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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Ravioli Lasagna / Plant Based Bolognese

    Published: Jan 4, 2021 · Modified: Nov 5, 2022 by Chef Dennis Littley

    245 shares
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    5 from 28 votes
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    Pinterest image for ravioli lasagna with impossible burger bolognese

    Your family is going to love this hearty Ravioli Lasagna made with plant-based Bolognese. It tastes and cooks just like meat from cows, but it’s meat from plants!

    ravioli lasagna with plant based bolognese in white bowl

    As a society (especially Americans) we eat more meat than we should. Even as a restaurant chef I felt it was my duty to fill the plate.

    The truth of the matter we consume more meat than our bodies need. And not only does it wreak havoc with our bodies, it’s not good for the environment. Beef is one of the biggest protagonists to the environmental issues we face.

    Ingredients for Plant-Based Bolognese

    ingredients to make recipe

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make the Plant Based Bolognese Sauce. In Chef Speak this is called the Mise en Place which translates into Everything in its Place.

    Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    How to make plant-based bolognese

    four step by step pictures of how to make impossible burrger bolognese sauce
    • Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the chopped vegetables and let them begin to caramelize (about 4-5 minutes). Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove the cooked vegetables (soffritto) from the pot and save until needed.
    • Add the olive oil and beef substitute to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until it browns. When the meatless meat is fully cooked break it up with a wire whip or spoon.
    • Add the red wine to the hot pan. It will deglaze the pan, releasing all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a large spoon to help get all the stuck bits loose.
    • Return the reserved soffritto to the pot, mix well and allow to cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, milk, basil and parsley, mixing well. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

    Finish the plant-based bolognese

    pot of impossible burger bolognese sauce
    • Stir in heavy cream and Romano cheese, mix well to incorporate the cream and cheese into the sauce.
    • Re-season with sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.

    What to make Ravioli Lasagna

    ingredients to make ravioli lasagna in glass bowls

    Once the bolognese sauce is made, you can begin putting together the Ravioli Lasagna.

    Do I have to make a homemade Bolognese Sauce for the lasagna?

    No, you don’t. If you don’t have the time, you can fake it. I promise there will be judgment. Cooking needs to be fun and spending time in the kitchen shouldn’t stress you out. So if you want to take a shortcut, that’s not a problem. Just follow these steps.

    • Add half a cup of chopped onions and two cloves of chopped garlic to a pot and sauté in olive oil for 2 minutes.
    • Add a 32-ounce jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce.
    • Add one-half cup of cream (or half & half) along with one-half cup of grated Romano Cheese, mix well.
    • Season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper to your tastes.
    • Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes

    It won’t be quite the same but it will still be delicious!

    How to make Ravioli Lasagna

    collage of steps to make ravioli lasagna
    • Add a layer of the bolognese sauce to the bottom of your baking dish. A 9 -inch by 9-inch pan will do nicely
    • Place frozen cheese ravioli on top of the bolognese sauce. * Feel free to just add one layer or fill in the spaces as I did.
    • Add another layer of bolognese and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
    • Add another layer of cheese ravioli.
    • Add the final layer of bolognese sauce, topped with grated Romano cheese.
    • Top with a nice layer of shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

    **Cover with non-stick foil or spray the food side of regular foil to make sure it doesn’t stick to the cheese.

    Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 7-10 more minutes.

    **Allow lasagna to rest for 7-10 minutes before cutting, so it firms up.

    pan of ravioli lasagna with a piece cut out

    There was no way to tell that the sauce didn’t contain beef. It looked, tasted and had the mouthfeel of beef. And the fact that this is meat made entirely from plants, makes me feel good about what I’m serving my family and friends.

    serving of ravioli lasagna in a white bowl

    It was an incredibly delicious dish and a great way to enjoy a hearty (and meaty) meatless dish. Think about it, all the deliciousness with none of the guilt! It’s the perfect comfort food.

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    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    serving of ravioli lasagna in a white bowl
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 28 votes

    Ravioli Lasagna with Plant Based Bolognese

    Your family is going to love this hearty Ravioli Lasagna made with Plant Based Bolognese. It tastes and cooks just like meat from cows, but it’s meat from plants!
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time1 hr 55 mins
    Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 9
    Calories: 735kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Ingredients

    Plant Based Bolognese Sauce

    • 2 tbsp butter
    • ½ cup celery food processor or finely chopped
    • ½ cup carrot food processor or finely chopped
    • ½ cup onion food processor or finely chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • 12 ounces Plant Based Meat Substitute
    • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes San Marzano is my choice
    • ⅓ cup red wine
    • 1 cup whole milk
    • 1 tbsp basil fresh or dry – finely chopped
    • 2 tsp parsley fresh – finely chopped
    • 1½ tsp sea salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
    • ½ cup heavy cream or half and half
    • ½ cup grated Romano cheese

    Ravioli Lasagna

    • 28 ounces cheese ravioli
    • 2 cups spaghetti sauce
    • 2 cups Bolognese sauce *if you like a meatier lasagna use 3 cups of Bolognese
    • 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
    • ¼ cup grated Romano cheese
    • 1 tsp fresh parsley finely chopped
    US Customary – Metric
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    Instructions

