Randy’s Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

Straight from the kitchens of an Italian country side trattoria (Italian style eatery), ravioli lasagna is a combination of Italian cuisine’s two most loved dishes.

Made with layers of delicious and tangy tomato and beef sauce spread over chewy and cheesy ravioli, the lasagna dish is one of the most comforting dishes you can enjoy at dinner with your loved ones.

With this easy and hard to mess recipe, you are assured of heavenly and aromatic lasagna that will speak to your soul.

Health Benefits

Laden with sauce and pasta of two sorts, the dish is rich with carbohydrates, which is essential and beneficial for development and strengthening of the skeleto-muscular system. The protein from the beef further increases the nutritional value of the dish for the skeleto-muscular system. The abundant amount of vitamins and minerals from the tomato sauce further adds to the benefits of the dish.

Ingredients

lean ground beef: 1 lbs

Garlic (chopped): 1 tbsp

Garlic powder: 1 tsp

salt: 1 tsp

Freshly ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp

store bought pasta sauce: 2 (24 ounce) jars

Italian seasoning: 1 tsp

dried basil: 1 tsp

Dried oregano: 1 tsp

packet frozen cheese ravioli (thawed): 1 (25 ounce)

mozzarella cheese (shredded): 2 cups

How To Make Randy’s Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna

1. Heat a large skillet over a medium high flame. Add ground beef and garlic to the skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sauté the meat for 5-7 minutes or until it is cooked through and browned.
2. Drain and discard any grease run-off from the pan.
3. Add the pasta sauce to the skillet and season with dried oregano, Italian seasoning and dried basil. Stir the sauce until everything is well combined with a wooden spoon and remove from flame.
4. Scoop a ladleful of the meat sauce into the bottom of a slow cooker pot.
5. On top of the sauce spread a layer of thawed cheese ravioli and ladle another layer of meat sauce.
6. Repeat step 6 until the meat sauce and ravioli are used.
7. Cover the cooker and cook the lasagna for 3-5 hours on a low setting.
8. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top evenly and cook the lasagna for another 45 minutes to an hour or until the cheese has melted.
9. Serve hot with a side of your liking.

Trivia

• Did you know that the earliest known written mention of ravioli comes in the personal letter written by Francesco di Marco Datini, who was a merchant of Prato in the 14^th century?
• According to the Guinness World Records, the longest ravioli measured 96 ft 1 inch and was made my Anyway Russia in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2013.

Lasagna is one of the oldest dishes of the Italian cuisine, with the earliest recipe found dating back to the 13^th century.