Warm and crispy, these Toasted Ravioli are the ultimate comfort food that can be made in only 30 minutes! Serve these crispy, cheesy morsels with marinara sauce, and you've got the perfect addicting appetizer to accompany any meal.
I love the story behind toasted ravioli! The unique dish was "discovered" in St. Louis when a chef accidentally dropped ravioli in a pot of boiling oil instead of water. Contrary to what the name says, toasted ravioli is actually deep-fried rather than toasted. It was thought that "toasted" sounded more appealing than "fried."
If you love this ravioli recipe, you'll love my Potato and Cheese Pierogi and Bacon Wrapped Dates with Cream Cheese!
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Crispy and Cheesy – Each ravioli is breaded and fried until irresistibly crunchy on the outside, with a warm, cheesy (or meaty) center.
- Quick Crowd Pleaser – Perfect for game day, parties, or weeknight snacks—these come together fast and are always a hit!
- Simple Pantry Staples – No fancy ingredients here—just ravioli, breadcrumbs, eggs, and a few basics you probably already have on hand.
🛒Ingredients
- Fresh or frozen cheese ravioli - Or you could easily use meat ravioli, it's really up to your preference.
- Italian bread crumbs - I prefer Italian bread crumbs because they include all of the seasonings already. If you opt for plain bread crumbs just make sure to mix in some Italian seasoning.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔪 How to Make Toasted Ravioli
- Whisk eggs and milk together to create an egg wash. Dip the ravioli into the wash.
2. Coat the ravioli in flour. Return ravioli to the egg wash.
3. Mix together the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Coat the ravioli in the mixture.
4. Place breaded ravioli on a baking sheet. Dip ravioli in oil at 300F and cook until ravioli is golden brown.
5. Serve warm ravioli with fresh parsley and marinara sauce.
🌟Expert Tips
- If using frozen ravioli, thaw them completely before frying so they cook evenly and don’t splatter in the oil.
- When breading the ravioli, I recommend using one hand for dipping the ravioli in the flour/bread crumbs and the other hand for dipping in the egg wash. This prevents the flour/bread crumbs from sticking to your hand.
- Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady and prevent soggy ravioli.
- Place fried ravioli on a rack, not paper towels. A cooling rack helps keep the bottom of the ravioli from getting soggy.
💭 FAQs
Refrigerator: Let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to help absorb moisture. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Place cooled ravioli on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid (about 1–2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer or oven—no need to thaw!
Reheating:
Air fryer (best method): 350°F for 3–5 minutes until crispy.
Oven: 375°F for 8–10 minutes on a baking sheet.
Avoid the microwave if you want to keep them crispy—it'll make them soft and chewy.
The ravioli can be prepared ahead of time by following all of the steps through breading. Breaded ravioli can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours before frying.
Nope! You can fry it right from frozen. You may need to add an extra minute or two of frying time, as frozen ravioli can take slightly longer to cook than fresh.
Toasted ravioli is typically served with marinara sauce, but it's also really good with alfredo, ranch or garlic butter.
🧀 More Cheesy Appetizers to Try
📋 Recipe
Toasted Ravioli
Ingredients
- canola oil for frying
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 20 ounces fresh or frozen cheese or meat ravioli
- marinara sauce for serving
- fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk eggs and milk together in a small bowl. Add flour to one plate and bread crumbs and parmesan cheese to another.
- Dip ravioli in the egg wash, then flour, then back into the egg wash followed by the bread crumbs, turning until the ravioli is evenly coated.
- Heat a half an inch of oil in a frying pan to 300F degrees.
- Place 10-20 pieces of ravioli in the hot oil. Working in batches, fry ravioli for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Use a strainer spoon to remove ravioli from the oil. Place fried ravioli on a cooling rack with aluminum foil or a baking sheet underneath.
- Top ravioli with fresh parsley and serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
- Frozen Ravioli: If using frozen ravioli, thaw them completely before frying so they cook evenly and don’t splatter in the oil.
- Storage Info: Refrigerator: Let them cool completely. Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to help absorb moisture. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Place cooled ravioli on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid (about 1–2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer or oven—no need to thaw!
Reheating:
Air fryer (best method): 350°F for 3–5 minutes until crispy.
Oven: 375°F for 8–10 minutes on a baking sheet.
Avoid the microwave if you want to keep them crispy—it'll make them soft and chewy.
Ashley Amundsen says
Two words: toasted ravioli. This is literally one of the most addicting appetizers I've ever eaten. I could probably eat the whole plate by myself if I wanted to! I highly recommend this recipe if you're looking for a fun game day snack or yummy appetizer for a nice meal with friends!