If you have never had toasted ravioli, you’re in for a treat! These are one of our favorite appetizers that we will sometimes make for an easy dinner instead. They are irresistibly crisp and savory and fantastic for dipping in your favorite marinara sauce! They are an iconic food from St. Louis, Missouri and I had to include them in my American Eats series where I’m exploring famous foods from every state. Be sure to try some other St. Louis favorites like Gooey Butter Cake and Smoked St. Louis-Style Ribs! Deep-frying frozen ravioli in hot oil will give them the crispiest texture on the outside while keeping everything soft and deliciously heated on the inside. But you can also make these in the oven or air fryer to avoid the grease and save a few calories. I’ll include instructions for air fryer toasted ravioli and baked toasted ravioli below! Ready from frozen in under 10 minutes, they really are perfect for last-minute snacking, lunch, or appetizer prep for a fancy meal or the next big game day. If you love the sound of these crispy appetizers, you’ll also love my Homemade Mozzarella Sticks, Homemade Egg Rolls, Fried Pickles, and my Crispy Loaded Potato Skins!
Why We Love This Recipe
Customize this recipe with your favorite type of ravioli, and also your favorite herbs or spices in the breadcrumb mixture. Using simple ingredients you can find easily at your local grocery store. It’s the perfect appetizer, ready in less than 10 minutes!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Ravioli – We’ll use frozen ravioli for best results. If you only have fresh ravioli, make sure you freeze it before you begin. Eggs & Milk – Use eggs and milk to make your egg wash for the ravioli. Use whole milk for the best flavor, but feel free to use lower-fat milk, or dairy-free milk if you prefer. Breadcrumbs – Use Italian breadcrumbs if you can as they will add classic Italian flavors to the dish as well as a deliciously light crunch. Oil – I tend to use vegetable oil for deep frying like this, but you can use canola oil or peanut oil if you prefer. Cheese – Use freshly grated parmesan cheese for those classic Italian flavors. Sauce – I recommend using warm Marinara Sauce for serving.
How to Make Toasted Ravioli
Tips for Success
Serve toasted ravioli with a warm marinara sauce for the best combination of flavors. My favorite dipping sauces for toasted ravioli are marinara, vodka sauce, ranch, and alfredo sauce. Ravioli type: In St. Louis, they most often use ground beef ravioli, but cheese ravioli or sausage ravioli are also delicious. Really any ravioli will do, so get creative! Use a thermometer to ensure the oil is at the right temperature before you begin frying, otherwise you may have to cook it for a few extra minutes. Don’t overcrowd the pan when you fry your ravioli. Leave room for the ravioli to move around a little.
Substitutions and Variations
If you don’t have Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs, you can use plain breadcrumbs with 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Add some spice with a dash of cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or chili powder to the breadcrumb mix. If you only have fresh refrigerated ravioli, freeze them for 1 hour before breading, then again for 30 minutes before frying.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
Grape Jelly Meatballs Easy Tomato Basil Bruschetta Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs Crispy Loaded Potato Skins
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
Philly Cheesesteak Dip
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
