Description
Whipping up Million Dollar Ravioli Casserole brings pure pasta comfort right to your dinner table. Layers of cheesy ravioli, rich meat sauce, and melted cheese create a hearty meal that makes your family smile with every delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Proteins and Pasta:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 package (25 oz) frozen cheese ravioli
Cheeses:
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Warm your oven to 375°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Sauté 1 lb ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until brown, stirring frequently.
- Add 1 small chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the beef, cooking until onions become translucent.
- Pour 24 oz marinara sauce and 15 oz crushed tomatoes into the skillet with 1 tbsp Italian seasoning.
- Simmer the sauce for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally and seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Blend 1 cup ricotta, ½ cup sour cream, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, and ¼ cup Parmesan in a separate bowl.
- Spread a thin layer of meat sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Arrange 1 layer of frozen ravioli directly over the sauce, covering the entire surface.
- Spread ½ of the cheese mixture evenly over the ravioli layer.
- Repeat sauce, ravioli, and cheese mixture layers, ensuring the top layer is cheese.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan across the casserole surface.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375°F.
- Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes until cheese turns golden and edges bubble.
- Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving with optional chopped parsley.
Notes
- Frozen ravioli works perfectly for a quick and easy assembly, saving you precious time in the kitchen.
- For a lighter version, swap ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based meat alternative to reduce calories.
- Letting the casserole rest for 10 minutes after baking helps the layers set and makes serving easier.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese melts better and provides a more robust flavor than pre-shredded varieties.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 494 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg