Toasted Ravioli is a popular St. Louis appetizer, and for good reason! With classic Italian flavors permeating each crunchy bite, it's a versatile dish that will go well with so many main dishes. It's a great appetizer for all kinds of occasions, from fancy dinner parties to snacking on game day!
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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.
The most popular toasted ravioli in St. Louis is filled with ground beef, but that can be hard to find in the freezer section of the grocery store sometimes. You can also look for in the fresh pasta section or just use cheese ravioli (or any other flavor) instead.
How to Make Toasted Ravioli
- Make egg wash: In a small, shallow bowl, mix together the milk and eggs, whisking until fully combined.
- Make breadcrumb mix: In a separate small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, salt, and parmesan cheese. You can do this easily in a Ziploc bag, simply dump it all in, seal it, and shake it!
- Coat ravioli: Dip the pieces of ravioli into the egg mixture. Then dip the ravioli in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Deep-Fry: Fry in a pan with 2 inches of oil at 350°F for 2-3 minutes total. You may need to flip the ravioli halfway through.
- Drain: Remove the ravioli from the oil when the tops of the ravioli are golden and put them on a plate lined with paper towels or parchment paper. Let the excess oil drip off before serving.
- Serve: Serve hot with marinara sauce on the side.
Recipe FAQ's
Toasted ravioli is ravioli that has been coated in a breadcrumb mixture and cooked until it is crispy. It is traditionally deep-fried, but you can also make it in the Air Fryer or the oven (see below for instructions).
Toasted ravioli is typically served with marinara sauce, but it is delicious with other sauces too. The sauce you choose can depend on the type of ravioli you use (meat or cheese) and the seasonings used in your breadcrumbs if you haven't gone for the traditional Italian flavors. It's one of those delicious appetizers that can be served for just about any occasion either as an appetizer, part of a main meal, or a tasty snack!
Absolutely. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Thaw your ravioli first, or use fresh ravioli. Coat with the eggwash and breadcrumb mixture, then spray the breaded ravioli with cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack sprayed with cooking spray set over a large baking sheet until golden brown.
Yes. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Coat the ravioli in the eggwash and then the breadcrumbs. Spray your breaded ravioli with cooking spray and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Fry ravioli for 6-10 minutes, flipping the ravioli halfway through.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Simply put your toasted ravioli in a freezer-safe container or in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes at 350°F or in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until hot and crispy again.
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.
Make this crispy toasted ravioli into a light meal when served alongside this Fresh Salad with Olive Garden Dressing. Alternatively, fried ravioli makes a delicious pasta dish when paired with my Italian Pasta Salad.
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
Appetizers
Philly Cheesesteak Dip
Appetizers
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Appetizers
Mozzarella Sticks Recipe
Did you make this 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.
The Best Toasted Ravioli
Ingredients
- 1 (20- to 25-ounce) pkg. frozen ravioli
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1½ cups Italian bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
- ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
- In a small, shallow bowl, mix together the milk and eggs, whisking until fully combined.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, salt, and parmesan cheese. You can do this easily in a Ziploc bag, simply dump it all in, seal it, and shake it!
- Dip the pieces of ravioli into the egg mixture. Then dip the ravioli in the breadcrumb mixture.
- Fry in a pan with 2 inches of oil at 350°F for 2-3 minutes total. You may need to flip the ravioli halfway through.
- Remove the ravioli from the oil when the tops of the ravioli are golden, and put them on a plate lined with paper towels or parchment paper. Let the excess oil drip off before serving.
- Serve with marinara.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Simply put your toasted ravioli in a freezer-safe container or in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes at 350°F or in the oven at 375°F for 10-15 minutes until hot and crispy again.
- Air fryer toasted ravioli: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Coat the ravioli in the eggwash and then the breadcrumbs. Spray your breaded ravioli with cooking spray and arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Fry ravioli for 6-10 minutes, flipping the ravioli halfway through.
- Baked toasted ravioli: Preheat your oven to 425°F. Thaw your ravioli first, or use fresh ravioli. Coat with the eggwash and breadcrumb mixture, then spray the breaded ravioli with cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack sprayed with cooking spray set over a large baking sheet until golden brown.
Nutrition
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