Quick & Delicious: Easy Recipe for Busy Weeknight Dinner

Submitted by Kesa Ennen

Some days, I don't have time to prepare a healthy, made-from-scratch meal for my family. I need something quick, relatively healthy, and easy that everyone will enjoy on those nights. That's when baked ravioli became my go-to. It's incredibly simple and versatile, allowing endless tweaks to suit your family’s taste. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!

Baked Ravioli

Ingredients:

• 1 family-sized package of ravioli

• 1 jar pasta sauce

• ⅓ cup cream cheese, cubed

• ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a large pot of water, cook the ravioli according to package directions and drain well. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the pasta sauce and cream cheese over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream cheese is melted. Pour the cooked ravioli into the prepared dish. Top with the pasta sauce mixture and cover with mozzarella cheese. Place into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly about 20 minutes. Serve immediately and garnish with parmesan cheese. 

Notes:

Sometimes, I don’t have parmesan cheese on hand, so I omit it. Usually, the mozzarella cheese is sufficient. The parmesan cheese just gives it a little kick in the flavor department.

You can also add Italian seasoning or any combination of basil, parsley, or oregano you have on hand to your pasta sauce and cream cheese mixture. This will enhance the flavor, but it is not required. 

Side dish options include garlic knots or garlic bread. We use regular sandwich bread or whatever we have on hand in a pinch. Another option is tossing together a quick green salad with whatever you have.

For extra protein, I like to use chicken stuffed ravioli, or if I have Italian sausage on hand, I’ll brown it and add it to the sauce mixture before I pour it over the ravioli.