How to cook frozen ravioli on stove, in sauce, Air Fryer Frozen Ravioli or make baked lasagna with them! Filled with cheese or meat, a cheap one pot meal that’s family friendly and quick. Make better than just boiled in water for dinner this week.
Cooking ravioli frozen right out of the bag can be done in a number of different ways. Each one offers a different result, from crispy meat or cheese filled snacks to lasagna or a 2 ingredient dinner! Let’s share all of the cooking methods we have tried and love. (post may contain affiliate links present)
Jump to:
- How Long to Cook Frozen Ravioli
- How long do you boil frozen ravioli?
- How to Cook Frozen Ravioli on the Stove
- How do you know when frozen ravioli is cooked?
- How to Cook Frozen Ravioli in Pressure Cooker
- How to cook ravioli in a frying pan?
- Frozen Ravioli Recipe
- Can you pan fry frozen ravioli?
- How Long to Bake Ravioli instead of Boiling
How Long to Cook Frozen Ravioli
That depends on the cooking method you are choosing. How long does it take to cook frozen ravioli in sauce? About 7 minutes is all that you need. NO defrosting necessary to make this or most of the others either as far as that goes. There is one exception, that is our breaded and “fried” Air Fryer Ravioli Not Frozen.
Only reason why that is necessary is we create a crispy coating on the outside. Dipped in egg so the seasoned breadcrumbs will stick, you can make fried ravioli this way with a lot less fat since just a light spray of oil is used. You could deep fry them too for a similar result but I prefer the healthy method. Your choice.
How long do you boil frozen ravioli?
Cook time for boiling frozen ravioli can vary depending on the size, thickness, the specific brand you’re using and how tender you want them to become. A general guideline is to cook them for about 4 to 6 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as 1 minute too long will start to break them down and the pasta will likely start to get mushy.
How to Cook Frozen Ravioli on the Stove
You can cook these in water or spaghetti sauce like we have done to make Ravioli Lasagna Soup. The one thing you need to keep in mind is to add them once the liquids are boiling, not before! If you don’t follow this rule it will result in a mushy outcome. Once contents of your pot continuously bubble, add in and start your timer.
How do you know when frozen ravioli is cooked?
They float to the surface of the boiling water when they are ready!! Isn’t that fun right? I wouldn’t leave the area since this happens so fast. If you are boiling in sauce vs. salted water they won’t float obviously so just set a timer to 5 minutes and test to see if the insides are warmed to your liking. Timing doesn’t really vary with either liquid.
How to Cook Frozen Ravioli in Pressure Cooker
There are directions for Instant Pot ravioli here for you. It is very similar to making spaghetti in the same pot really with less time necessary. Saute some ground beef first, add sauce and then your cheese filled pasta. That will give you a simple one pot meal. You can also just add water and your pieces to boil but you’re not adding any flavors that way.
Absolutely!! We will show you how to do just that here with our one pot recipe. It gives your meat filled pasta a lot more flavor, like spaghetti but heartier and quicker to make. Just wait until the sauce is boiling to add. Only takes a few minutes until the center is tender, then enjoy as a meal.
That is subjective but we think sauce is better to add flavor. With either of these you should wait to add them until the liquid is bubbling consistently. In water they will float when cooked, in sauce it takes about 5 minutes depending on desired tenderness.
How to cook ravioli in a frying pan?
There are two ways. If you are just cooking in sauce you would follow the same steps explained above. If you just wanted them plain, cook frozen cheese ravioli in boiling salted water until al dente, 2-3 min. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil or butter over medium heat. You want enough oil or butter to coat the bottom of the pan.
Once the oil or butter is hot, carefully add the ravioli to the frying pan in a single layer. Make sure they are not overcrowded, as you want them to cook evenly. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the bottom. Avoid moving them around too much, as this can cause them to stick to the pan. Use tongs or a spatula to flip each over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and heated through.
Frozen Ravioli Recipe
Our quick and easy meal idea is below in the recipe card below. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, cooked in marinara sauce or meat sauce you can even add browned Italian sausage into the mix. A ravioli casserole of sorts I guess served with garlic bread topped with parmesan cheese. Voila.
OR you can just boil to al dente, drain in a colander and run cold water over the top if you want to serve cold. Why would you do this? Because it is a fun way to make our 4 Ingredient Pasta Salad with them!!
Can you pan fry frozen ravioli?
I mean you could skip the boiling time as described above and cook in some oil over lower heat for a little bit longer but it may not be as ideal. Low and slow to get the middle tender and warmed is key. Putting a lid on the top will help to create steam to get this done + the outsides browned.
How Long to Bake Ravioli instead of Boiling
This is How to Cook Frozen Ravioli in the oven, lasagna style. If you haven’t tried this yet is is a game changer. NO boiling required, you just set a layer of these filled noodles in between the sauce and thin layer of cheeses. The heat will do the “boiling” for you in a 9×13 inch pan. With a quick bake time, just serve right in the same baking dish for a family friendly dinner idea.
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Frozen Ravioli
Equipment
- 1 pot large
Ingredients
- 1 bag ravioli frozen, 20 oz.
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce 28 oz.
- 2 tbsp olive oil optional
- 3 tbsp minced garlic optional
Instructions
- How to cook frozen ravioli in sauce – Put a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Pour in your spaghetti sauce, allow enough time to start to bubble. Pour in the bag of frozen ravioli and allow to boil in the sauce for 5-7 minutes until tender to your liking. Serve with parmesan.
- How long to boil frozen ravioli – Put a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium high heat filled with water halfway. Sprinkle in some salt. When it reaches a rolling boil pour in your frozen ravioli. Allow to boil for about 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Drain immediately in a colander. Sauce or drizzle with olive oil so they don't stick together.
- Frozen ravioli in the air fryer – Preheat air fryer to 350 F for 5 minutes. Pour frozen ravioli into basket, spray with olive oil and any seasonings. Cook for 10 minutes until crunchy like chips, shake basket halfway thru.
- Instant Pot frozen ravioli – Pour 1 cup of water into pot + 18 oz. frozen ravioli. Sprinkle in salt, close lid and steam valve. Set to high pressure for 2 minutes with a quick release when done. Drain and sauce.
- Frozen ravioli in the oven – I suggest making lasagna with these with 2 cups of cheese, jar of spaghetti sauce and package of large ravioli. Preheat oven to 360 degrees F. In a 9×13" dish spread bottom with a bit of sauce, lay a layer of frozen ravioli in a single layer without overlapping, then shredded cheese, can add a layer of precooked ground beef, and then continue with the layers with cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 min., remove foil and bake for 10 more minutes.
- Frozen ravioli in a pan – Boil in boiling water until al dente, 2-3 minutes. In a large frying pan or skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil or butter over medium heat. Once the oil or butter is hot, carefully add in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the bottom. Use tongs or a spatula to flip each over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown and heated through.