I love Italian food and that includes my slow cook lasagna. Although it’s easy, that version requires a bit of preparation, so if you’re short on time, you can’t get past the 10 minutes it takes to put together this slow-cooker ravioli lasagna.
With only four ingredients (three if you skip ground beef for a vegetarian version!), these ravioli take only a few minutes to prepare and only a couple of hours to cook in the slow cooker. The layers of ravioli, sauce and cheese mimic a real lasagna, but it’s much simpler!
This easy meal is perfect for busy nights when you forgot to make something for dinner
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Best of all, you can start with your favorite fresh or frozen ravioli. I used fresh that I had picked at Costco on this batch, but frozen works just as well, you just need to allow for an extra hour of cooking time.
Equipment needed to make ravioli lasagna
- Slow cooker – I’ve had this 6-quart slow cooker for years and still recommend it. I love that it switches to WARM after the set cooking time.
- Meat Grinder: This small tool is very useful for breaking
- Large skillet – To cook the meat and add the sauce before adding it to the slow cooker.
meat while browning it.
Ingredients for slow cooker
ravioli
- : Use your favorite bag of fresh or frozen ravioli. I used organic spinach and Costco cheese, but pick your favorite.
- Marinara Sauce – I picked up a tomato sauce with organic garlic at Costco. I like to read the label to make sure the ingredients are tomatoes, onions, garlic, Italian seasonings, etc. – No sugar or other unnecessary ingredients. To combine one step, make a batch of fleshy slow-pitch spaghetti sauce to use!
- Ground sirloin – I like to use a lean ground sirloin every time I use beef. It is not greasy and tastes great. I like to use 93/7%, but anything 80/20 or better should work, just be sure to drain any fat, if necessary. Season the meat with whatever you want: I use salt, pepper, onion and Montreal steak seasoning. Add some red pepper flakes if you want some warmth.
- – Grated mozzarella cheese.
Mozzarella cheese
How to make crockpot lasagna with ravioli
STEP ONE: First, if you use ground beef, season and brown the meat in a large skillet. Once it is no longer pink, pour the jar of sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes.
STEP TWO: Next, spray the bottom of your slow cooker with nonstick spray and then pour about 1 cup of the meat mixture into the bottom of the slow cooker. Place half of the ravioli. Top with some meat and cheese sauce. Finish with the rest of the ravioli, the rest of the meat sauce and top with cheese (be sure to finish with cheese). Place the layer of ravioli so that they are under the sauce and cheese to prevent the noodles from drying out.
STEP THREE: Finally, cover and simmer for 2 hours. If you start with frozen ravioli, simmer for 3 hours.
What to serve with ravioli
casserole
I like to serve ravioli with a side of crusty bread (a French bread is super cheap on the market and easily turns into garlic bread with a little butter and garlic!). You can also add a simple salad.
Oh, and dessert! To keep the lasagna theme, a lush oven-free chocolate is a great option.
How to reheat and store ravioli
lasagna
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days
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To reheat, you can microwave a portion or, if you have a lot, you can add it back to the slow cooker to heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can frozen ravioli be cooked in the slow cooker?
Yes! Cooking frozen ravioli in the slow cooker actually works great so it doesn’t become soft. 3 hours in LOW works well.
Can thawed ravioli be cooked in the cooking pot? (fresh)
Yes, I used fresh, unfrozen ravioli in this slow cooker recipe. Because ravioli only take a few minutes to cook in boiling water, it only takes a couple of hours to heat them in the slow cooker. 2 hours in LOW is what I do.
Can I bake ravioli in the oven?
Yes, if you want to make this recipe in the oven instead of in the slow cooker, follow the same instructions but bake in a 9×13 casserole, covered, for about 40 minutes at 350°. After 40 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
Need more slow cooker recipes? Try these:
Slow Cooker Parmesan Chicken with TortellinSlow Cooker Stuffed ShellsClay Pot Turkey Dumplings
Need more pasta recipes? Try these:
Roll-UpsRoll-Ups of Lasagna Lasagna Lasagna Spinach Ravioli Lasagna
Click
here to see my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.
