Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 lean)
  • 1 lb Italian Sausage (casings removed)
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 tsp Dried Basil
  • 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes (high quality)
  • 1 cup Beef or Vegetable Stock (low sodium)
  • Salt and Black Pepper, To taste
  • 15 oz container Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese (drained if watery)
  • 1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • 25 oz bag Frozen Cheese Ravioli (do NOT thaw)
  • 2 cups Low-Moisture Mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the 9x13 inch baking dish.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sausage; break up the meat and cook until thoroughly browned. Drain off excess fat.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, and dried basil; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef stock. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Season generously with salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5–10 minutes. The sauce should be slightly looser than traditional ragu.
  5. While the sauce simmers, prepare the ricotta filling: whisk together the ricotta cheese, egg, 1/4 cup Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl until uniformly combined.
  6. Spread a thin, even layer of ragu across the bottom of the prepared baking dish (about 1.5 cups) to prevent the ravioli from sticking.
  7. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in a single, overlapping layer over the sauce.
  8. Dollop the entire ricotta mixture evenly over the ravioli layer and gently spread it out.
  9. Pour approximately 2 cups of the ragu over the ricotta layer.
  10. Top with the remaining ravioli, arranging them tightly.
  11. Pour the remaining ragu over the top layer of ravioli, ensuring they are mostly covered. Finish with an even blanket of shredded mozzarella cheese.
  12. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminium foil. Bake for 25 minutes at 375°F (190°C).
  13. Remove the foil. Bake for an additional 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling, golden brown, and the sauce is visibly hot throughout.
  14. Crucially, let the Ravioli Lasagna Bake rest for at least 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. This allows the liquid to redistribute and the layers to set properly for clean serving.