This Easy Ravioli Lasagna is the perfect weeknight dinner when you’re craving homemade lasagna but don’t have the time for all the extra steps. Frozen cheese ravioli takes the place of traditional lasagna noodles, making this easy lasagna recipe quick to assemble without sacrificing those classic, cheesy layers everyone loves. Made with Italian sausage, a creamy ricotta and spinach filling, rich marinara sauce, and plenty of melted mozzarella, this hearty family dinner is one you’ll be making again and again.
I absolutely LOVE a good lasagna. There is nothing more satisfying than pulling a bubbly, cheesy pan of it out of the oven. BUT. Making a full-on traditional lasagna on a Tuesday night? That’s a no from me.
That’s where this recipe swoops in to save the day. This is my go-to shortcut when I’m craving all that lasagna goodness without the commitment. Grab a bag of frozen ravioli and your favorite jarred marinara, and you are more than halfway there before you’ve even turned on the oven. It might even be better than the real thing.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- It’s ready with minimal prep – A few layers and it’s in the oven. You’ll have this assembled and baking in under 15 minutes.
- No boiling noodles – The frozen ravioli bakes straight from the freezer. No extra pots, no drained water, no drama.
- It’s incredibly filling and family-friendly – Italian sausage, ricotta, spinach, and three kinds of cheese make this hearty enough to feed a crowd, and picky eaters always go back for seconds.
- Perfect for make-ahead and freezer meals – This easy ravioli lasagna is a dream to prep in advance or stash in the freezer for a future busy night!
Recipe Notes
This easy ravioli lasagna recipe is as simple as promised! Just layer your ingredients straight into a baking dish and let the oven do the work for a family-friendly dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make ravioli lasagna to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Frozen ravioli – One 25-ounce bag of cheese ravioli is perfect here. Use it straight from the freezer, no thawing needed! You can use spinach ravioli, cheese ravioli, or any meat ravioli.
- Marinara sauce – Use whatever brand you love most! A meat sauce or vodka sauce also work beautifully if you want to mix it up.
- Italian sausage – One pound of mild or hot Italian sausage adds incredible flavor. Prefer something lighter? Ground turkey sausage or even lean ground beef are great substitutes.
- Ricotta cheese – This creates that classic creamy lasagna layer. Whole-milk ricotta gives the richest result, but part-skim works too.
- Frozen spinach – Be sure to thaw it and squeeze out ALL the excess liquid! This is key to keeping the casserole from getting watery.
- Parmesan cheese – Mixed into the ricotta filling for a salty, nutty kick. Freshly grated will give you the best flavor.
- Mozzarella cheese – For that golden, bubbly top layer we all live for.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Add Cream Cheese – For an extra indulgent twist, you could add a couple of spoonfuls of cream cheese to the ricotta mixture (hello, Million Dollar Ravioli!).
- Pepperoni Ravioli Lasagna – Add a layer of pepperoni slices between the sausage and the ricotta for a pizza-lasagna hybrid the kids will absolutely flip over.
- White Sauce Ravioli Lasagna – Swap the marinara for a jar of Alfredo sauce for a rich, creamy white lasagna vibe. Add some wilted mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes to the layers for extra flavor.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make ravioli lasagna.
Cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it goes, then drain any excess grease well so your casserole doesn’t end up greasy. Then, stir together the ricotta, squeezed-dry spinach, and parmesan until fully combined.
Pour about ½ cup of marinara over the bottom of the casserole dish to prevent sticking.
Add half the frozen ravioli, then sausage, then dollops of the ricotta mixture, then half the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining ravioli, marinara, ricotta, and mozzarella.
Bake covered with foil at 375°F for 50 minutes.
Then uncover for 15–20 more minutes until hot throughout and the cheese is golden and starting to brown at the edges.
Recipe Tips
- Squeeze that spinach really well – Excess moisture from the spinach is the number one culprit for a watery lasagna. Thaw it completely, then squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels until you’ve gotten out as much liquid as possible.
- Don’t skip covering with foil – The first 50 minutes covered is what steams the frozen ravioli through completely. Remove the foil too early and the pasta won’t cook all the way, so keep that tent on until the timer goes off!
- Let it rest before serving – Just like a traditional lasagna, this one benefits from a 5 to 10 minute rest out of the oven before you cut and serve it. It helps the layers set up so you get clean, beautiful slices instead of a soupy pile (still delicious either way, though!).
- Use a large enough baking dish – This recipe fills a 9×13 inch baking dish, and you want enough room to build your layers properly. If your dish is too small, you’ll end up with overflow and uneven cooking.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Use pre-cooked sausage crumbles – Many grocery stores carry Italian sausage that’s already fully cooked and crumbled in the refrigerated or freezer section. Just dump it straight into the dish and skip the browning step entirely.
