Baked Ravioli Casserole With Spinach

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Baked Ravioli Casserole With Spinach

This baked ravioli casserole is a quick, delicious, and easy dinner recipe that requires minimal effort. It features ravioli, meat sauce, fresh vegetables, and gooey cheese.

Prep Time5

Cook Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 517kcal

Author: Olivia & Annie

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
2 cups shredded carrots
4 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon black pepper
32 ounce jar of marinara sauce
1 cup small curd cottage cheese (drain any liquid off before using, swap for ricotta cheese if you prefer)
20 ounces spinach or cheese ravioli
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, according to preference

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the meat. Use a spatula or spoon to break up the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Let the meat cook for 5-7 minutes, or until no longer pink and fully cooked. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the carrots, spinach, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Let the mixture cook for 2-3 minutes, until the carrots and spinach have softened.
Reserve 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the side. Pour the remaining marinara into the pan and mix until well combined. Let the mixture simmer for 2 minutes, and then remove the pan from heat.
Add the reserved 1 cup of pasta sauce to the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan and use the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. Place half of the ravioli (10-ounces) in rows on top of the thin layer of marinara sauce.
Place half of the cottage cheese on top of the layer of ravioli and spread it into an even layer. Next, evenly spread the sauce/meat mixture on top of the cottage cheese.
Repeat the same process once more by placing the remaining ravioli in an even layer, followed by the rest of the cottage cheese, and the rest of the meat sauce.
For the final layer, evenly sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Place the covered pan in the oven for 30 minutes. If you are baking straight from the refrigerator, it may need a few minutes of extra baking time. Once 30 minutes is up, uncover the pan by removing the foil. Set the oven to broil. Let the cheese broil for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy!

Notes

Yes, you can freeze this casserole! Simply assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe container, cover tightly with a lid or foil and place in the freezer. When you are ready to bake the casserole, we recommend pulling it out of the freezer the night before and placing it in the refrigerator. Then, once it has thawed, bake according to the recipe directions.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with the use of gluten-free ravioli. For a vegetarian option, omit the meat and add more vegetables and/or cottage cheese. It is not dairy-free or vegan.

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