The hubby LOVES ravioli, and the kids love anything cheese and pasta, so of course fried ravioli are a family favorite!
This crispy, cheesy, and utterly delicious appetizer is also known as “toasted ravioli” in the South! We love to whip them up to serve as a side or appetizer. Just like Fried Zucchini, they’re crunchy on the outside, cheesy on the inside, and absolutely fantastic dipped in warm Marinara Sauce!
This family favorite delivers irresistible bite-sized perfection that’s surprisingly simple to make. Simple coat and fry! Using premade ravioli makes this recipe extra easy. They’re ready to enjoy in only 15 minutes.
If you like Fried Zucchini or Fried Mac and Cheese, you’ll love this simple Italian Appetizer.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- For ravioli lovers. You get that amazing crunch on the outside, giving way to warm, gooey, cheesy pasta on the inside – it’s pure bliss!
- Ready in only 15 minutes. This easy appetizer is a fantastic and quick go-to for parties or a fun snack.
- Irresistibly dippable. Pair them with warm marinara, and these bite-sized beauties become completely addictive – you can’t just have one!
Fried Ravioli Ingredients and Substitutions
- olive oil for frying – We use just enough for a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil can also be used.
- 1 (25-ounce) package ravioli, store bought – We use standard cheese-filled ravioli, but meat-filled or spinach would also be delicious.
- 2 cups buttermilk – If you don’t have any on hand, we like this Homemade Buttermilk recipe.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread crumbs – plain or seasoned
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- marinara – store-bought or Homemade Marinara Sauce
How to Make Fried Ravioli
- PREP. Heat oil to medium heat.
- COAT. Working in batches, throw 10 Ravioli at a time into a bowl of milk. Make sure all sides get wet.
- Add the ravioli to a gallon bag of flour and shake. Add back to the milk, making sure all sides are wet. Finally, add them to a bag of breadcrumbs. Shake around. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- FRY. Add the ravioli to the oil and fry until golden brown. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to help drain the oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat the process until all the pieces are breaded and fried. Serve immediately.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We used cheese ravioli from the refrigerated section. If using frozen ravioli, thaw them before coating and frying them. In either case, do not boil them.
- Coat and place the ravioli in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 360°F for 3-4 minutes, flip, and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Different dipping sauces can also be used for this recipe, including our Homemade Ranch Dressing or Marinara Sauce.
- Having fried ravioli in the freezer is handy. They make an easy snack for my kids to heat up, and a great last-minute appetizer for a party.
Air Fryer Directions
- Coat the ravioli as instructed. Spray each side with cooking spray.
- Working in batches, place the ravioli in a single layer into the basket of the air fryer.
- Cook at 360°F for 3-4 minutes, flip, and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
Fried Ravioli Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- olive oil, for frying
- 1 (25-ounce) package ravioli, store bought
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- marinara
Instructions
- Heat oil to medium heat.
- Working in batches, throw 10 ravioli at a time into a bowl of milk. Make sure all sides get wet.
- Add them to a gallon bag of flour and shake. Add back to the milk, making sure all sides are wet. Finally, add them to a bag of breadcrumbs. Shake around. Repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- Add to the oil and fry until golden brown. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to help drain the oil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat the process until all the pieces are breaded and fried. Serve immediately.
Notes
- We use cheese ravioli from the refrigerated section. If using frozen ravioli, thaw them before coating and frying them. In either case, do not boil them.
- Air fry. Coat and place the ravioli in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook at 360°F for 3-4 minutes, flip, and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Having fried ravioli in the freezer is handy. They make an easy snack for my kids to heat up, and a great last-minute appetizer for a party.
- Different dipping sauces can also be used for this recipe, including our Homemade Ranch Dressing or Marinara Sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
After coating the ravioli, place them on a large plate, cover them with plastic, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours before frying.
Store leftover fried ravioli in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or flash microwave, air fry, or heat them in the oven until warm.
