This ravioli casserole is so quick and easy to make! Think ravioli merged with a classic lasanga! It is perfect for a delicious, Italian weeknight dinner or a fancy dish for a holiday get together. It uses just 6 ingredients, 1 pan, takes 5 minutes to assemble and bakes for 30 minutes! Plus, if you’re celiac like I am it is easy to swap in gluten free ravioli and make this a gluten free recipe!
My favorite part about this ravioli casserole is I don’t have to make anything from scratch! This recipe uses simple, affordable ingredients like a 2 ingredient meat sauce, frozen ravioli, and 2 types of cheese!
If you loved this gluten free pasta bake for an easy weeknight dinner with tomatoes, you’ll also love my one-pan gluten free pasta bake, my gnocchi with tomato sauce and my Moroccan Meatball Skillet.
Why You’ll Love this Gluten free Recipe
- This recipe is my favorite go-to comfort food dinner! I love bringing this to a holiday potluck or family dinner because everyone raves about it but no one ever knows it is actually gluten free!
- The best part about this recipe is that it is a one pan meal…which means only one pan to make it and only one pan to clean up! My ideal situation since I hate doing dishes. No extra pot for the sauce. No extra pot for the ravioli. Everything is together!
- This gluten free pasta bake is allergy friendly. You can use gluten free pasta like I did for gluten free ravioli casserole. You can use dairy free cheese for an easy dairy free ravioli casserole!
- Perfect to make ahead and refrigerate or freeze for later. It’s an easy freezer friendly meal, which means it is a great option for a meal prep lunches or dinners! I love to have it ready to go when I need to just pull a dinner out of the freezer and heat it up quick.
Directions
Cook the meat: Brown your ground meat in your pan until it’s cooked through. Drain off any excess grease. Remove the meat and set aside. Wipe clean the skillet before moving to the next step.
Start the layers: Spread 1/3 cup vodka sauce in an oven-safe skillet. Add half the ravioli, then the ground meat. Top with more sauce, the rest of the ravioli, and sauce.
Add the Cheese: Dollop ricotta, drizzle pesto, and sprinkle mozzarella.
Bake: Bake the Ravioli Casserole at 350°F for 45 minutes or until bubbly.
Expert Tips & Tricks
After the meat is fully cooked, drain excess grease. This will make the Ravioli Casserole less oily and greasy.
I like to spray the inside of the aluminum foil covering with nonstick cooking spray. This keeps the cheese topping from sticking.
How to Serve
Serve with a simple salad and garlic bread. My favorite is a side caesar salad! I like to serve the Ravioli Casserole hot right out of the oven for the freshest taste.
Storage and Meal Prepping
To store, I let the Ravioli Casserole cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to four days.
Everyone loves this easy casserole! I never have any gluten free pasta bake leftovers, but if you do, I love to portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 2 months.
To meal prep into individual portions, divide into separate containers. These individual portions are my favorite for great grab-and-go lunches or quick dinners during the week.
Reheating Leftovers
To reheat Ravioli Casserole leftovers, if you have any, you can pop in the oven and bake on 350 until fully cooked. I always suggest covering with aluminum foil so it does not dry out. You can also reheat on the stove top on medium low.
Can I use a different pasta?
Although cheese ravioli is my favorite ravioli, and the easiest to find in a gluten free option, you can use any ravioli in this recipe! Cheese and spinach ravioli is delicious or even meat filled ravioli works great! You can also make your own ravioli for this recipe as well with whatever filling you’d like.
If you don’t have gluten free ravioli you can use any tortellini, gnocchi, penne, spaghetti or even spaghetti squash for a low carb option. I love this air fryer spaghetti squash recipe if that is a base you want to use.
Can I use a different sauce in this Ravioli Casserole?
I used a traditional vodka sauce mixed with pesto for this recipe but you can choose one sauce if thats easier. You can use a spicy marinara instead or add red pepper flakes to yours! A marinara sauce is also delicious. I love Rao’s garlic marinara in this gluten free pasta bake too.
Can I use a different cheese?
Feel free to experiment with other cheeses in this Ravioli Casserole such as provolone for a different flavor. I used ricotta in my recipe but you can try a dairy free ricotta or even a greek yogurt or a goat cheese.
Can this ravioli casserole be made vegetarian or vegan?
Swap the ground beef for a plant-based vegan meat option. You can also use sautéed vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, and bell peppers for a veggie-packed gluten free pasta bake!
For a vegan Ravioli Casserole make sure to use vegan cheeses like vegan ricotta and vegan shredded mozzarella.
How do I know when the ravioli casserole is ready?
When the ravioli casserole is ready, the cheese will be bubbling and browned. The ravioli will also be easy to pierce with a fork if you test it. This is when you’re all set and it is time to take the gluten free pasta bake out of the oven.
Looking for more gluten free recipes?
If you make this recipe and enjoyed it, I would really appreciate a review! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Purchase my cookbook Easy Allergy Free Cooking. Join my exclusive weeknight meal plan group for 5 weekly 30-minute dinner recipes. The weeknight meal plan also has an accompanying podcast as well! I would love for you to follow along!
Ravioli Casserole (Gluten free option)
Ingredients
- 1 bag ravioli regular or gluten-free
- 1 lb ground chicken ground turkey, or ground beef
- 1 8 oz jar vodka sauce or tomato sauce
- 1 cup pesto
- 1 cup Park Skim shredded mozzarella shredded
- 1 cup Fat free ricotta
Instructions
- Cook the meat: Brown your ground meat in your pan until it's cooked through. Drain off any excess grease. Remove the meat and set aside. Wipe clean the skillet before moving to the next step.
- Prep your pan: Start by spreading about 1/3 cup of vodka sauce on the bottom of an oven-safe skillet. This will help the ravioli not stick and create a flavorful base.
- Layer the ravioli: Next, layer half of the ravioli directly on top of the sauce. No need to pre-cook them!
- Assemble the layers: Spread the cooked ground meat over the layer of ravioli. Then, pour another layer of vodka sauce on top. Finally, add the remaining ravioli and cover with the rest of the vodka sauce.
- Top it off: To finish, dollop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese over the sauce. Drizzle with pesto for a burst of flavor. Then, generously sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Bake to perfection: Pop the skillet into a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake for about 30-45 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Nutrition
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