The Frozen Swap You Should Make When Cooking Lasagna

Lasagna is one of those foods that's hard to compete with when it comes to comfort. Layers of al dente pasta, creamy cheese, and a tangy tomato sauce (along with any other additions that pique your interest) all come together to create this rich, deeply satisfying classic dish.

That said, making lasagna can be a bit of an undertaking, both in terms of ingredients and time. Fortunately though, there's an incredibly effective ingredient swap that will simplify the whole process, and it's easily found in your grocer's freezer. By trading in your sheets of pasta for frozen ravioli, not only do you streamline your shopping list by eliminating what would normally make up your lasagna's layers — typically a blend of cheeses along with herbs like parsley, aromatics like garlic, and even Italian seasoning blends — but you also save the time it takes to prep that filling. Instead, you have pre-made pillows of pasta already packed with flavor that are ready on the fly. With your frozen ravioli ready to go, all you need is a little sauce and imagination to get your lasagna cooking.

Just because you're simplifying the process doesn't mean you have to eliminate your personality from this short-cut lasagna, though. There are still ways to customize the dish and make it your own — all without adding to the workload. 

For example, you can try out different flavors of ravioli, like butternut squash, spinach, or a meat-filled version. If you're familiar with the differences between pierogi and ravioli, you can even experiment with a potato-based take on lasagna. You can also switch up the sauce, using vodka or pesto, or confirm for yourself the best sauce to serve with pumpkin ravioli. Layer in veggies like caramelized onions or savory mushrooms, greens like spinach or chard, or meats like a sweet or spicy Italian sausage.

Once assembled, it's a matter of baking the lasagna as you typically would for a standard recipe, although it's possible to pull this off using a non-traditional method, too. You can swap your conventional oven for a slow cooker by layering your ravioli with sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese, then letting it cook on a low setting for around four to six hours. And if you can't find frozen ravioli, you can also use the refrigerated kind, just be sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly so you don't wind up with a soggy finished product. No matter how you opt to exercise your creative license, this ravioli lasagna won't leave anyone unsatisfied.