Once the ravioli have fried, allow them to cool on a paper towel. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and then place them in the freezer. Once solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe Ziploc. They can be stored for about 3 months.
To reheat, lightly spray the frozen Fried Cheese Ravioli on both sides with cooking spray. Place them on the baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
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This recipe was originally published July 2016.
Hi Wondering if you can do some prep or make ahead? Timing? Thanks!!! Excited to try. My mom is no longer with us and this will be my first Christmas dinner at my home. I’m hoping I can replicate some of her amazing Italian dishes and add some of my own. Thanks so much.
I’m so sorry to hear your mom won’t be with you this year. Sending lots of love! Fried foods are hard to prep too far in advance because they taste the best when they are fresh. You could potentially bread them earlier in the day and then fry just before eating. You could also fry and then try to warm them up in the oven a bit when ready to serve. They will definitely taste best if fried fresh though.
Hi KRISTYN, This recipe looks delicious… I’m planning on making this. My question though ? How much Olive Oil is needed ?
Just enough to layer a pan to fry… so kind of depend on the size of your pans. 🙂
This was a great idea. Wish I had stopped after the flour. And I over cooked it. The flavor was good. Next time I will only cook for a few mins. It did not come out like the pic.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try!
We are doing appetizers for Christmas this year and I’m thinking we should do an Italian theme and these would be perfect! I can’t wait to make them again.
These are the perfect appetizer. Yum!!
a Nice little change from fried zucchini. Your family will love the nice crunch and easy to put together.
My kids and their FRIENDS LOVED these. They were so simple to make and really tasty!
My kids love regular ravioli I cannot wait to try this fried version. I appreciate all the helpful info you include!
Wow! I know what I will be having for dinner tonight! These look like little bites of heaven!
I made this as an appetizer and it was increDIBLE~ EVERYOnE LOVED IT!
Frying it makes such a difference! In love!
Mmmm these look like the perfect grab and dunk appetizers for game day or pre meal! Love it!
I absolutely love fried ravioli! It’s so crispy, cream, and delicious!
These were a hit!! I love how easy they were to make & so much better than the frozen ones from the store. They were crisp, yet still soft & gone in minutes!
great dish, haven’t had these in years, thank you for the reminder and he recipe
My hubby went nuts for these!
Hi Luna,
These look really good and I’d love to try them, but I have a couple of questions first. One, what kind of ravioli is required for this? Our stores sell both fresh and frozen ravioli, and I’m not sure which one I would need to get. Two, has your family ever tried freezing these after they’re fried? I live alone (busy college student), so I like to make batches of food and then freeze them in individual portions to pull out and re-heat for dinner throughout the month, and was wondering how well this recipe might hold up in the freezer.
Thanks so much for sharing such a delicious looking recipe!
Oh, they are so good!! I used cheese ravioli, but really it could be any kind. You can change it up 🙂 And, I think I had just the cold pkg ones (not frozen, although, you could get frozen & un-thaw them first) I haven’t tried freezing them, but I’m sure they’d be fine 🙂 Hope that helps!!
Thank you, it helps a lot! I won’t be making these for a couple months, but I’ll come back and post on how they all turn out. Cheers (:
Thanks Fayth!
We love fried ravioli!!! I actually have never tried to make it. We usually go out to get it. I’m going to have to try and make it at home. Super delicious!!
It’s delicious and great, because you can make it whenever you want 🙂 Hope you give it a try. I’d love to know what you think!
This is actually called Toasted Ravioli in St. Louis. It’s a dish that St. Louis is known for, and oh so good.
Someone just today mentioned that 🙂 I love hearing about these little facts! Thanks so much!
Although these little pillows of deliciousness are fried, they are actually referred to as Toasted Ravioli. As a St. Louisan (where these bites were created), they can be found in most restaurants and a whole section in freezer section of the grocery store. Yum!
They are so good! Thanks for stopping by!!
Ooooohhh… this is not a good thing for me to know! I LOVE fried ravioli so much!
LOL!! I do too!! 🙁 It’s all about moderation, right?!