Lazy Lasagna - with ravioli!

What is lazy lasagna?

It's what's for dinner when you are craving the taste of lasagna but don't have the time or energy to fuss with making traditional lasagna. This cheesy, well-seasoned tomato pasta, with a hearty helping of ground beef, hits the spot when you are looking for a delicious pasta dish. Easier, quicker and just as delicious as lasagna!  The huge helpful shortcut?  Use cheese ravioli instead of cooking and layering lasagna noodles and ricotta cheese!

this to Pinterest

Why is this a favorite pasta recipe of ours!

If you are a regular follower of my blog, you may have noticed I'm starting to add some of my 'go-to' recipes. It helps with that dreaded, "What's for dinner." question. The question so many of us moms hear and cringe at.  I will share my meals with you and PLEASE, if you have any ideas on simple, foolproof recipes, please do share them with me. Let's make this a resource for everyone trying to figure out what's for dinner!
This is a simple recipe using mainly pantry ingredients. It is an easy meal. And with the cost of groceries, its a cheap & frugal family meal that is delicious!

Ingredients

1 (25 - 30 oz container) of fresh ravioli *
1 24 oz marinara pasta sauce
½ lb low-fat cooked hamburger crumbles
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese

*Frozen ravioli works as well, you just need to add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread approx. ⅓ of pasta sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
Arrange a layer of ravioli in the dish in a single layer.

Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly over the ravioli, followed by ¼ cup of the shredded parmesan.
Sprinkle all the cooked ground beef.
Top with ⅓ of pasta sauce. I just spoon it on evenly and lightly spread it out making sure to get the sauce in the corners and edges.

Add a second layer of ravioli, and cover with the remaining pasta sauce.
Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese

Wrap baking dish with sprayed foil.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil.

Bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese starts to brown.

This is a recipe I make with the taste of lasagna (pasta, sauce and cheesy!), but wayyyyy less work. Quick, easy and certainly one of those dishes you can prepare ahead of time. I call it cheater's lasagna and my kids know exactly what I'm making.

Helpful hints and substitutions

Instead of using hamburger meat, use ground chicken, turkey or a combination with your favorite sausage.
This is an easy vegetarian dish too! Just leave out the meat and make sure the ravioli you buy is vegetarian.
I try to use fresh cheese ravioli. However, other ravioli flavors also work. In a pinch, I've also used tortellini, but those tend to be smaller and harder to layer. But if what you have at home, use it!
You can also up the vegetable content of this meal. Layer some fresh (or thawed drained) spinach. This is especially nice if you are making a vegetarian version.

Serve with

Easy homemade Italian Garlic Bread
Your favorite simple salad.

Printable recipe for lazy lasagna

Lazy lasagna with ravioli

A delicious lazy lasagna flavored recipe.  This easy pasta recipe has all the flavor of lasagna but way less work and time! The shortcut is using cheese ravioli instead of layering lasagna and cheese.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: casserole

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Calories:

Author: Susan Moncrieff

Ingredients

• 1 25 - 30 oz container of fresh ravioli
• 1 24 oz marinara pasta sauce
• ½ lb low fat cooked hamburger crumbles
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread approx. ⅓ of pasta sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Arrange a layer of ravioli in the dish in a single layer.
• Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella evenly over the ravioli, followed by ¼ cup of the shredded parmesan.
• Sprinkle all the cooked ground beef.
• Top with ⅓ of pasta sauce. I just spoon it on evenly and lightly spread it out making sure to get the sauce in the corners and edges.
• Add a second layer of ravioli, cover with the remaining pasta sauce.
• Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese
• Wrap baking dish with sprayed foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese starts to brown.

I hope you and your family enjoy this lazy lasagna recipe. I'm all about making a good meal that is nutritious, tasty, but not too fussy and time-consuming.   If watching calories have a smaller piece and a salad with it. Or, if this is a little more of an indulgent meal, make sure to have some garlic bread with it.  Follow this link for my homemade garlic bread recipe.

Do I have Other Pasta recipes?

Here are a few other pasta recipes that are popular on this site.  They are delicious!!

Easy Chicken Noodle and Cheese Casserole

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Originally published January 2014. Updated numerous times.