Description
Comforting crockpot ravioli delight brings Italian-inspired warmth to family dinner tables. Cheesy layers meld perfectly, creating a simple yet satisfying meal that promises hearty enjoyment for hungry diners.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jar (24 oz / 680 g) Prego pasta sauce
- 1 package (25 oz / 709 g) frozen ravioli
- 1 package Italian blend cheese
Instructions
- Flavor Foundation: In a skillet, gently sauté diced onions and minced garlic over medium heat until translucent and fragrant, unlocking their aromatic essence.
- Meat Preparation: Incorporate ground beef into the skillet, meticulously crumbling and browning until fully cooked, eliminating any trace of pink, then carefully drain excess fat.
- Sauce Base: Create a smooth marinara foundation in the crockpot, spreading sauce evenly across the bottom to prevent sticking and enhance overall flavor profile.
- Layering Technique: Artfully arrange the first layer of frozen cheese ravioli atop the sauce, ensuring slight overlap and complete coverage of the cooking surface.
- Protein Integration: Distribute half of the seasoned ground beef uniformly over the ravioli, creating a rich, hearty layer that promises depth and complexity.
- Cheese Cascade: Generously sprinkle the Italian cheese blend across the beef, allowing it to melt and intertwine with the other ingredients, creating a harmonious texture.
- Repeat Composition: Mirror the previous layering process by adding a second ravioli layer, remaining ground beef, and culminating with a final cheese crown.
- Slow Cooking Magic: Secure the crockpot lid and set to low temperature, allowing the dish to simmer and develop intensified flavors for 4 to 6 hours.
- Final Verification: Confirm ravioli’s perfect tenderness and complete cheese melting before presenting this sumptuous one-pot culinary creation.
Notes
- Meat Preparation Tip: Brown ground beef thoroughly to eliminate potential bacteria and enhance flavor depth, ensuring each crumble is perfectly cooked with no pink remaining.
- Fat Reduction Strategy: Drain excess beef fat to prevent a greasy texture and maintain a lighter, healthier dish that doesn’t compromise on taste.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Distribute cheese generously between layers, allowing it to melt completely and create a creamy, binding element that elevates the entire dish’s richness.
- Slow Cooking Precision: Maintain low temperature for 4-6 hours to develop deep, harmonious flavors and ensure ravioli reaches perfect tenderness without overcooking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg