Easy Skillet Ravioli Lasagna (One Pot Recipe)
Easy skillet ravioli lasagna combines all the flavors of a classic homemade lasagna in a single dish. This 30 minute recipe has all the cheesy, meaty goodness of traditional lasagna, but with only a fraction of the work and minimal cleanup. It’s a quick yet hearty weeknight pasta recipe that everyone will love!
Ahhhh, lasagna- one of my little Italian American family’s favorite comfort foods.
We all love eating it, but sometimes I really hate making it because it can be so time consuming. Making it is a whole process from start to finish, and then there’s the cleanup. So many dishes to wash.
Even with our kids getting older, we’re often on the go day to day and who has the time for all of that unless it’s a really special occasion? No one.
Well, certainly not me, and I definitely don’t want to be left with that many dirty dishes at the end of the day either, despite how good it will inevitably taste.
Fortunately this easy skillet ravioli lasagna gives us all of that classic lasagna taste with only one dish needed to make the whole thing, from start to finish.
That’s right, you don’t even need a separate pot to boil the pasta in before you make this dish. The ravioli cooks directly in the sauce in the skillet, cutting out extra steps without sacrificing an ounce of flavor.
This 30 minute skillet dinner is perfect for busy weeknights, or when you get a craving but don’t have time for the traditional method.
Ingredients Needed
Making a simple lasagna in a cast iron skillet doesn’t require anything complicated. In fact, the list is pretty standard.
To make it you’ll need:
- Beef – Ground beef recommended, but just like with a traditional lasagna you can substitute it for an equal amount of ground pork sausage or even use a 50/50 mix.
- Aromatics – Diced yellow onion and minced garlic
- Tomatoes – Canned crushed tomatoes, but diced tomatoes will also work.
- Sauce – Canned tomato sauce, the plain kind
- Broth – Chicken broth
- Ravioli – Your favorite brand of refrigerated cheese filled ravioli.
- Cheese – A blend of shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese.
Once you’ve gathered all the ingredients, you’re ready to begin!
How To Make
To make this skillet ravioli lasagna, you’ll want to use a large cast iron skillet.
I recommend using at least a 12 inch cast iron skillet so everything has enough room to cook and be stirred without splashing over the edges and making a mess.
Like with a traditional lasagna, you’ll begin by making the meat sauce.
Add a little olive oil to the bottom of the skillet set over medium heat. The oil’s optional, but will prevent any sticking. This many not be a big deal if you’re using fattier meat.
Once the oil’s hot add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Cook and crumble the beef, stirring as you go to evenly combine everything, until the meat’s completely browned. Strain off all the grease.
Add the canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and ravioli to the skillet. Gently stir everything together until it’s evenly combined, and just like that, you’ve done the majority of the work.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The ravioli will cook all the way through and the sauce will get deliciously thick.
Add the cheeses and stir them in, gently so you don’t break up the ravioli, until evenly incorporated.
Sprinkle some extra shredded mozzarella on top and let the residual heat melt it, if desired.
Spoon a generous helping of ravioli and sauce onto plates, serve warm, and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I love pairing any classic pasta dish with simple options, and my favorite go to’s are a simple side salad and frozen breadsticks.
If you want to pair this dish with a vegetable I suggest either green beans or steamed broccoli.
Storing
Completely cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips & Tricks
- As written the recipe calls for ground beef. You can substitute ground pork sausage, like with traditional lasagna, or use a 50/50 mixture. If you want a leaner option, you can use ground turkey instead.
- If using a leaner cut of meat, drizzle a little olive oil into the skillet beforehand to prevent any sticking.
- You can use virtually any kind of refrigerated ravioli you love, as long as it includes a cheese filling. We’ve gone with a simple plain cheese stuffed ravioli, and we’ve used spinach, even upping the meat factor with a sausage & cheese stuffed variety. It’s a great way to sneak some extra veggies into a comforting dish without the kids ever knowing!
- For the true classic lasagna experience, serve this with a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese on each plate.
Other Easy Italian Recipes
All the classic flavors you expect from a hearty homemade lasagna, and ready to enjoy in 30 minutes from start to finish in a single dish.
It makes it even easier to savor this cast iron skillet ravioli lasagna knowing it’s a filling dinner everyone loves and that the eventual clean up will be a snap!
Looking for other easy Italian style recipes to enjoy?
Try these:
- Chicken Florentine & Farfalle
- Lasagna Soup
- Penne Alla Vodka With Ground Beef
- Abruzzi Pasta
- Sausage With Peppers & Onions
- Italian Macaroni Pie
- Easy Chicken Cacciatore
If you’ve tried this EASY SKILLET RAVIOLI LASAGNA, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Easy Skillet Ravioli Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef can substitute ground pork or Italian sausage
- olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion peeled & diced
- 4 tsp minced garlic
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 18 oz refrigerated ravioli
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- fresh, chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add a little olive oil to a large cast iron skillet set over medium heat. Once it's hot add in the meat, onions, and garlic. Break the meat up with a sturdy spoon as it cooks, stirring occasionally, until the meat's completely browned. Strain the meat mixture to remove any excess grease, and return it to the skillet.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and ravioli to the skillet. Stir everything to evenly combine, and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Immediately reduce the heat so that the mixture's gently simmering and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the pasta's tender and the sauce has thickened considerably.
- Remove the skillet from heat, and stir in both of the cheeses. Let the skillet rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Top with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley & a bit of extra extra cheese, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- As written the recipe calls for ground beef. You can substitute ground pork sausage, like with traditional lasagna, or use a 50/50 mixture. If you want a leaner option, you can use ground turkey instead.
- If using a leaner cut of meat, drizzle a little olive oil into the skillet beforehand to prevent any sticking.
- You can use virtually any kind of refrigerated ravioli you love, as long as it includes a cheese filling. We've gone with a simple plain cheese stuffed ravioli, and we've used spinach, even upping the meat factor with a sausage & cheese stuffed variety. It's a great way to sneak some extra veggies into a comforting dish without the kids ever knowing!
- For the true classic lasagna experience, serve this with a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese on each plate.
Nutrition
recipe adapted from Number 2 Pencil
Such a perfect family meal! Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday!