Okay, so imagine taking the best parts of pizza night and the comfort of a cheesy pasta bake, then smooshing them together into one ridiculously delicious casserole that’ll have everyone fighting over the last serving. This Cheesy Pizza Ravioli Bake is basically what happens when ravioli decides to cosplay as pizza — we’re talking pillowy cheese ravioli layered with rich pizza sauce, tons of melted mozzarella, pepperoni, and all your favorite pizza toppings, then baked until it’s bubbly, golden, and completely irresistible. It’s the kind of dinner that makes kids cheer and adults go back for thirds when they think nobody’s looking. Plus, it uses frozen ravioli, so you don’t have to boil pasta or do any complicated prep work. This is lazy genius cooking at its finest.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Two comfort food favorites merged into one genius dish
- Uses frozen ravioli = no boiling pasta separately
- Ready in 30 minutes for crazy-easy weeknight dinners
- Kid-approved but exciting enough for adults
- Customizable with all your favorite pizza toppings
- Perfect for feeding a crowd or meal prepping
- That crispy, cheesy top is pure heaven
The Good Stuff You’ll Need
For the Base:
- 2 packages (20 oz each) frozen cheese ravioli (don’t thaw!)
- 1 jar (24 oz) pizza sauce or marinara
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Pizza Toppings:
- 2 cups pepperoni slices (divided)
- 1 cup Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled (optional)
- 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced (optional)
For the Cheese Party:
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (optional for extra creaminess)
For Finishing:
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic bread for serving
Let’s Do This
Step 1: Prep That Oven and Dish
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish generously — this prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
Step 2: Make the Pizza Sauce
In a medium bowl, mix together pizza sauce, crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste — this should taste like good pizza sauce.
Step 3: Layer Like a Pro (First Layer)
Spread about 1 cup of pizza sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
Arrange half the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce.
They can overlap slightly — don’t stress about perfection.
Step 4: Add Pizza Goodness
Drizzle another cup of sauce over the ravioli.
Sprinkle with half the cooked sausage (if using), half the pepperoni, and half your other toppings.
Add dollops of ricotta cheese if using — just drop spoonfuls around.
Top with 1 cup mozzarella, half the provolone, and 2 tbsp Parmesan.
Step 5: Repeat Those Layers
Add remaining ravioli in another layer.
Pour remaining sauce over the top and spread evenly.
Add remaining sausage, more pepperoni, and other toppings.
Top with remaining mozzarella (2 cups), provolone, and Parmesan.
Arrange extra pepperoni slices on top for that classic pizza look.
Step 6: Bake to Bubbly Glory
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
If you want extra crispy cheese, broil for the last 2-3 minutes — watch carefully!
Step 7: Rest and Serve
Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving — this helps everything set up and makes serving way easier.
Garnish with fresh basil, extra Parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
Cut into squares and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with garlic bread or breadsticks for the full Italian-American experience.
A Caesar salad or simple green salad balances all that cheesy goodness.
Cold beer or Italian soda makes it feel like pizza night.
Leftover squares make incredible lunches throughout the week.
Switch It Up
Meat Lovers: Add bacon, ham, or ground beef to the layers.
Veggie Supreme: Load up with mushrooms, peppers, onions, spinach, and olives.
White Pizza Version: Use Alfredo sauce instead of pizza sauce.
Different Ravioli: Try spinach ravioli, meat ravioli, or lobster ravioli for variety.
Buffalo Chicken: Use buffalo sauce, cooked chicken, and blue cheese crumbles.
Make-Ahead Magic
Assemble the entire casserole up to a day ahead and refrigerate.
Add 10-15 minutes to baking time if starting from cold.
This freezes beautifully (unbaked) for up to 3 months — thaw overnight before baking.
Leftovers keep for 4-5 days and reheat perfectly in the oven or microwave.
Questions People Actually Ask
Q: Do I need to cook the ravioli first? A: Nope! Frozen ravioli cooks perfectly in the sauce. That’s the beauty of this recipe.
Q: Can I use fresh ravioli instead of frozen? A: Yes, but reduce baking time by about 10 minutes since fresh cooks faster.
Q: My casserole seems dry — what went wrong? A: Make sure you use enough sauce to cover the ravioli. They absorb liquid as they cook.
Q: What if I don’t have pizza sauce? A: Regular marinara sauce works great! Just add extra Italian seasoning.
Q: Can I make individual portions? A: Absolutely! Use ramekins or small baking dishes and adjust cooking time to 20-25 minutes.
Q: How do I prevent the cheese from burning? A: Cover with foil for the first part of baking, then uncover to brown the cheese. If it’s browning too fast, tent with foil again.
Print
Cheesy Pizza Ravioli Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Okay, so imagine taking the best parts of pizza night and the comfort of a cheesy pasta bake, then smooshing them together into one ridiculously delicious casserole that’ll have everyone fighting over the last serving. This Cheesy Pizza Ravioli Bake is basically what happens when ravioli decides to cosplay as pizza — we’re talking pillowy cheese ravioli layered with rich pizza sauce, tons of melted mozzarella, pepperoni, and all your favorite pizza toppings, then baked until it’s bubbly, golden, and completely irresistible. It’s the kind of dinner that makes kids cheer and adults go back for thirds when they think nobody’s looking. Plus, it uses frozen ravioli, so you don’t have to boil pasta or do any complicated prep work. This is lazy genius cooking at its finest.
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 2 packages (20 oz each) frozen cheese ravioli (don’t thaw!)
- 1 jar (24 oz) pizza sauce or marinara
- 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Pizza Toppings:
- 2 cups pepperoni slices (divided)
- 1 cup Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled (optional)
- 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced (optional)
For the Cheese Party:
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- 1 cup provolone cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup ricotta cheese (optional for extra creaminess)
For Finishing:
- Fresh basil for garnish
- Extra Parmesan cheese
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic bread for serving
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish generously — this prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
In a medium bowl, mix together pizza sauce, crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste — this should taste like good pizza sauce.
Spread about 1 cup of pizza sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
Arrange half the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce.
They can overlap slightly — don’t stress about perfection.
Drizzle another cup of sauce over the ravioli.
Sprinkle with half the cooked sausage (if using), half the pepperoni, and half your other toppings.
Add dollops of ricotta cheese if using — just drop spoonfuls around.
Top with 1 cup mozzarella, half the provolone, and 2 tbsp Parmesan.
Add remaining ravioli in another layer.
Pour remaining sauce over the top and spread evenly.
Add remaining sausage, more pepperoni, and other toppings.
Top with remaining mozzarella (2 cups), provolone, and Parmesan.
Arrange extra pepperoni slices on top for that classic pizza look.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
If you want extra crispy cheese, broil for the last 2-3 minutes — watch carefully!
Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving — this helps everything set up and makes serving way easier.
Garnish with fresh basil, extra Parmesan, and red pepper flakes.
Cut into squares and serve hot.
Notes
Serve with garlic bread or breadsticks for the full Italian-American experience.
A Caesar salad or simple green salad balances all that cheesy goodness.
Cold beer or Italian soda makes it feel like pizza night.
Leftover squares make incredible lunches throughout the week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~485 kcal
- Carbohydrates: ~42g
- Protein: ~24g
