Air Fryer Ravioli With Homemade Marinara

I’ve always loved the traditional boiled ravioli, but trust me, air fryer ravioli is a true experience! That golden, crispy shell and the soft and warm filling are impossible to pass up. I also threw in a homemade marinara sauce for dipping, to make this a gourmet meal on a budget.

These are perfect as a dinner, appetizer, or both! It’s one of those recipes that get you raving reviews without breaking a sweat. I used frozen ravioli as the base (fresh works too), so half the work is already done.

And while the raviolis were crisping up in the air fryer, the homemade marinara was quietly simmering on the stove. This is a perfect pairing and you can have them ready at the same time.

👩‍🍳 Ingredients

In addition to the ravioli, I’m also sharing my marinara sauce too. That is my favorite part because it tastes so good I could eat it with a spoon. Here are some of the main ingredients:

✅Bread crumbs – Use a combination of seasoned Italian bread crumbs and Panko to get an extra crispy texture that is out of this world.

✅Frozen ravioli – We buy frozen ravioli that is stuffed with cheese a lot. Pick any variety you like. Fresh works too but the adjust the cooking time – these will air fry faster.

✅Milk

✅Egg

✅Garlic salt

✅Spray olive oil – Look for a bottle labeled ‘100% Olive Oil’ or ‘Propellant Free’. Avoid standard aerosol cans with additives, those are not suitable for air fryers.

✅Marinara sauce – My homemade marinara sauce is the perfect addition to this ravioli. It’s made with tomato sauce, Italian seasonings, basil, and a little touch of sugar.

You can use it for breadsticks, garlic bread, mozzarella sticks, or just about anything you have a craving for.

🍽️ Instructions

This is such a yummy and easy recipe to make for a quick weeknight meal or to enjoy on the weekend for movie night! You will love how you can make just a small batch to enjoy without lots of dishes or heating up the kitchen. 

👉Step 1: In a small shallow dish, place the milk, and egg.  Whisk the egg and milk together. 

👉Step 2:  In another shallow dish, mix the Italian bread crumbs and the Panko.  Add the teaspoon of garlic salt and stir well.  

👉Step 3: Remove the ravioli from the freezer and place two or three at a time in the milk/egg mixture. Coat them well and then roll in the bread crumbs.

(I found it helped to take a spoon to add extra bread crumbs on the ravioli).

👉Step 4: Place the breaded raviolis in the Air Fryer, in a single layer, and lightly spray with the olive oil. 

Set the temperature to 350°F for 9 minutes. At the 5-minute mark, turn the ravioli over, and lightly spray again with olive oil. Let them cook for 4 more minutes.

While the ravioli is air frying, make the marinara sauce. 

👉Step 5: Place the tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, pepper, sweet basil, oregano, and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan. Stir all ingredients together, and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce bubbles. Turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. 

Serve the raviolis topped with Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley. I kept the marinara sauce on the side.  Enjoy!

📌Tip: You will have to cook the Ravioli in batches, depending on how many you can get in the air fryer at a time. I have an Instant Pot Air Fryer, and it holds about 12 – 15 at once. So, if you’re cooking the whole package, it might take you two or three batches to cook them all.  If you’re just cooking one batch, you might start cooking the Marinara first, so your sauce is done about the same time as your ravioli. 

📌 Expert Tips

• Make it dairy-free by using a plant-based milk like almond milk to dip ravioli before coating with breadcrumbs. Also, make sure the ravioli you use fits your dietary needs.
• Feel free to add seasonings that you like into the breading to add flavor.
• If you have to cook several batches, preheat your oven to 200°F. As each batch finishes in the air fryer, move them to a baking sheet in the oven to keep them warm and crispy while you finish the rest!
• You can use fresh ravioli, but they’ll cook much faster. I recommend air frying them for 3 minutes, flipping them and cooking for another 2 minutes. The goal here is simply to crisp up the breading. Since the inside is not frozen, it will heat up nicely.
• Consider dipping in ranch dressing, it is a tasty option.
• The best meal prep option for this one is to make the marinara sauce early and put it in the refrigerator. Then you can take it out and reheat it up.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container. They will become softer in texture, but still taste great.
• You can reheat the leftovers in the air fryer, to help get that crispy texture again.

❓ FAQs

🥘 Related Recipes

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!