Easy Fried Ravioli recipe for breaded, crispy raviolis with a gooey cheesy filling. Quick and delicious Italian appetizer ready in minutes.
Hot, fresh Garlic Bread with some warm Marinara for dipping is a go-to Appetizer for Italian Dinner night. These Fried Ravioli are a bit more indulgent, but perfect when you want something cheesy, fried and full of Italian flavor!
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Fried Ravioli Recipe
While these delicious crispy Fried Ravioli aren’t the most authentic Italian dish, they are definitely the perfect appetizer for a dinner party with an Italian theme. Not only are they incredibly easy to make, but who doesn’t love a crunchy coating and gooey cheese filling? Plus whatever your main dish sauce is, like Alfredo Sauce or Marinara, you instantly also have a dipping sauce without any extra work.
If you are craving something cheesy and deep fried, skip the frozen mozzarella sticks and grab a bag of frozen raviolis instead! They are just as good (if not better) than fried cheese sticks and super easy to make. Start by thawing your raviolis, set out your breading, then coat and fry them. It sounds like a lot of steps but really they are done in about 15 minutes start to finish!
Ingredients
- Bread Crumbs: Coating them in bread crumbs gives these toasted ravioli an extra thick and crispy exterior. Use regular breadcrumbs to control how much Italian seasoning and other flavoring is added.
- Parmesan Cheese: The bread crumb mixture also has a good amount of Parmesan cheese for some delicious nutty flavor and saltiness. This is another reason you want to use plain bread crumbs because Parmesan cheese adds a lot of natural salt. Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese that is finely grated, like crumbs not shreds, for the best flavor.
- Flour: You dredge the raviolis in flour before adding the egg and bread crumb layers. It gives the egg something to stick to evenly so your breading doesn’t get clumpy or slide off.
- Eggs: The eggs are what binds the breadcrumbs to the raviolis and helps them get extra crispy. Make sure they are beaten well so whites and yolks are blended. This prevents pockets that make your breading fall off.
- Cheese Ravioli: A bag of frozen cheese ravioli is perfect for making this delicious fried dish. You want to make sure they are completely thawed and pat them dry if they are wet. You could also use refrigerated ravioli, but those tend to be a bit more expensive and the frozen ones are just as tasty.
- Marinara Sauce: You can use a homemade Marinara Sauce for dipping, or your favorite store bought jar of sauce. Warm it up on the stove top before serving.
- Parsley: A sprinkle of fresh parsley adds a nice little pop of color and a bit more Italian flavor to your Fried Raviolis. It’s optional but it does make a pretty presentation if you are serving them for a dinner party.
How to Make
Time needed: 15 minutes.
- Prep Station
You will need 3 bowls. In one bowl, combined the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and Italian seasoning. In another bowl, add the flour. In the last bowl, beat the eggs until well mixed.
- Bread Raviolis
Dredge the ravioli in the flour, tapping off any excess. Dip the floured ravioli in the egg, letting the excess drip off. Finally, press into the breadcrumb mixture, coating on both sides. Set on a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining raviolis.
- Fry Raviolis
Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot to 375 degrees over medium high. Working in batches, fry the ravioli for a couple minutes, flipping halfway through until golden brown. Let drain on a wire rack while you cook the rest.
- Serve
Serve the raviolis hot with parsley and a little more Parmesan cheese as a garnish and warmed up marinara for dipping.
Can Fried Ravioli be made ahead of time?
You can definitely prep your Fried Ravioli in advance! Simply bread them like normal and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pop them in the freezer until they are frozen solid then store them in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also just refrigerate them on the tray and pull them out about 10 minutes before you want to fry them. Make sure to thaw the frozen raviolis before frying them.
Nutritional Facts
Frying Ravioli Tips & Tricks
Prevent Greasy Fried Ravioli
The most common reason fried foods get greasy is that they are taking too long to cook because your oil isn’t hot enough. Fried Raviolis only need a couple minutes to cook so to keep the oil temp correct, make sure to fry in small batches and check the temp if they are taking too long.
How to Drain Fried Ravioli
Forget what you were taught, you don’t drain fried foods on paper towels. While the paper does soak up the grease, it has nowhere to actually drain so the breading ends up soaking it back up. Instead, place the finished raviolis on a wire rack above a paper lined plate or tray to catch the grease without making them soggy.
What to Pair With Fried Ravioli
Now, some people might tell you that you can eat Fried Ravioli for dinner, and no one can stop you from living your best life, but overall, deep-fried cheese filled pasta squares are best as an appetizer with tasty sauce for dipping. You don’t have to serve just marinara though, try them with Pesto or Ranch too! If you want they can be an indulgent side to a healthy Italian soup like Minestrone Soup plus you can dip them in the delicious broth!
How to Store
Store: These tasty raviolis can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours before they should be stored. Store them in an airtight container with wax paper between layers so they don’t stick or get soggy.
Reheat: Spread the raviolis on a parchment lined baking tray and reheat in the oven at 375 degrees until heated through. You can flip them halfway through if you want.
Freeze: Once the raviolis have cooled, spread them on a baking tray and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer frozen raviolis to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 4 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air-fryer.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Air-Fried Ravioli
- Preheat your fryer to 390 degrees.
- Prepare the breading and coat the raviolis as usual.
- Fry ravioli in batches in a single layer for 4-5 minutes until heated through and the exterior is golden brown and crispy.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you want to thaw your frozen ravioli before frying them. It takes too much time to heat the filling through, meanwhile they will either burn on the outside or soak up lots of oil and become greasy.
You can use fresh refrigerated cheese ravioli instead of frozen ravioli if you prefer. You don’t want to use handmade ravioli because it’s not going to have as tight of a seal as store bought ravioli and they could burst open.
Yes, both toasted ravioli and fried ravioli are the same thing, which is ravioli that is breaded and deep fried until crispy. They are usually called Toasted Ravioli because it sounds more appealing than fried or deep fried, but that’s exactly what they are!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
- 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese , grated
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 12 ounces cheese ravioli square variety.
- vegetable oil , for frying
- marinara sauce , for dipping
- 2 tablespoons parsley , finely minced
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.
- In a second bowl add the flour.
- In a third bowl add eggs and beat well.
- Dredge the ravioli into the flour, then tap off excess flour.
- Dip in the eggs, then let excess drip off.
- Press into the breadcrumb mixture.
- Place the raviolis on the baking sheet as you bread all the ravioli.
- Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375 degrees on medium high heat.
- Add the ravioli in small batches and fry to a golden brown.
- Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan cheese and parsley with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
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Variations
Ravioli: You can use ravioli with other fillings like meat or spinach, or even butternut squash ravioli. What you don’t want to use is homemade ravioli unless you use a stamp to get a tight seal and the dough is thicker.
Flavors: Play with flavors such as adding a packet of Ranch Seasoning Mix, dry buffalo wing mix, or Taco Seasoning. Grind up some bacon bits and mix them in for delicious smoky bacon flavor!
Spices: Instead of premade seasoning mixes, experiment with flavor by adding spices like chili powder, cayenne pepper (for a kick!), paprika, lemon pepper, or other spices. Add more individual Italian herbs to boost their flavor like basil or oregano.
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