I have to say, I have vastly been underestimating the deli section of Costco where they have all their premade meals. Typically I grab my rotisserie chicken and am out of there in a flash, but recently I perused that refrigerated section at the back of the store where they have all kinds of meals that are all cooked and ready to go home and bake like Korean BBQ, chicken pot pie, chicken fettuccine alfredo, just to name a few. 

I absolutely love lasagna in any and all forms so when I saw the premade “ravioli lasagna”, it was in my cart and we were checked out of the store faster than you can say “preheat the oven to 400 degrees!” I grabbed a bag of their artisan rolls for some perfect garlic bread/sandwich makers, (because you know your girl makes sandwiches out of anything possible! And you can imagine how great a sandwich made out of the garlic bread and ravioli lasagna would be.)


After trying the Costco version, I couldn’t wait to hop on the internet to find a great recipe online to make at home and I was so happy to discover a great new family favorite recipe. I love this recipe because it is so easy and is quite adaptable for different ravioli flavors so the flavor could change entirely each time you make it. Also, since it is a lasagna recipe, it has a cheese layer that is typically made with ravioli in traditional lasagna--however, in this recipe she uses a mixture of cream cheese, sour cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese with garlic and onion powders, and Italian seasonings for a perfectly flavorful and seasoned cheese layer. I might use this same cheese layer for future lasagna recipes, I loved it so much!


The Secret to Why This Recipe is So Easy!

My favorite part of what I think makes this recipe so easy is that you use frozen ravioli to assemble the “lasagna”. You will likely always have all the other ingredients on hand, so if you use frozen ravioli and canned marinara sauce, it takes less than 10 minutes to assemble this and get it in the oven. If you want meat in your lasagna, you can use beef ravioli. You could also opt for something like cheese, spinach, or mushroom ravioli for meatless options. 


To Make and Freeze Ahead

This ravioli is perfect for making ahead and freezing. I like to double it and freeze the second pan to save for a busy weeknight. To do this you assemble as directed but do not bake. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. When you are ready to bake it, bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until everything is heated all the way through and the cheese is nice and melted and bubbly. To help it cook a little faster, you can get it out of the freezer the night before to defrost in the fridge, then bake it as directed in the original recipe. 

What is your favorite pre-made meal to buy for a busy weeknight from Costco or your local grocery store? Also, are you a fan of ricotta cheese in your lasagna or is that a big no for you? I have learned that that is quite a polarizing stance in the lasagna world :) I am team ricotta (or even cottage cheese!) Please share your thoughts in the comments below.



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    Mary Richardson
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
    Email the author! mary@dvo.com