Fried Ravioli with Spicy Marinara
These Fried Ravioli are perfectly poppable and shareable as an appetizer or game day eat, but filling enough to serve with a salad for dinner.
Pasta is a staple in our house; I think I could eat it every single day. It’s no secret that I love it; I’ve shared over a dozen of our favorite pasta recipes here and even have a free pasta eBook. I love switching it up with out of the box ingredients or methods so that we don’t get bored of the same spaghetti and sauce variation.
These Fried Ravioli are deliciously crunchy little pillows of cheese goodness. Almost like a lighter, bite-sized mozzarella stick. Perfectly poppable and shareable as an appetizer or game day eat, but filling enough to serve with a salad for dinner.
The kids are always excited about any opportunity to eat with their fingers and love to dip their bites in sauce. The Ragu® Spicy Italian Style is one of my favorites from their line of sauces and is the perfect pairing for these Fried Ravioli. It’s a definite win around our family dinner table.
What’s in This Fried Ravioli?
This pan fried ravioli recipe uses just six basic ingredients and comes together quickly. Here’s what you’ll need to make fried cheese ravioli:
- Refrigerated cheese ravioli
- Feta cheese
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Eggs
- Italian seasoning
- Marinara sauce
- Oil (for frying)
How to Make Fried Ravioli
- Mix together the feta, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs.
- Dredge each ravioli in the eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Set each coated ravioli on a wire rack. Repeat until all ravioli are coated.
- Fry the ravioli in a pan of preheated oil until slightly puffed and golden on all sides.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce.
Can I Use Another Kind of Ravioli?
Of course! I’ve only ever made fried cheese ravioli because that’s what my family likes, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use another kind of ravioli.
Can I Prep Fried Ravioli in Advance?
I’ve never tried making fried cheese ravioli in advance and reheating it later. I think you could do it, but they might not be as good. I don’t think they would be as crunchy once reheated. I might try making them ahead and then keeping warm in the oven at a low temperature until ready to serve.
Tips for the Best Fried Ravioli
Be sure to buy fresh ravioli from the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Fresh ravioli can be fried immediately and doesn’t need to be boiled first.
Note that this recipe calls for Panko breadcrumbs, not regular breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are lighter in texture and make for a crispier coating once fried.
When frying the ravioli, you want to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Soybean oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil are all good options.
More Easy Pasta Recipes:
- Four Cheese Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Italian Stuffed Shells
- The Easiest Alfredo Sauce
- Simple Lasagna without Ricotta Cheese
- Linguine Arrabbiata
Ingredients
- 9 oz refrigerated cheese ravioli (about 40 small)
- 1/3 cup feta cheese
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 1/2 cups spicy marinara
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Let the ravioli and eggs come to room temperature.
- Pour about 1in oil in a large frying pan; heat to 350 degrees F.
- Use a fork to break the feta into small, uniform crumbles.
- Mix the feta, breadcrumbs, and Italian seasoning together in a shallow bowl.
- Whisk the two eggs together in a separate shallow bowl.
- Dredge each ravioli in the eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Set each coated ravioli on a wire rack.
- Repeat until all ravioli are coated.
- Fry the raviolis for about 3 minutes, flipping half way through.
- Take them out when they are nicely golden brown on each side, they will puff up slightly.
- Serve with warmed marinara.
Could these be done in airfryer and still be as good
Can you use any ravioli like spinach and feta
Hi Lucy, I haven’t tried that personally… but I don’t see why not! Let me know how it turns out
Are we putting the frying pan in the oven with the oil? Would the oil make a mess in the oven? We don’t have to cook the pasta & drain & let it cool? I was hesitating the oil in frying pan early in the directions & heat to 350 degrees,
No, don’t put the pan in the oven. The reference to 350 degrees should be what the oil needs to be when heated on the stove. You can use a candy thermometer or the like to test the oil. Hope this helps!
They’re called “Toasted Ravioli” here in St. Louis and almost every restaurant serves them. You can also buy them at grocery stores in the frozen food section. We love them!!
Yes! Toasted ravioli all day, the STL way!
Do you boil the ravioli first?
No, just use them fresh from the package. They will cook in the oil.
Can you make these ahead of time and heat them when ready to serve?
Hi Cathy- I’ve never tried that. I think you could, but they might not be as good. :/ I don’t think they would be as crunchy reheated. I might try making them ahead and then keeping warm in the oven at a low temp instead of microwaving. Hope this helps!
I’d never have thought to just bread some ravioli and then fry it up. I bet it makes for one yummy meal, especially with the crispy outer layer. 🙂
I’ve wanted to try these for a long time. Thank you!