Homemade Toasted Ravioli (Baked, Fried, or Air-Fried)
Toasted ravioli has a crisp, crunchy outside and gooey, cheesy inside, and it starts with frozen ravioli, so there's no thawing and no boiling. You can bake, fry, or air-fry them and have a crowd-pleasing party snack in minutes!
FROM THE COOK
"We serve these toasted ravioli at our family Christmas gathering each year, and they are always gobbled up in minutes!"
- Cassie
Recipe at a glance
Toasted ravioli is an Italian-American appetizer that's popular in the Midwest. Cheese or meat-filled ravioli get coated in breadcrumbs and cooked until golden and crispy, then served with marinara for dipping.
It started in St. Louis, Missouri, where it's typically fried. But I made my recipe more home kitchen-friendly and flexible! There is an option to fry it, bake it, or even air fry it. All of the methods give you crispy, crunchy toasted ravioli with an ooey-gooey center that is perfect as a Christmas appetizer or Super Bowl party recipe!
What ingredients do I need to make toasted ravioli?
To make this delicious party appetizer, you'll need:
- Frozen ravioli: Any ravioli filling works. We tend to pick vegetarian ravioli so we can serve a mixed crowd, and Trader Joe's butternut squash ravioli would be great for fall. You can also find gluten-free ravioli now! Just make sure to swap in gluten-free versions of the other options, too.
- All-purpose flour: A good gluten-free all purpose flour works if you are making this gluten-free.
- Milk
- Eggs
- Panko breadcrumbs: Make sure to grab gluten-free breadcrumbs if you are making these gluten-free.
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, and salt
- Marinara sauce: for serving
Can you bake toasted ravioli?
Sure can! In fact, we found that baking is the best way to make toasted ravioli for a crowd (unless you're in a commercial restaurant kitchen!). To bake toasted ravioli, you will:
- Set out three shallow bowls: one with flour, one with a beaten egg and milk mixture, and one with seasoned toasted breadcrumbs.
- Toss the frozen ravioli in the flour, then dredge through the egg.
- Next, toss each ravioli in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes. Switch to the broil setting for the last few minutes to brown the tops of the ravioli.
How do I fry toasted ravioli?
Most of us don't have a deep fryer at home, but you can still fry ravioli in a deep pot with some oil! Bread the ravioli the same way you would for baking, and then pop them in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Fry in 360°F oil for 2-3 minutes, and transfer the toasted ravioli to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil before serving.
The downside of frying your new favorite appetizers? It is time-consuming! You don't want to overcrowd the frying oil, so you'll need to work in batches. If you just want to cook everything at once, baking is the way to go.
Can you make toasted ravioli in the air fryer?
Yes. It's a good option when you only need a small batch and don't want to heat the whole oven. Bread the frozen ravioli the same way, spray them with cooking spray, and arrange them in a single layer in a preheated 375°F air fryer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping and spraying them again halfway through. Air fryers vary, so start checking at 8 minutes, and cook in batches so the ravioli aren't crowded.
Protip: Use the right oil!
For safe frying, you'll want a neutral-flavor oil with a high smoke point. Consider corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or safflower oil for making fried toasted ravioli.
Can I make this recipe in advance?
You can prep the ravioli for toasting in advance, but I recommend waiting to cook them through until it is party time. Once you've breaded the ravioli, arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze them for a few hours. Once they're frozen, you can transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to a month. When you're ready to enjoy, bake, fry, or air fry them straight from the freezer, adding a minute or two to the cooking time.
How do I reheat toasted ravioli in the oven?
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days. To reheat them, the oven is your best bet. Bake the ravioli at 350°F for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until they're hot and crispy. They may not have quite as much crunch as they did when fresh, but they will still be delicious!
Protip: Skip the microwave!
Skip the microwave for reheating toasted ravioli. It will leave you with soggy breaded ravioli instead of crisp.
FAQs
No. The ravioli go into the flour frozen, so there's no thawing and no boiling. They heat through while the coating crisps, whether you bake, fry, or air fry them.
Toast the panko first and press it on firmly so it sticks. Then give the ravioli some room, whether that's a single layer on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket, or small batches in the oil. Leftovers crisp back up in a 350°F oven, but skip the microwave.
Want more tasty party appetizers like this one?
- Baked Brie with Jam
- How to Make an Awesome Cheese Board in Minutes
- Simple Sausage Balls
- Parmesan and Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Old Fashioned Cheese Ball Recipe
📖 Recipe
Toasted Ravioli
Ingredients
- 20 ounces frozen ravioli
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 jar marinara sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread 2 cups panko breadcrumbs on the baking sheet in a thin layer and spray evenly with cooking spray. Toast in the oven for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Place 1 cup all-purpose flour in a shallow bowl. In a second shallow bowl, whisk together the 1 cup milk and 2 eggs. In a third shallow bowl, stir together the toasted breadcrumbs, ⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.
- One by one, toss the frozen ravioli in the flour, then dip in the egg mixture and shake off the excess. Toss in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to make sure the breadcrumbs stick, and set on a lined baking sheet in an even layer.
- Bake the breaded ravioli for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, broiling for the last 2-3 minutes to get a nice crispy texture.
- Serve with marinara sauce!
Notes
- Use frozen ravioli straight from the freezer, with no thawing or boiling. Any filling works. We tend to pick vegetarian ravioli so we can serve a mixed crowd, and Trader Joe's butternut squash ravioli would be great for fall.
- Toast the panko first and press it onto the ravioli firmly so it sticks.
- Oven: Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, broiling for the last 2 to 3 minutes. There's no need to flip them, because they toast really well on the bottom.
- Air fryer: Preheat to 375°F, spray the breaded ravioli with cooking spray, and cook in a single layer for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping and spraying again halfway. Work in batches, and start checking at 8 minutes since air fryers vary.
- Fried: Freeze the breaded ravioli for at least 30 minutes, then fry in 360°F oil for 2 to 3 minutes, working in batches so you don't crowd the pot. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola or vegetable oil. Frying this many ravioli at home is time-consuming, so baking is easier for a crowd.
- Make ahead: Bread the ravioli, freeze them on a baking sheet for a few hours, then move them to a zip-top freezer bag for up to a month. Cook straight from frozen, adding a minute or two.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, and skip the microwave, which makes them soggy.
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe?
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We serve these toasted ravioli at our Christmas party each year, and they are always gobbled up in minutes! Any type of ravioli will do the trick. We tend to pick vegetarian ravioli so we can serve it to a mixed crowd, but any flavor will work. Trader Joe's sells a butternut squash ravioli that would be AWESOME for this for Fall!