The Best Fried Ravioli (+ Marinara Dip!)

Here I’ll show you how to make ultra crispy fried ravioli, alongside a simple and delicious marinara dip!

When I tell you I could eat these until I, myself, turned into an actual piece of fried ravioli, I truly mean it. If crispy fried ravioli sounds like something you’d also like to turn into, then you’re in luck 😂 Follow me…

Marinara Dip for Fried Ravioli

You’ll definitely want to serve a Dip with these, just because they can get a little dry if you’re eating them by themselves. Traditionally you’d serve with a marinara dip, and that’s exactly what we’re doing here. If you want to use your favourite store-bought marinara sauce you can absolutely do that!

Can I make the dip ahead of time?

If you want to get ahead of the game you can definitely make it ahead of time. Just allow to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge for a couple of days.

Do I serve this hot or cold?

Either! You can serve it right out of the fridge, or warm it through again if preferred.

Process shots: fry onion & garlic (photo 1), pour in chopped tomatoes and water (photo 2), add basil, oregano, balsamic vinegar, chilli flakes, sugar, salt and pepper (photo 3), stir and simmer until thickened (photo 4).

Preparing Fried Ravioli

What kind of Ravioli should I use?

I recommend using something with an interesting/’fancy’ filling as opposed to regular cheese. Here I’ve used basil and pine nut which works really well. In all cases, I recommend using fresh/refrigerated ravioli. You can use frozen, you’ll just have to thaw them first.

Panko Breadcrumbs

These are essential take make the ravioli extra crispy. They’re fairly big and airy, meaning they crisp up really nicely. You’ll find them in the Asian section of most stores.

Seasoning

A lot of recipes add Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs, however, I like to keep the seasoning fairly simple. I find the extra seasoning in the breadcrumbs can sometimes get distracting; you want the flavour focus of the ravioli filling. Having said that you can add extra seasoning to the crumb if you wish, especially if you have a ravioli with something like a plain cheese filling.

Process shots: unpack ravioli (photo 1), coat in flour (photo 2), coat in beaten egg (photo 3), coat in seasoned Panko breadcrumbs (photo 4).

Cooking Fried Ravioli

The great thing about these beauties is they fry in no time. You’ll want to work in batches and flip halfway, just to ensure you get even coverage.

How to prevent the ravioli bloating

This doesn’t happen every time, but sometimes you’ll find the ravioli starts to puff up with air getting trapped in it. This stretches the batter and you end up with bubble-shaped ravioli, which isn’t ideal. To prevent this I usually stab each ravioli with a small sharp knife, just allow the steam to escape as they fry.

Process shots: add ravioli to hot oil (photo 1), fry until crisp and golden (photo 2), rest on a wire rack (photo 3).

Serving Fried Ravioli

Now this is an essential step, so don’t skip it! Whilst the ravioli is still hot, toss them in some parmesan and fresh parsley. The leftover heat will gently melt the parmesan and force it to stick to the ravioli. The dusty variety works best.

Process shots: sprinkle parmesan and parsley over ravioli (photo 1), toss to coat (photo 2).

To serve, I usually plonk a pot of marinara dip in the centre of a plate and circle around the ravioli.

What can I do with leftovers?

If there’s any leftover fried ravioli, just allow to completely cool and tightly store in the fridge. Reheat in the air fryer or oven until hot and crispy again.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this fried ravioli shall we?!

How to make Fried Ravioli (Full Recipe & Video)

The Best Fried Ravioli (+ Marinara Dip!)

Here I'll show you how to make ultra crispy fried ravioli, alongside a simple and delicious marinara dip!

5 from 2 votes

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Servings (click & slide): 4

Course: Appetizer / Finger Food

Cuisine: American / Italian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Calories per serving: 478kcal

Author: Chris Collins

Cost per serving: £2.50 / $3

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Equipment:

• Medium Sized Pot & Wooden Spoon (for marinara dip)
• 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for dredging ravioli)
• Cast Iron Skillet or Pan suitable for frying & Slotted Spoon (for deep frying ravioli)
• Kitchen Thermometer (for measuring oil heat - optional)
• Wire Rack & Paper Towels or Tray (for resting fried ravioli)
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board

Ingredients (check list):

Marinara Dip

• ▢ 1x 14oz/400g can of Chopped Tomatoes
• ▢ 1/2 small Onion, finely diced
• ▢ 1 clove of Garlic, finely diced
• ▢ 1 tbsp EACH: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, Sugar
• ▢ Salt, Pepper & Chilli Flakes, to taste (chilli flakes optional)

