Do you dream of a bubbling, golden-brown, cheesy pasta bake on a busy weeknight, but don’t have the time for all the boiling, layering, and long baking that usually comes with it? What if you could achieve all that comforting, lasagna-style satisfaction in a single skillet and in under 30 minutes? This brilliant, one-pan Baked Spinach Ravioli is the weeknight dinner hero you’ve been waiting for.
This isn’t your traditional baked pasta. It’s a clever, modern shortcut that delivers all the flavor and texture you crave with a fraction of the effort. We cook pillowy, cheese-filled ravioli directly in a luxurious, rosemary-infused cream sauce. Then, we top it with more cheese and slide it under the broiler for a few minutes to create an irresistibly bubbly and golden crust. It’s pure comfort, made incredibly easy.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate One-Pan Pasta Bake
What makes this Baked Spinach Ravioli a weeknight superstar is its incredible efficiency and smart use of shortcuts. By cooking the refrigerated ravioli directly in the sauce, we save time and create an even richer dish, as the starches from the pasta help to thicken the sauce beautifully. The final, quick trip under the broiler gives you that satisfying “baked” texture without the long wait, making it a perfect meal for any busy day.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 30 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 4 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Cheesy Delight
This recipe uses a handful of simple, yet powerful ingredients to create a dish that tastes like it took hours to prepare.
- Refrigerated Cheese Ravioli: This is the ultimate shortcut for a baked pasta dish! Using two packages of fresh, refrigerated cheese ravioli means you get delicious, perfectly portioned, cheese-filled pasta pockets that cook to tender perfection in just a few minutes, all while absorbing the flavor of the sauce they’re simmering in.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach: A convenient and nutritious powerhouse. The most important step with frozen spinach is to thaw it and then squeeze it completely dry. This prevents a watery sauce and ensures you get a concentrated, earthy spinach flavor in every bite.
- The Béchamel Sauce (Butter, Flour, Milk): Don’t be intimidated by the fancy French term! We create a simple, classic white sauce, also known as a béchamel, to form the creamy base of this dish. It’s infused with fresh rosemary and garlic, providing a luxurious, velvety texture that is simply divine.
- The Cheeses (Mozzarella & Grana Padano/Parmesan): This is our perfect cheese duo for the topping. Cubed low-moisture mozzarella melts into wonderful, stretchy pockets of cheesy goodness. Grated Grana Padano (a cousin to Parmesan) or Parmesan itself provides a sharp, salty, and nutty flavor that creates the perfect golden-brown crust under the broiler.
- Fresh Rosemary: This aromatic, woody herb infuses the cream sauce with a wonderful, pine-like fragrance that is a classic and sophisticated pairing with creamy, cheesy dishes.
Step-by-Step to One-Pan Ravioli Perfection
Follow these simple, detailed steps to create this stunning one-pan meal. The key is to use a large, ovenproof skillet that can go from the stovetop directly under the broiler.
Step 1: Infuse the Aromatics and Make the Roux
First, preheat your oven’s broiler and position a rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
In a large, ovenproof skillet, melt the 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion, the minced garlic, and the 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is just beginning to turn golden brown at the edges, about 6 minutes. Your kitchen will start to smell amazing.
Now, sprinkle the 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked onions. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon, for about 2 minutes. The mixture will be thick and bubbly. This step, creating a “roux,” is crucial for cooking out the raw flour taste and ensuring a smooth, thick sauce.
Step 2: Create the Creamy Béchamel Sauce
While whisking constantly, slowly pour in the 2 cups of water and the 2 cups of whole milk. Continue to whisk as you pour to ensure the sauce is completely smooth and free of lumps.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer.
Step 3: Cook the Ravioli Directly in the Sauce
Once the sauce is simmering, add the refrigerated cheese ravioli directly into the skillet. Stir gently to submerge the ravioli in the sauce.
Let the ravioli cook in the simmering sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking, for 5 to 7 minutes. During this time, the ravioli will become tender and cooked through, and the starches from the pasta will help to thicken the sauce to a beautiful, creamy consistency.
Step 4: Add the Spinach and Cheeses
Remove the skillet from the heat. Find and discard the woody rosemary sprigs.
