Cheesy Ravioli Lasagna

Oh my gosh, look at that cheese. Gooey and glossy, it's pure perfection. And underneath? Layers of tender cheese ravioli, sweet and savory marinara and MORE cheese. And, if you choose your favorite bottled marinara, there are just FOUR ingredients in this recipe. Works for me.

What I LOVE about this recipe is that it's ACTUALLY lasagna. There are four layers of pasta because there are two layers of ravioli. See how that works? And, since there's cheese IN the ravioli, there are FOUR layers of cheese!

About the cheese: I like the combination of regular mozzarella and fresh. The "mass produced", regular mozzarella is great, but it's slightly more acidic than fresh. Fresh adds a wonderful milky quality to the dish, but using JUST fresh might have made for a bland dish. I suggest you use BOTH, just like I did - for the ultimate cheese experience.

About the ravioli: I used a 20-ounce package of refrigerated ravioli. Buitoni to be exact. I'm not sponsored, it's just the brand I used. Choose your favorite variety - refrigerated or shelf-stable - they both work here. You can also use beef-stuffed ravioli!

Cheesy Ravioli Lasagna

1 1/4 pounds ravioli (20 ounces)
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce or pasta sauce of choice (I used my homemade sauce - recipe below)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 2-inch pieces
Fresh parsley leaves for serving, optional
Crushed red pepper flakes for serving, optional

Homemade marinara sauce (if you want to make your own): 
2 1/2 cups tomato sauce (from a carton or can)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
To make the homemade sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the ravioli according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
Spoon 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow baking dish (I used an 11x7-inch pan). Top the sauce with half of the ravioli. Top the ravioli with 1 cup of the sauce and 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella. Top with the remaining ravioli, sauce and shredded mozzarella. Arrange the fresh mozzarella pieces on top. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for 5 to 7 more minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve with parsley leaves and red pepper flakes if desired.
Serves 4