Mediterranean Baked Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce

This Mediterranean Baked Cheese Ravioli with Meat Sauce has a rich, cheesy, and comforting texture. We prepare this ravioli with cheese-filled ravioli, lean ground beef, crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, parsley, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. This baked ravioli has approximately 520 calories and 46 g of net carbs. We make this ravioli in about 50 minutes. This Mediterranean Baked Cheese Ravioli is ideal for family dinners, weeknight meals, gatherings, meal preparation, cozy evenings, and Mediterranean-inspired meals. You can prepare this ravioli earlier because we refrigerate it for 4 days and freeze it for almost 3 months. You can serve this ravioli with Greek Salad, Roasted Zucchini, Lemon Asparagus, Mediterranean Green Beans, or Rosemary Focaccia.

STATS:

• Course: Main Course, Dinner
• No. of Calories: 520 kcal
• Diet: Mediterranean
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
• Cook time: 35 minutes
• Portion size: 1½ cups
• Cooking mode: Stovetop, baked
• Total servings: 6
• Difficulty level: Easy
• Total time: 50 minutes

TOOLS:

• Wooden spoon
• Pot
• Skillet
• Colander
• Baking tray
• Aluminum foil

INGREDIENTS:

MEAT SAUCE:

• One tbsp olive oil
• One lb. ground beef
• 4 cloves garlic
• One onion
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup beef broth
• 1 tsp basil
• 2 tbsp parsley

RAVIOLI:

• 24 oz. cheese ravioli
• 1½ cups mozzarella
• ½ cup Parmesan
• 1 tbsp parsley
• One tbsp. olive oil

INGREDIENT NOTES AND THEIR SUBSTITUTIONS:

CHEESE RAVIOLI:

• We use cheese ravioli to provide a soft, tender, and creamy center. As a replacement, you can use spinach-ricotta ravioli or vegetable-filled ravioli.

GROUND BEEF:

• We use lean ground beef to provide a savory and protein-rich meat sauce. Add the ground turkey & chicken instead if required.

OLIVE OIL:

• It will offer the indulgent & Mediterranean taste in dish. Regular olive oil can also be used.

CRUSHED TOMATOES:

• Crushed tomatoes create the rich and flavorful base of the meat sauce. Add the tomato dice instead to make the chunky sauce.

GARLIC:

• It will add a strong & savory taste in the sauce. You can replace fresh garlic with garlic powder if needed.

OREGANO AND BASIL:

• These herbs provide a delicious Mediterranean and Italian-inspired flavor. Italian seasoning can be used instead.

MOZZARELLA:

• Mozzarella creates a creamy, melted, and golden topping. Add the provolone or an Italian cheese blend instead if you want.

PARMESAN:

• Parmesan provides a salty and nutty flavor to the baked ravioli. Pecorino Romano is a suitable alternative.

PARSLEY:

• Fresh parsley adds freshness and color to the dish. Fresh basil can be used instead.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Warm the oven to 190° Celcius and coat the dish using olive oil.
2. Cook the ravioli as mentioned on the package instructions, bring out them for two minutes early, then strain them.
3. Warm the olive oil in a pan and cook the ground beef for almost seven minutes.
4. Include the onion and cook till softened.
5. Cook the garlic for thirty seconds.
6. Put the broth, crushed tomatoes, black pepper, tomato paste, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes, basil, and paprika.
7. Slowly cook the meat sauce for almost twelve minutes and mix in the fresh parsley.
8. Distribute some meat sauce in a dish.
9. Include mozzarella, half of the ravioli, and meat sauce.
10. Put the leftover meat sauce and ravioli.
11. Garnish with the leftover Parmesan and mozzarella.
12. Wrap with foil and bake for almost twenty minutes.
13. Eliminate the foil and bake for an extra ten minutes till become golden and bubbly.
14. Cool for almost ten minutes, sprinkle the parsley, and serve hot.

TIPS:

• Strain out the extra fat from the beef to get a lighter dish.
• Cool the baked ravioli for some time and then serve.
• Include the roasted peppers, spinach, or Kalamata olives for additional Mediterranean flavor.
• We broil for almost 2 minutes to provide an extra golden cheese topping.
• We utilize fresh herbs and garlic for perfect flavor.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

SALADS:

• Greek Salad
• Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Arugula Salad
• Tomato Feta Salad
• Chickpea Salad

VEGETABLES:

• Roasted Zucchini
• Garlic Broccoli
• Lemon Asparagus
• Mediterranean Green Beans
• Roasted Vegetables

BREADS:

• Garlic Herb Bread
• Rosemary Focaccia
• Whole-Grain Rolls
• Mediterranean Flatbread
• Olive Oil Bread

STORAGE INFORMATION:

FRIDGE:

• Put the baked ravioli in a closed box and chill it for 3 to 4 days.

FREEZER:

• Store the assembled or baked ravioli for almost 2 to 3 months.

FAQs:

Could we utilize frozen ravioli?

• Yes, you can use frozen ravioli as mentioned on the package instructions. Do not cook them before baking.

May we prepare this ravioli earlier?

• Yes, you can assemble the ravioli longer than twenty-four hours earlier, chill it, and then bake.

Could we prepare this ravioli vegetarian?

• Yes, you can swap the beef with a plant-based meat alternative, mushrooms, lentils, spinach, or zucchini.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:

Proteins: 31 g

Caloric Content: 520 kcal

Net carbs: 46 g

Sodium: 920 mg

Fiber: 5 g

Sugar: 8 g

Fats: 25 g

Portion Size: 1½ cups

Total carbs: 51 g