Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Ravioli

Listen, folks, it doesn't get much easier—or tastier—than this: A-just-throw-it-all-in-there-and-walk-away ravioli that yields enough for two night's worth of dinner for a family of four.

I am—and this is no exaggeration here—the world's greatest underachiever in the kitchen. And even I can't screw this one up.

When my husband, our family's all-star chef, was recuperating from knee replacement surgery, I was inspired to step up to the plate and make something other than slop on a plate.

My family deserves so much more.

Although I had actually had a hard copy of this Betty Crocker recipe in my possession for more than ten years, I had never tried it.

And to think, I had been sitting on this masterpiece for all this time.

So, let me start by saying you can find the original recipe here.

But here's the thing: When I pulled this recipe off the Web years ago, I also decided to print out the comment from a woman who approached things differently.

And she sold her method so convincingly, I did it her way...not Betty's.

I think I chose wisely.

Please be sure to read my notes punctuated by the asterisks at the end.

Let's get down to the nitty-gritty...

Betty Crocker's Slow Cooker Ravioli Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil*

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

2 jars (26 oz each) four cheese-flavored tomato pasta sauce

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 packages (25 oz each) frozen beef-filled ravioli*

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley*

1. Spray your slow cooker with a non-stick cooking spray. Make a mixture of spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, and Italian seasoning.

2. Then, layer the recipe:

-a quarter of the sauce on the bottom; throw in some raw onion and garlic

-one package of ravioli

-two quarters of the sauce mixture; throw in more raw onion and garlic

-layer some cheese

-second package of ravioli

-layer the remainder of sauce; throw in the last of the raw onion and garlic

-top with more cheese

3. Cover; cook on LOW for 4 hours.

***I really loathe a laborious clean-up, so I used a crock-pot liner and I sprayed it with non-stick spray. (I am not playing around.) 

***Because you're not sweating the garlic and onions, there's no need for the vegetable or olive oil. 

***About the ravioli: I've made this recipe with two bags of cheese-filled ravioli, and I've made it with one bag of beef-filled ravioli and one bag of cheese-filled ravioli, and I highly recommend skipping the beef-filled ravioli altogether, and just go with two bags of cheese-filled ravioli.

***Garnishing with fresh parsley at the end is entirely optional. I mean, I love it because I think, flavor-wise, it elevates this dish to a whole other level, but it isn't necessary. And besides, my children would sooner eat this ravioli with rainbow sundae sprinkles before I sprinkled it with—gasp!—fresh...parsley! MWA-HA-HA!!!!

***Cooling and storage: Enter my pizza tray. Here's the key to ensuring you're not eating mushy leftovers the next day. Before I serve this dish, I simply remove the ceramic dish from the metal base, lift the bag (with the cooked ravioli inside) from the ceramic dish, and—this is why the non-stick cooking spray is such a star player—slide the contents of the bag (the ravioli) onto a pizza tray. As you might be able to see via the photo below, I placed a cooling rack under my pizza tray to expedite the cooling process. I serve the ravioli straight off the pizza tray—it's like a pizza-ravioli hybrid:

 

Afterward, I cover the tray with aluminum foil and refrigerate. 

That's it.

Let me know in the comments below if you make this. And if you add your own twist to it, too, be sure to share. I want to know!