How To Cook Frozen Ravioli? Easy Methods

Do you wanna know how to cook frozen ravioli, well, today I am going to share some easy methods to properly cook your frozen ravioli. So, just keep reading this guide till the end.

Ravioli is an Italian dish, a classic pasta. It consists of two thin layers of dough with a delicious filling in the middle—they can be vegetables, cheese, or meat. Making ravioli from scratch is quite difficult and time-consuming, but fortunately, there is the option of heating up pre-made, frozen ravioli for convenience.

Frozen ravioli is a delicious, filling dish with a short cooking time, making it perfect for a last-minute meal.

We all know nothing can compare to the taste of freshly made food. So, how do you cook your frozen ravioli so that it looks and tastes like you have just spent hours in the kitchen preparing it?

This guide will show you how.

Two Easy Peasy Method To Cook Frozen Ravioli

There are numerous ways to cook frozen ravioli. You can choose a method according to convenience, speed, and equipment at hand. Most ravioli recipes involve cooking the pasta with sauces, giving it distinct flavors you will surely enjoy.

Method 1: Cook Frozen Ravioli using the Stovetop method

Stovetop cooking is a classic and one of the best methods for heating any frozen dish. It is no-fail, easy even with little to no knowledge about cooking.

What you need:

• Frozen ravioli
• 3 to 6 quarts of water
• Saucepan
• Colander or slotted spoon

Cooking method:

1. Put water in the saucepan and add one to two tablespoons of salt. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Remove the portion of ravioli you want to cook and put it in the pot of boiling water.
3. Let it cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Once the ravioli floats to the top, let it cook for another minute or so.
5. Strain it through a colander or remove the ravioli from the saucepan with a slotted spoon.
6. Serve it with your favorite sauce, some shredded cheese, and garnish it with herbs like parsley or basil.

You can up the healthy quotient by adding vegetables like zucchini and broccoli as you boil the ravioli in water. You can also add herbs, butter, garlic, and other flavorful ingredients to take the dish to another level.

Here are some best practices for cooking frozen ravioli on the stovetop:

• Do not try to separate frozen ravioli. They will naturally float apart on their own while in hot water.
• Use a large saucepan. Extra space will allow the ravioli to spread in the water and cook evenly.
• To cook a pound of frozen ravioli, use 3 quarts of water and 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt. 
• Add a tablespoon of oil to keep the ravioli from sticking together.
• Always keep an eye on the pot while cooking ravioli. If overdone, the ravioli becomes mushy and unpleasant to eat.
• The most important tip for cooking frozen ravioli is to transfer the pasta from the freezer to the pot without thawing. Thawing or defrosting will change the consistency and texture of the pasta. If you are cooking thawed ravioli, reduce the cooking time by 2 or 3 minutes.

Cooking Frozen Ravioli in Sauce

You can also cook the pasta directly in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer and add your frozen ravioli. Check for doneness after 6 to 8 minutes.

Keep a close eye on the consistency of your dish, as it can become runny if you put too much sauce. You can check for doneness by poking a knife in one raviolo. If it is cooked through, ravioli is easy to pierce as the dough will not put up resistance.

Also, when cooking in sauce, it is better to defrost ravioli first. This way, the shells do not shed too much water, and you can control the consistency of your sauce.

You can also boil frozen ravioli quickly (for 2-3 minutes) before putting it in the sauce. Cook it further for five minutes with the sauce, and your pasta will be ready.

Method 2: Baked Ravioli

Baking frozen ravioli will give you a tasty meal without having to microwave or boil the shells.

What you need:

• Frozen ravioli
• Casserole or baking pan
• Olive oil
• Sauce
• Cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, etc.)

Cooking method:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the dish or baking pan with olive oil.
3. Spread the sauce of your choice.
4. Spread half the shells on top of the sauce.
5. Add a layer of cheese. You can also include herbs like parsley or basil.
6. Add another layer of sauce, ravioli, cheese, and herbs.
7. Cover the pan with foil and bake for around 40 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
9. Let it rest for 5 to 10 mins before serving.

Tips for baking frozen ravioli:

• You can put as many layers according to your preference.
• Season your baked dish with additional herbs, cheese, ground black pepper, nutmeg, and other ingredients for flavor.
• The cheese will lead to a tasty dish and will also prevent sogginess.
• Bake frozen ravioli without thawing.

Layering ravioli with sauce and baking is an excellent way to prepare a delicious dish. It is also less risky than stovetop cooking in the sauce, as there is little risk of overcooking and sogginess.

There is also greater freedom in terms of flavor—you can be as creative as you want while building the dish in your baking pan. Herbs and spices infuse more thoroughly when slow-cooked in an oven.

Method 3) How to Cook Frozen Ravioli in Microwave

Another easy method to cook frozen ravioli is using the microwave. However, this method I only recommend if you don’t want to put any effort and just want to quickly cook your frozen ravioli.

There are microwavable ravioli bowls also available that are perfect for microwaves and can be ready easily.

But that doesn’t mean you can not cook frozen ravioli in the microwave, you definitely can. And it is very easy in fact. So, now let’s jump to the steps.

• Take out your microwavable bowl, it should be large enough so that you can place all your desired frozen ravioli in it.
• Now transfer your frozen ravioli to that microwaveable bowl.
• The next step is to add around 3 cups of water to that bowl. The amount of water is directly proportional to the number of frozen ravioli you want to cook, so add accordingly.
• People often use the towel to cover the bowl, well I don’t recommend that because there is no way for vapors to flow out, so instead you can use a foil or plastic wrap and make some tiny holes for evaporation.
• Set your microwave to a high setting and let it microwave for around 3 minutes.
• Now in between keep stirring, and when you think the frozen ravioli is perfectly cooked, you can turn off your microwave.
• That’s it. 🙂

Method 4) How to Cook Frozen Ravioli in an Air Fryer

One of my favorite methods to cook frozen ravioli is using an air fryer, why? because it really cooks so well in an air fryer.

And by following my method of using an air fryer to cook frozen ravioli will help you in getting that crispiness in ravioli without even deep frying it, amazing, right?

Let’s quickly learn how to cook frozen ravioli in an air fryer like a pro.

• First of all, preheat your airy fryer to 400°F.
• Place your frozen ravioli in the basket, and don’t forget to spray the non-stick cooking spray before placing your ravioli.
• You should place your ravioli in such a way that they are not overlapping with each other, and there should be perfect room for them to cook properly.
• Now cook it for 10 minutes and keep checking after a few minutes to ensure that you are not overcooking it.
• And once it is done cooking, take out your ravioli from the basket.

Enjoy your cooked ravioli with your favorite dipping sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you cook frozen ravioli without boiling it?

Yes, you can cook frozen ravioli without boiling it, there are several methods to do so, the best method is using the baked ravioli method. It requires no boiling at all.

Why do ravioli float when cooked?

The answer to this question is really easy, ravioli has liquid inside it and when we cook it, the liquid converts into steam which eventually makes it fluffy and hence ravioli floats when cooked.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that ravioli is easy to cook and a very delicious dish filled with lots of health benefits. And not only kids but adults also love to eat it whenever they are hungry.

And frozen ravioli is the best food option for last-minute food cravings.

I hope the methods that I shared above will help you in cooking frozen ravioli. All the above-shared methods will give you the best possible ravioli cooking experience.

If you have any doubts or if you are stuck at any step then do comment below, and I will try to help you out.