Add the thawed and thoroughly squeezed-dry chopped spinach to the skillet. Stir it into the creamy ravioli mixture.
Step 5: Broil to Bubbly, Golden Perfection
Sprinkle the cubed low-moisture mozzarella and the grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the ravioli.
Carefully place the entire skillet under the preheated broiler. Broil for about 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: Do not walk away from the oven during this step! Broilers are incredibly powerful and can take your dish from perfectly golden to burnt in a matter of seconds. Keep a close eye on it until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and beautifully browned to your liking.
Serving Your Skillet-Baked Ravioli
Carefully remove the hot, bubbling skillet from the oven. The beauty of this dish is its rustic, one-pan presentation. Place the skillet on a sturdy trivet in the center of your dinner table for a fun, family-style meal.
Use a large spoon to serve the cheesy, creamy ravioli into shallow bowls. Be sure to get a good scoop of that amazing golden-brown crust for everyone. A simple green salad and some crusty bread for mopping up the extra sauce make for a perfect meal.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This dish is at its absolute creamiest and best when enjoyed immediately after coming out from under the broiler.
- Storage: Store any cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the sauce as it sits, so it will be much thicker.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this ravioli is in an oven-safe dish in a 350°F oven, covered with foil, until it is hot and bubbly. You can also reheat it gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
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Creative Recipe Variations
This one-pan formula is a fantastic template for all sorts of delicious pasta bakes.
- Add a Protein: For a heartier meal, you can easily add some protein. Stir in 1 to 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken, a pound of crumbled and cooked Italian sausage, or some crispy, cooked pancetta along with the spinach.
- Use a Different Ravioli: The creamy sauce is a perfect canvas for other flavors. Try this recipe with mushroom ravioli, butternut squash ravioli for a fall twist, or even a meat-filled ravioli like beef or sausage.
- Make it a Creamy Tomato Version: For a delicious “rosé” sauce, reduce the milk to 1 cup and add a 15-ounce can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce along with the water. This will create a beautiful and flavorful creamy tomato sauce.
Enjoy Your New Weeknight Favorite!
You’ve just discovered a true weeknight game-changer. This One-Pan Baked Spinach Ravioli delivers all the comforting satisfaction of a traditional baked pasta dish with a clever, time-saving method that is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a creamy, cheesy, and utterly delicious meal that is sure to become a new favorite in your home.
We hope you love this easy and impressive dish!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who is always looking for quick and easy dinner ideas!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Why is it so important to squeeze the frozen spinach dry?
Frozen spinach holds a surprisingly large amount of water. If you don’t squeeze it out thoroughly, that excess water will be released into your sauce as it heats up, resulting in a thin, watery final dish. Squeezing it dry ensures your sauce stays thick and creamy and that you get a concentrated spinach flavor.
Q2: Can I make this in a regular skillet and then transfer it to a baking dish?
Yes, absolutely! If you don’t have a large ovenproof skillet, you can make the entire sauce and ravioli mixture on the stovetop in a regular pot or skillet. Then, simply transfer the finished mixture to a casserole or baking dish, top it with the cheeses, and place it under the broiler.
Q3: What is the difference between Grana Padano and Parmesan cheese?
Grana Padano and Parmigiano-Reggiano are very similar hard, aged, Italian cheeses, and they can be used interchangeably in most recipes. Grana Padano is generally a bit milder, less salty, and less crumbly than Parmigiano-Reggiano, but both will provide that delicious, nutty, and salty flavor to the cheesy crust.
Q4: My white sauce (béchamel) is lumpy. What did I do wrong?
Lumpy white sauce is usually caused by adding the liquid too quickly to the roux (the cooked butter and flour mixture). To prevent this, make sure you pour the milk and water in slowly and in a steady stream, while whisking constantly. This allows the roux to gradually absorb the liquid and dissolve smoothly.
Q5: Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?
Yes, you can. You will need about 1 pound of fresh spinach to equal one 10-ounce package of frozen. You can add the fresh spinach to the sauce at the same time as the ravioli. It will seem like a huge amount, but it will wilt down significantly as it cooks in the hot sauce.