Weeknight Ravioli Bake

This Ravioli Bake is perfect for a weeknight dinner. It comes together in a flash and tastes like lasagna. I like to serve it with garlic texas toast and a salad.

Ingredients:

1 large jar of your favorite pasta sauce. I like Trader Joe's Marinara.

1/2 cup water.

1 package of frozen beef ravioli. I get mine from Vons.

1 large bag of shredded mozzarella cheese.

1 jar of pesto. I use Trader Joe's.

1 wedge of Parmesan cheese. You can also use the pre-shredded kind in a tub.

Oven preheated to 375.

Mix your sauce with about half a cup of water. The sauce/water mixture is what cooks the ravioli. No boiling  the ravioli is needed. Spread a little sauce in the bottom of a 8x12 pan or casserole dish. Lay frozen ravioli on top in a single layer.

Top with a little more sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese.

 Add the next layer of ravioli.

Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Place dollops of pesto on top of entire dish.

 Take your wedge of Parmesan, shave with a vegetable peeler and lay on top of dish. You can also sprinkle the pre-shredded kind on top.

 

 Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. I like to pull the cover off and bake for another few minutes to help the cheese start to get a little brown.

My son loves this dish and I like how easy and hearty it is. I prefer to cook frozen ravioli this way. When I've tried to boil them in the past they wind up opening in the water and become a soupy mess.

Note: If you prefer to skip the pesto, sprinkle the top with some Italian Seasoning. I prefer the pesto, however, as it's what makes the dish really pop.