Crockpot Cheese Ravioli
This cheese ravioli crockpot dinner layers frozen ravioli with marinara and mozzarella, so it tastes like baked ravioli lasagna with no boiling and no stove. The slow cooker steams the pasta tender in the sauce while you do something else.
6
servings15
minutes4
hoursFrozen cheese ravioli cooks in marinara, ricotta and spinach until tender. Mozzarella melts over the top for a cheesy, easy dinner.
Ingredients
1 lb ground Italian sausage (optional)
1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (20 oz) frozen cheese ravioli, do not thaw
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 cups fresh baby spinach
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh basil, for serving
Directions
- Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes until cooked through and no pink remains. Drain the fat. Skip this step for a meatless version.
- Stir the marinara, crushed tomatoes, water, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt together in a bowl.
- Spread 1 cup of the sauce over the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. This keeps the pasta from sticking and scorching.
- Layer half the frozen ravioli over the sauce, then half the sausage, half the ricotta in spoonfuls, half the spinach and 1 cup mozzarella.
- Add half the remaining sauce, then repeat the layers with the rest of the ravioli, sausage, ricotta and spinach.
- Pour on the last of the sauce, making sure all the ravioli are covered, and top with the Parmesan.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The ravioli should be tender when pierced with a fork.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top, replace the lid and cook for 10 more minutes until melted.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes, then scoop out with a large spoon and top with basil.
Notes
- Do not cook past 4 hours on LOW or the ravioli can split. Use frozen, not refrigerated fresh ravioli, which turns mushy. Swap the sausage for sliced mushrooms for a vegetarian dinner. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad.
Why frozen ravioli suits the slow cooker
Frozen ravioli holds up much better than you would expect. It thaws slowly in the hot sauce and cooks through without bursting, so you get pasta pillows that stay whole instead of the soggy shells you get from boiling for too long. Since there is no boiling, there is also no colander and no pot of water to watch. That makes this a good dinner for a busy weeknight, and it feeds a family from one insert you can rinse and reuse.
The slow cooker also works like a steamer here. The sauce reduces just enough to cling, and the ricotta and mozzarella melt between the layers. The result tastes like baked ravioli, but you never turn on the oven.
Ingredient notes for cheese ravioli in the crockpot
Frozen cheese ravioli: use the bagged kind from the freezer aisle, straight from frozen. Thawed or refrigerated ravioli cooks too fast and falls apart.
Marinara sauce: pick a thick, chunky jar. Thin sauce makes a soupy bottom, and the pasta needs the extra liquid you add only in small amounts.
Italian sausage: mild or hot both work. It seasons the whole pot, and browning it first keeps the dish from tasting greasy.
Ricotta: whole milk ricotta stays creamy. Part-skim goes a bit grainy, but is fine if that is what you have.
Spinach: baby spinach wilts into the sauce and needs no chopping. Frozen spinach works only if it is thawed and squeezed dry.
Mozzarella: shred it yourself from a block if you can. Bagged shreds carry an anti-caking coating that keeps the cheese from melting as smoothly.
Tips for tender ravioli, not mush
Sauce on the bottom first: Always start with a layer of sauce so nothing sticks to the crock. This is the most common mistake, and it leads to scorched pasta on the bottom.
Cover every piece: Any ravioli left sticking out of the sauce stays hard and chewy. Press them down and spoon sauce over the top layer.
Watch the clock: Start checking at 3 hours on LOW. Ravioli go from tender to split fast, so pull it as soon as a fork slides in easily.
Swaps and variations
Use a bag of spinach and mushroom ravioli, or swap in cheese tortellini for a slightly firmer bite. For a lighter dinner, use ground turkey and part-skim mozzarella. Add a handful of chopped peppers for a vegetable boost.
Do not use dried pasta in place of ravioli without adding more liquid, and do not use refrigerated fresh ravioli, since both cook unevenly in a slow cooker.
What to serve with it
A bag of Caesar salad kit or a simple arugula salad with lemon balances the richness. Garlic bread is a given. Set out grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes at the table so everyone can season their own bowl. If you want something green on the side, steamed broccoli or green beans fit right in. A little extra basil torn over the top makes the plate look fresh.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Cool leftovers and store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta absorbs sauce, so the dish looks drier the next day. Dish out only what you will eat, because leftover ravioli reheats best straight from the fridge in small portions.
Freeze in single portions for up to 2 months, though the ravioli will soften slightly. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave with a spoonful of water or marinara, covered, stirring halfway, until it is hot all the way through.
Crockpot Cheese Ravioli at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 4 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by ground Italian sausage (optional), jar (24 oz) marinara sauce, (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes, water
Tips for Crockpot Cheese Ravioli
Do not cook past 4 hours on LOW or the ravioli can split. Use frozen, not refrigerated fresh ravioli, which turns mushy. Swap the sausage for sliced mushrooms for a vegetarian dinner. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Serve with garlic bread and a crisp green salad.
Crockpot Cheese Ravioli FAQ
How long does Crockpot Cheese Ravioli take?
Crockpot Cheese Ravioli takes 4 hours of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Cheese Ravioli serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Cheese Ravioli?
13 ingredients, led by ground Italian sausage (optional), jar (24 oz) marinara sauce, (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes, water. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
