Recipes › Pasta › Ravioli Lasagna Recipe

Ravioli Lasagna Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This innovative Italian-inspired dish marries the comfort of lasagna with the delicate elegance of ravioli, creating layers of cheese-filled pasta sheets, rich meat ragù, and creamy béchamel sauce. The result is a sophisticated yet hearty main course that showcases the best of Italian pasta traditions. Perfect for special dinners or when you want to impress with homemade pasta layers.

Ingredients

• 500g (1 lb) fresh spinach and ricotta ravioli (about 24 pieces)
• 300g (10.5 oz) ground beef
• 150g (5.3 oz) ground pork
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 400ml (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
• 100ml (3.4 oz) whole milk
• 60g (2.1 oz) butter
• 45g (1.6 oz) all-purpose flour
• 150g (5.3 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• 200g (7 oz) fresh mozzarella, sliced
• 60ml (2 oz) dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• nutmeg, pinch
• olive oil, 2 tablespoons

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.

2. Add minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the ground beef and pork, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, cooking until browned (about 5-6 minutes).

3. Add the tomato paste and stir well to coat the meat. Pour in the red wine and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then add crushed tomatoes and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

4. While the sauce simmers, prepare the béchamel. Melt 60g butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour to create a roux, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until it becomes a pale paste.

5. Slowly add the milk to the roux while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes), then season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Remove from heat.

6. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly butter a 9x13 inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Spread a thin layer of meat ragù on the bottom (about 100ml).

7. Arrange a layer of ravioli (about 8 pieces) over the sauce in a single layer. Top with one-third of the remaining meat sauce, then drizzle with béchamel sauce.

8. Repeat the layering process twice more: ravioli, meat sauce, béchamel. Top the final layer with mozzarella slices and a generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

9. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden, and the edges are bubbling.

10. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the layers to set and makes portioning cleaner.

Substitutions

• Vegetarian option: Replace the ground beef and pork with 400g (14 oz) finely diced mushrooms and 200g (7 oz) lentils cooked until tender, maintaining the same cooking method for the ragù.
• Dairy-free béchamel: Use olive oil instead of butter and unsweetened oat milk or almond milk instead of dairy milk, whisking in the flour the same way.
• Store-bought ravioli alternative: Use 400g (14 oz) fresh lasagna sheets layered with ricotta mixture (500g ricotta mixed with 150g Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 egg, salt, and pepper).
• Lighter version: Substitute half the meat with finely chopped zucchini and use half-fat milk for the béchamel to reduce overall fat content.

Tips

• Make the ragù sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate; this actually improves the flavor as the spices develop.
• Do not cover the lasagna while baking—you want the cheese to brown properly. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
• Use fresh ravioli rather than frozen for better texture and cleaner layers; frozen ravioli can release excess moisture during baking.
• For cleaner serving portions, ensure the lasagna has cooled for at least 10 minutes after resting, then use a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts.

While lasagna is a northern Italian staple particularly associated with Emilia-Romagna and Bologna, the combination with ravioli reflects the Italian tradition of layering pasta dishes in creative ways. This hybrid showcases Italy's regional pasta diversity and the philosophy of using quality ingredients in straightforward preparations.

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