- Assemble the night before – Layer everything in the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and pop in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready, just pop it in the oven and add 10–15 extra minutes to the covered baking time since it’s starting cold.
- Use a disposable foil baking pan – Skip the dish-washing entirely! Disposable 9×13 pans are perfect for this recipe, especially when you’re making it to share or freeze.
- Buy pre-shredded cheese – It’s a small shortcut that saves a few minutes of prep. Pre-shredded mozzarella works just fine here.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this easy ravioli lasagna recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe baking dish, following all the layering steps but stopping before baking.
- Cover tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Label with the date and baking instructions.
- Freeze for up to 6 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed, adding 15–20 extra minutes to account for the cold start.
How to Freeze Ravioli Lasagna After Cooking
- Allow the fully baked casserole to cool completely to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes).
- Cut into individual portions or leave whole, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, or transfer to freezer-safe airtight containers.
- Freeze for up to 1 month. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm in the oven at 350°F covered with foil until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
What to Serve with Easy Ravioli Lasagna
Since this hearty, Italian-inspired dish is rich and filling with the classic flavors of lasagna, it pairs beautifully with light, fresh sides that complement without competing.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
Ravioli Lasagna Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Stuffed Bell Peppers – Halve some bell peppers, scoop out the seeds, and stuff them with reheated lasagna. Top with extra mozzarella and broil until bubbly for a totally new meal.
- Ravioli Lasagna Grilled Cheese – Yes, really! Smash some of the leftovers between two pieces of thick bread with extra mozzarella and griddle it up.
- Baked Potato Topping – Spoon warm leftover lasagna over a split baked potato and top with a sprinkle of parmesan. Sounds wild, tastes incredible.
Recipe FAQ’s
What is the difference between lazy lasagna and lasagna?
Traditional lasagna requires boiling noodles, making a ricotta filling from scratch, and carefully layering everything together, which is delicious, but definitely a project! Lazy lasagna swaps the noodles for frozen ravioli, which already has the pasta and filling built right in, so you get all the same cozy, cheesy flavors with a fraction of the prep time and effort.
What is the best store-bought ravioli?
For this recipe, look for a bag of frozen cheese ravioli in the freezer section. Brands like Rana, Celentano, or your store’s own brand all work great. Square-shaped ravioli tends to fit the pan most efficiently, but round works just as well and will taste equally delicious. You can also choose what kind of filling you want if you prefer something besides cheese.
How long do you cook ravioli lasagna in the oven?
This ravioli lasagna bakes covered with foil at 375°F for 50 minutes, then uncovered for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the casserole is hot throughout and the cheese is golden and bubbling around the edges.
Do I need to boil ravioli before I bake it?
Nope! Pne of the best things about this recipe is that the frozen ravioli goes straight into the baking dish with zero pre-cooking required!
More EASY One-Dish Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy one-dish recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Sheet Pan Caprese Chicken and Tortellini
- Spinach Ricotta Chicken Bake
- Sheet Pan Lasagna
- Baked Tortellini Casserole
Easy Ravioli Lasagna
Ingredients
- 25 ounces frozen ravioli, (1 bag) see note 1
- 24 ounce jar marinara sauce, see note 2
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 12 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and liquid squeezed out
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
Garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Brown the Italian sausage in a medium skillet over medium high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Once it is browned, drain any excess grease and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, spinach, and parmesan until combined.
- In a large baking dish (see note 3) pour about ½ cup marinara sauce over the bottom to coat. Add half of the ravioli (no need to thaw) to the bottom of the baking dish.
- Layer the sausage over the ravioli, then dollop half of the ricotta mixture, and half of the mozzarella cheese.
- Add the rest of the ravioli over the sausage and cheese layer then top with remaining marinara, dollop with remaining ricotta, and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes, then uncover and return to the oven 15-20 minutes, or until casserole is hot throughout and the cheese is starting to brown around the edges.
- Garnish with parsley if desired and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
- I use a bag of frozen cheese ravioli for this. You can use almost any flavor ravioli with good results. You can also use refrigerated ravioli instead of frozen. If you use refrigerated ravioli, it will take 15-20 minutes less baking time.
- 1 use 1 24 ounce jar for this dish. If you like it extra saucy, you may want to use an extra 1-2 cups of sauce, adding more on the bottom, a layer in the middle, and more on the top.
- Use a large baking dish. You can use as small as a 2 quart dish, but it will be filled to the top. A 9×13 inch baking dish works well but won’t be filled as high, and will cook more quickly.
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