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Crockpot Ravioli Lasagna

Crockpot ravioli lasagna is an easy Italian-American layered dinner where cheese ravioli stacks with beefy marinara and a bubbling mozzarella top. Slow-cooker cooking makes the ravioli tender and lets the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan melt into gooey layers.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
rest 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef or Italian sausage
  • 1 lb ground beef or Italian sausage Brown and drain before mixing with sauce.
marinara sauce
  • 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Drain well before adding.
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
garlic powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp onion powder
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
cheese ravioli
  • 1 package (25 oz) cheese ravioli Use frozen or fresh; add as a single layer each time.
ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese Grate fresh if possible for best melting.
fresh basil
  • 1 fresh basil Garnish after resting.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the meat sauce
  1. Brown the ground beef or Italian sausage in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then drain and set aside.
  2. Mix the browned meat with marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly combined.
Layer in the slow cooker
  1. Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. Add a single layer of cheese ravioli on top of the sauce.
  3. Dollop ricotta cheese over the ravioli, then sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan over the ricotta.
  4. Repeat layers of meat sauce, cheese ravioli, ricotta, and mozzarella/Parmesan until everything is used.
  5. Finish with a generous layer of cheese on top.
Cook and serve
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–2.5 hours until the ravioli are cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
  2. Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before serving to help the layers set.
  3. Garnish with fresh basil right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the diced tomatoes well and drain the browned meat so the sauce isn’t watery in the slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in the microwave or a covered pot on low until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the ravioli texture can soften further. For a lighter option, use part-skim ricotta and reduced-fat mozzarella.