gluten-free pastas aren't very good. I love pasta, but try not to eat it too often because of the carbs. When I do, this is my go-to recipe.

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  6. A good treat, then!

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    1. Absolutely! BTW, I just popped over to your blogged and I'm enjoying reading some of your recent posts. Thanks for stopping by with your comments. I'm always happy to meet a new blogger!

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