Exactly How To Reheat Ravioli - I Test 5 Methods [Pics] - Pantry & Larder (2024)

Ravioli can be pretty delicate, making them tricky to reheat.

The last thing you want is to turn this delicious dish into a mushy, overcooked mess.

Fillings everywhere, soggy pasta, split sauce… you catch my drift.

I’ve tested six different ways of reheating ravioli to find out which method produces the freshest ravioli with the least hassle.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

The experiment and results

After slaving away for most of Saturday, I made a massive portion of my favorite ravioli and kept some aside for my reheating experiment.

I tested reheating ravioli:

• In the microwave (quick and convenient, okay results)
• In the oven (slow but effective, best for sauced ravioli)
• In a skillet (good for plain ravioli)
• In boiling water (works great for ravioli with no sauce)
• In sauce (excellent, as long as you have a good sauce-pasta ratio)

I recommend the ‘boiling water method’ or ‘heating the ravioli in a sauce method’ for plain ravioli.

The methods are quick, easy, and work perfectly.

For already sauced ravioli, I’d go for the microwave or the oven.Note: these methods will also work to reheat tortellini.

Reheating ravioli in the microwave

Place your ravioli in a microwave-safe bowl. Add a tablespoon of water, milk, or stock to loosen the ravioli’s sauce and keep the pasta moist. Cover the bowl with a damp paper towel. Microwave your ravioli in 30-second intervals, stirring gently during each break.

This method is suitable for both saucy and sauceless ravioli.

For the latter, keep a close eye or reduce your heating intervals to 20 seconds to prevent overcooking the pasta.

How to reheat ravioli in the microwave:

1. Place a portion of ravioli in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Add a tablespoon of liquid, like water, milk, or stock.
3. Cover the bowl with a piece of damp paper towel.
4. Microwave your ravioli in 30-second intervals (if it’s in a sauce) or 20-second intervals for plain ravioli.
5. Stir very gently at each stop – you don’t want to accidentally break any of the ravioli.
6. Once warm to your satisfaction, serve immediately.

The steam created by the damp paper towel keeps the pasta moist and helps to de-stodgify any sauce.

If your pasta still seems dry, you can add more liquid (but not too much, or you’ll end up with a thin sauce).

Top tip: if your ravioli is in a cream sauce, use 50% power on the microwave and reduce the heating intervals to 15 seconds. This will ensure your sauce doesn’t split.

My verdict

I liked this method for its speed and convenience, but I would only use it when reheating ravioli for myself.

The pasta felt a tiny bit mushy, and other things can go wrong (like a watery or split sauce).

Reheating ravioli in the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread out your ravioli on a baking tray and sprinkle with 2-3 tablespoons of water or stock to add moisture. Cover the baking tray with foil and pop it in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes (checking halfway). Once warm, serve immediately.

This technique is best if your ravioli is in a sauce.

Plain ravioli will dry out too much. If you have plain ravioli, try adding some butter to the baking tray for extra moisture.

How to reheat ravioli in the oven:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Spread your ravioli out on a baking tray.
3. Sprinkle them with 2-3 tablespoons of water or stock.
4. Cover the tray tightly with foil.
5. Place your ravioli in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Once warm, serve immediately.

Covering your ravioli with foil locks in moisture and steam and keeps them moist while evenly heating their tender fillings.

Be careful not to overcook your pasta, or it will turn chewy.

My verdict

This method was okay, delivering evenly heated results.

It’s a bit slow but good for larger portions, and there’s less risk of ruining your pasta than with some of the other methods I tried.

Reheating ravioli in a skillet

Melt some butter in a skillet on low heat. Add a portion of ravioli to the skillet along with a tablespoon or two of water (around the pasta, not on it). Cover the pan with a lid and heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once evenly warmed, remove from the heat and serve immediately.

This method works best with unsauced or really saucy ravioli.

I recommend using a different method if your ravioli only has minimal sauce.

How to reheat ravioli in a skillet:

1. Set your stove to low heat and melt some butter in a skillet.
2. Gently add a portion of ravioli.
3. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water or stock to the pan and cover it with a lid. If you don’t have a lid, a piece of foil will do.
4. Steam for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Once warm, serve immediately.

The trick with this method is keeping your heat low.

Otherwise, you risk frying your pasta and burning or splitting your sauce.

The addition of water creates steam which heats the pasta quickly, and the lid traps the steam, so the ravioli heats from the top and the bottom.

Be very gentle when you move the ravioli. You don’t want any to split.

My verdict

This wasn’t my favorite method because my ravioli had limited sauce. The little sauce I did have spread very thinly around the pan and was hard to get out again.

But, the ravioli tasted nice and reheated well.

If you have quite a bit of sauce or plain ravioli, I think this method will work well.

Reheating ravioli in boiling water (unsauced only)

Fill a pot with enough water to submerge your leftover ravioli. Bring the water to a gentle boil on medium heat. Dip your ravioli into the hot water for 30 seconds using a slotted spoon. Then, slowly tip the ravioli onto a paper towel and pat them dry before combining with a sauce.

This method is only suitable for leftover ravioli that has not been stored in a sauce.

Related: How To Store Fresh Ravioli

Submerging a saucy ravioli into boiling water would wash away any residual sauce.

How to reheat ravioli in boiling water:

1. Fill a pot with a reasonable amount of water (enough to completely submerge your ravioli).
2. Bring it to a gentle boil on medium heat.
3. Lower your ravioli into the water for 30 seconds using a slotted spoon.
4. Transfer them onto a paper towel and pat dry.
5. Combine with a sauce or season well before serving.

If you don’t have a slotted spoon, you can gently drop your ravioli into the water for 30 seconds and then drain the pot.

You have to be very mindful of time here because too long, and your pasta will start to cook.

My verdict

This method is perfect for reheating plain leftover ravioli.

They warmed right to the center, and their fillings stayed juicy.

For best results, heat your sauce simultaneously so you can combine them as soon as the pasta is done.

Reheating ravioli in sauce

Heat your chosen sauce on the stove or in the microwave. In the meantime, bring your ravioli up to room temperature. Once your sauce is hot, add your ravioli to the sauce and heat it for a further 20 seconds so that it can absorb residual, indirect warmth. Serve immediately.

Using the sauce’s heat, you won’t overcook your pasta.

How to reheat ravioli in sauce:

1. Heat your sauce in the microwave or on the stove.
2. Once hot, add your ravioli.
3. Heat for a further 20 seconds.
4. Serve immediately.

For this method to be effective, you need quite a bit of sauce.

If you’re only using a small amount, the cold ravioli will cool down your sauce instead of your sauce warming up your pasta as intended.

My verdict

I can see how this method can be very effective, but I just didn’t have enough sauce for my experiment, and my fillings were a bit cold as a result.

I would definitely recommend trying this technique on tortellini or thinner ravioli.

How to reheat fried ravioli

To reheat toasted or fried ravioli, set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread your ravioli out on a baking sheet and heat for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

To speed up the process, you can also use your broiler.

If you’d prefer to use your air fryer, set it to 350°F (180°C) and warm the ravioli for 3-5 minutes.

Be mindful of burning your pasta in the air frying, keep a close eye on its progress.

Avoid the microwave because the crumbed coating will turn soggy.

How to reheat ravioli casserole

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Transfer your leftovers into an oven-safe dish and cover it tightly with foil. Bake for 20 minutes (testing halfway) or until evenly warmed. For extra flavor, remove the foil for the last five minutes of oven time and add some fresh cheese.

Top tip: making a ravioli casserole is a great way to use up leftovers. The added cheese elevates their flavor to a whole new comfort food level.