Toasted Ravioli
Originating in St. Louis, Toasted Ravioli are fried ravioli served with warm marinara sauce for dipping. These are a fantastic gameday appetizer!
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If you’re looking for a fun and delicious appetizer idea, then look no further! Toasted Ravioli were originally invented in St. Louis, Missouri, and they are still a popular menu item at taverns and bars all around town.
Like many fried recipes, the origin of this one is a bit murky. According to one version of the story, a drunk chef in the 1940’s dropped a ravioli into the fryer at an Italian restaurant. A different Italian restaurant claims they invented Toasted Ravioli after a German chef dropped ravioli into the fryer due to a misunderstanding in language.
Either way, T-Ravs (as they are known throughout St. Louis) became wildly popular. So what’s up with the “Toasted” part, though? These ravioli are fried, not baked. Well, the owner of one of those Italian restaurants went with toasted because “You didn’t want to use ‘fat fried’ and you didn’t want to use ‘greasy fried.’”
Toasted Ravioli
Not planning a trip to St. Louis soon? No problem! Lucky for us, Toasted Ravioli are fairly easy to make at home. And they’re delicious!
I used frozen, store-bought ravioli for this recipe, although you could certainly use homemade ravioli if you prefer. Just make sure to thaw the frozen raviolis first – frozen food and fryers don’t usually play well together.
I opted for cheese ravioli, although any flavor could be used. Lombardo’s, one of the more famous Italian restaurants in St. Louis, serves over-sized raviolis stuffed with meat and cheese. We dipped the cheese version into marinara sauce, and it was fantastic. However, meat-stuffed would be an excellent option here as well!
The trick to getting the best flavor from a Toasted Ravioli recipe is making sure the seasoned breadcrumbs coat each ravioli. Dipping each ravioli in flour first helps the egg mixture stick better. The egg mixture in turn helps the breadcrumb mixture stick better.
Reheating Toasted Ravioli
If you happen to have leftover ravioli, just store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place them in a 300°F oven or toaster oven for 10-15 minutes. Once the ravioli are warm, turn the temperature in the oven up to 375°F for 2-3 minutes. This helps bring back the crunchy texture to the outside of each ravioli.
If you don’t think you’ll get to the leftovers in several days, then just place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat per notes above. As with any fried food, fried ravioli will taste best when fresh. However, we reheated leftovers, and they were still quite enjoyable.
I hope you enjoy these tasty raviolis as much as we did! They certainly aren’t healthy, but they do make for a pretty fantastic gameday appetizer. Cheers!
Did you make a batch of these Toasted Ravioli at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Toasted Ravioli
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
- 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 25-oz. bag frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
- 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup marinara sauce warmed, for serving
Instructions
- Using a shallow bowl, add eggs and milk; whisk until well combined.
- Using a separate shallow bowl, add Italian bread crumbs, ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese and salt; stir until well combined.
- Using a third shallow bowl, add flour.
- Working with one ravioli at a time, dip ravioli into the flour, then into the egg mixture and then into the breadcrumb mixture. (Tip: Make sure both sides of ravioli get coated with each mixture.)
- Using a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, add 1” of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat until oil reaches 375°F.
- Add several ravioli and fry raviolis for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown in color. Transfer ravioli to a plate (or baking sheet) lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat as needed until all ravioli are cooked. (Tip: Place the plate in a ~250°F oven to keep ravioli warm while you cook the rest.)
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and sprinkle the remaining 2 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese before serving.
- Serve hot with warm marinara sauce for dipping.
Looking for more tasty gameday appetizers? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had toasted ravioli before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
This is a fun recipe, Ramya! It might sound a bit different, but I promise you these toasted ravioli are delicious!!
I’ve seen these before and I’m surprised I haven’t made them yet! They sound pretty incredible.
Oh you should absolutely make a batch sometime, Mimi! They’re absolutely delicious!
This St. Louis Toasted Ravioli deep dive is fascinating, I love the origin story debate – drunken chef or lost-in-translation moment? Either way, T-Ravs sound like an absolute game-changer for any appetizer spread.
It feels like so many recipes fall into that “drunken chef or lost-in-translation” category. Either way, I’m glad the mistake was made because t-ravs are absolutely delicious…perfect for gameday!
While I’ve had pan-fried ravioli before, deep-fried version is something to try yet. In fact, I’m not a huge fan of deep-fried foods, but this looks quite terrific – so crisp and beautifully browned!
So pan-fried ravioli are quite yummy, but I put these t-ravs into a whole separate category. They get golden brown and crunchy…but they have all of that cheesy ravioli flavor.
I have had pan-fried pumpkin ravioli before – so delicious. these sound marvellous David! I’m not a pasta eater but I think I could manage these 🙂
These are definitely pasta, but they get crispy on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside…not to mention all of the delicious cheese hiding inside the ravioli. Serve ’em up with some marinara sauce, and you’ve got one heck of an appetizer!! I say give them a try!
These look delicious David, we love pasta, but have never had ravioli Fried like these. Delicious with afternoon drinks. Definitely going to try these.
These were new to me, too, Pauline…but now they are a staple on our list of delicious and fun appetizers to make. I like your idea of serving these with a happy hour drink!
What a great way to jazzify ravioli and give it a crunchy texture with the breadcrumbs!
You can say that again, Michelle! These t-ravs make for a great appetizer – so tasty!!
OK, if there are toasted ravioli, then I’ll also come over for the pre-game show.