Fried Ravioli

• ▢ 9oz / 250g refrigerated Ravioli (see notes)
• ▢ 1 cup / 60g Panko Breadcrumbs (see notes)
• ▢ 1/4 cup / 35g Flour
• ▢ 2 Eggs, beaten
• ▢ 1/2 tsp EACH: Garlic Powder, Salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• ▢ 2 tbsp Parmesan, to serve (dusty variety works best)
• ▢ 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Parsley, to serve
• ▢ 2-3 cups / 500-750ml Vegetable Oil, for frying (or enough to comfortably cover the ravioli)

Instructions:

• Marinara Dip: In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, fry onion until soft and golden in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add in garlic and fry for another minute or so, then pour in chopped tomatoes. Fill the can up around 1/4-1/3 of the way up with water, swill out the can and pour that in too. Stir in balsamic vinegar, basil, oregano, chilli flakes (optional) and sugar with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15mins, or until the sauce has thickened and is no longer watery.
• Coat Ravioli: Line up 3 large shallow dishes - the first with flour, the second with beaten eggs, and the third with Panko breadcrumbs and garlic powder, salt & black pepper. Dip each ravioli into the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, ensuring you carefully but thoroughly coat at each stage (try to avoid cracking the ravioli). Place to one side, then use a small sharp knife to stab the centre of each ravioli. This will ensure they don't bubble up and burst in the pan.
• Fry Ravioli: Heat up enough oil to comfortably cover the ravioli (2-3") to 180C/350F. To test, add a pinch of breadcrumbs. If they rapidly sizzle, you're good to go. Fry the ravioli in batches of 6 or so for 2-3mins, or until deep golden and visibly crispy, turning halfway. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack with paper towels or a tray underneath to catch the oil. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
• Serve Ravioli: Tip fried ravioli into a large bowl and sprinkle over parmesan and parsley. Gently toss to coat the ravioli, then serve up with marinara dip and enjoy!

Quick 1 min demo!

Notes:

a) Ravioli - Try and use a nice/'fancy' filling. Here I've used Basil & Pine Nut ravioli, which works amazingly. You can use frozen ravioli, you'll just have to thaw it first. 9oz/250g is around 20 pieces of ravioli. 

b) Seasoning - A lot of recipes use Italian seasoning or Italian breadcrumbs, however, I like to just season the breadcrumbs with a simple mix of garlic powder, salt and pepper. I find the extra seasoning in the crumb can sometimes get distracting; you want the flavour focus of the ravioli filling. Having said that you can add extra seasoning to the crumb if you wish, especially if you have a ravioli with something like a plain cheese filling.

c) Breadcrumbs - Panko breadcrumbs are essential for this recipe. They're fairly big and airy, meaning they crisp up really nicely. You'll find them in the Asian section of most stores.

d) Marinara Dip - You can make this ahead of time and tightly store it in the fridge until needed (serve warmed up or cold). If you have a favourite marinara sauce, you can certainly just use that instead of making your own. For more tips on the dip check out my Marinara Dipping Sauce.

e) Prep Ahead - I find these have the best texture when they're prepped and fried straight away, but you could crumb them, then rest them in the fridge for a few hours before frying.

f) Make Ahead - I don't recommend fully making these ahead of time, but certainly don't waste any leftovers. Just allow them to completely cool then tightly store in the fridge. Reheat in the air fryer or oven until hot and crispy again.

g) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 4 assuming 1 tsp oil soaked up per ravioli. Slight overestimate as not all the flour, egg and breadcrumbs are used.

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Nutrition:

Nutrition Facts

The Best Fried Ravioli (+ Marinara Dip!)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 478 Calories from Fat 304

% Daily Value*

Fat 33.77g52%

Saturated Fat 7.507g38%

Trans Fat 0.156g

Polyunsaturated Fat 14.549g

Monounsaturated Fat 10.031g

Cholesterol 142mg47%

Sodium 965mg40%

Potassium 338mg10%

Carbohydrates 32.52g11%

Fiber 3.3g13%

Sugar 4.65g5%

Protein 12.1g24%

Vitamin A 797IU16%

Vitamin C 14.7mg18%

Calcium 159mg16%

Iron 3.1mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.

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Looking for more?You'll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook 'Comfy'

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