    Plant Based Bolognese Sauce

    • Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat, add the chopped vegetables and let them begin to caramelize (about 4-5 minutes). Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes
      Remove the cooked vegetables (soffritto) from the pot and save until needed.
    • Add the olive oil and plant based meat to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until it browns. When the Impossible Burger is fully cooked break it up with a wire whip or spoon.
    • Add the red wine to the hot pan. It will deglaze the pan, releasing all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a large spoon to help get all the stuck bits loose.
    • Return the reserved soffritto to the pot, mix well and allow to cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
    • Add the crushed tomatoes, milk, basil and parsley, mixing well. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.
    • Stir in heavy cream and Romano cheese, mix well to incorporate the cream and cheese into the sauce.
    • Re-season with sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes.
      *Feel free to add additional seasonings if you like your sauce spicier. I added an additional one teaspoon of garlic and onion powders to the sauce.

    Ravioli Lasagna

    • Add a layer of the bolognese sauce to the bottom of your baking dish.
      **9 -inch by 9-inch pan will do nicely
    • Place frozen cheese ravioli on top of the bolognese sauce.
      **Feel free to just add one layer or fill in the spaces as I did.
    • Add another layer of bolognese and top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
    • Add another layer of cheese ravioli topped with the final layer of bolognese sauce. Sprinkle with grated Romano cheese on top of the sauce, followed by a nice layer of shredded mozzarella and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
    • Cover with non-stick foil or spray the food side of regular foil to make sure it doesn’t stick to the cheese.
    • Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 7-10 more minutes.
    • Allow Lasagna to rest for 7-10 minutes before cutting, to let it firm up.
    • Serve with a salad and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 735kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 1844mg | Potassium: 855mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 3487IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 448mg | Iron: 16mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

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    About Chef Dennis

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    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

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    1. Juliana

      February 15, 2021 at 11:57 pm

      5 stars
      Another great recipe! Served it to meat eaters and none of them even notice the difference. My mom, who is an avid cook, really loved the sauce and the flavor the celery and carrot brought. Thanks

      Reply
    2. Shannon Gurnee (Redhead Mom)

      January 12, 2021 at 11:07 pm

      This looks like a delicious meal! I would love to try this at some point.

      Reply
    3. Jacqueline Debono

      January 11, 2021 at 2:16 am

      5 stars
      I love ravioli, Bolognese and lasagna, so this dish is calling my name. I’m not sure I can find that Impossible burger where I live but I’ll certainly look out for it. I’m not a vegetarian but like you, I prefer to keep red meat to a minimum!

      Reply
    4. Cindy

      January 10, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      Ravioli lasagna is such a genius idea! I’ve been searching for a good recipe that uses Impossible Burger, so thank you for posting this. It tasted so good and was perfect for meal prep too.

      Reply
    5. Sam

      January 10, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for something different for dinner and this was just perfect! Loved how easy it was too.

      Reply
    6. Gunjan

      January 10, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing concept plus awesome recipe = deliciousness. It was my family’s favorite and they demanded to make it again. So it’s on my to do for next weekend again.

      Reply
    7. Gourmet Vegetarians

      January 10, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      This look mouth-wateringly good! I don’t think we can get impossible meat over in NZ yet but so keen to try some recipes out with it once it comes! Amazing the meat substitutes they are making these days.

      Reply
    8. Tracy

      January 09, 2021 at 9:14 am

      5 stars
      I actually have some impossible burger in my fridge that I’ve been wondering what to do with. This sounds like such a winner – your recipes are always SO good!

      Reply
    9. Jenny

      January 08, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      5 stars
      Very nice recipe, came out delicious and the impossible meat tasted really good. I was surprised. Picky eaters in the family loved it and polished their plates! It’s a miracle! Thanks so much for posting your recipe. Will make again.

      Reply
    10. Amy Liu Dong

      January 08, 2021 at 7:54 am

      Oh, I love this! This is so delicious and seeing this makes me so hungry. YUM!

      Reply
      • Kushigalu

        January 10, 2021 at 11:06 am

        5 stars
        Totally i. Love with this dish. How cheesy amd delicious it looks . Pkus bolognese is my favorite sauce. Making your version soon.

        Reply
    11. veenaazmanov

      January 07, 2021 at 11:04 pm

      5 stars
      This is definitely a treat to my family. Such an amazing recipe and such a lovely outcome. Presentation super yummy, cheesy and delicious.

      Reply
    12. Cathi Mini

      January 06, 2021 at 9:30 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my! This looks so tasty! I wanna try this recipe for this coming weekend. Yummy looking!

      Reply
    13. Catalina

      January 05, 2021 at 5:37 pm

      5 stars
      Ravioli, lasagna, hamburger – all in one dish! This is for me for sure!

      Reply
    14. Anosa Malanga

      January 05, 2021 at 2:08 pm

      I though cooking such is so hard to do but reading this makes me interested to try it on my own. Let’s see if I can successfully make the same by myself. Good luck to me!

      Reply
    15. Sondra Barker

      January 05, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      My favorite, great recipe!
      -Sondra Barker

      Reply
    16. Janeane M Davis

      January 05, 2021 at 11:58 am

      There is a vegetarian living in my house so this recipe with the Impossible Burger would probably be a big hit for the entire family.

      Reply
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    My name is Dennis Littley or "Chef Dennis" as I'm known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

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