Air fryer fried ravioli gives you a restaurant favorite appetizer at home. Dip it in homemade marinara sauce for that classic flavor.
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I absolutely love fried ravioli.
It's crispy, cheesy, and chewy all at the same time. I haven't been going out to eat much lately, so I wanted to make this favorite vegetarian appetizer at home.
I paired it with my homemade marinara dipping sauce, and it was the perfect combo! You can get the marinara started and let it simmer while you prepare the ravioli.
Why you'll love this vegetarian appetizer
- No need to heat oil for deep frying
- It's ready in minutes
- It tastes like something you'd get at a restaurant
- It's crispy and cheesy!
Ingredients
- Egg
- Panko
- Italian breadcrumbs
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Italian seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Cheese ravioli
- Olive oil or cooking spray
How to make air fryer fried ravioli
- Heat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg.
- In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Using a fork, prick each ravioli once to allow steam to escape when cooking.
- Working one at a time, dip the ravioli into the egg until completely coated, letting any excess drip off.
- Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture, turning the ravioli and patting the breadcrumbs on to get them to stick. Transfer the coated ravioli to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- Spray each ravioli on both sides with cooking spray, or brush generously with olive oil.
- Working in batches, add the ravioli to the air fryer in a single layer. Cook for 8-9 minutes, turning once. They should be golden brown and crispy.
- Serve fried ravioli with marinara dipping sauce or your other favorite sauce.
Top tips
Use large ravioli
After much testing, I decided the ravioli needs to be bigger than ordinary ravioli for this to work. You can use the smaller ravioli in a pinch, but the bigger ones will give you the best texture.
Coating the ravioli
You'll be dredging the ravioli, which means dipping it in egg and then into the breadcrumbs. Make sure the ravioli is entirely coated in egg before transferring to the breadcrumbs.
Use your fingers to press the breadcrumbs onto the ravioli to get them to stick. There will be a few bare spots, but you want them almost completely covered to get them nice and crispy.
I like to keep one hand for the wet egg and one hand for the dry breadcrumbs to avoid making too much of a mess and wasting breadcrumbs.
Poke a few holes in the ravioli
The ravioli can fill with steam in the air fryer, leaving it large yet almost empty. To combat this, I used a fork to poke holes in the ravioli before breading. One prick with the fork should be enough, no need to poke it multiple times.
Work in batches
You'll need to work in batches to make sure your ravioli cooks in a single layer and has enough room to get crispy. Depending on your air fryer, you should be able to get this done in 2-3 batches.
How to store fried ravioli
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating leftovers in the air fryer or oven until hot and crisp. Leftovers can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tips for customizing air fryer fried ravioli
- Mix your favorite spice blend into the breading, such as Pleasoning (a local favorite)
- Use only fine breadcrumbs or only panko breadcrumbs (although I think a combination gives the best texture)
- Try dipping in other favorites such as pesto, ranch dressing, or balsamic vinaigrette
- Make the fried ravioli spicy by adding ¼-¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the breading
FAQ
Healthy means something different to everyone. I ended up brushing a fair amount of oil onto the ravioli to get the best color and texture, so it may not be much healthier than deep fried ravioli.
I created this recipe out of convenience so we could enjoy this restaurant style appetizer at home. That convenience also allows you to control the ingredients you use, which may or may not lead to a healthier meal.
If you are concerned about making this recipe healthier you can use cooking spray instead of oil, choose a ravioli that best suits your dietary needs, and choose a whole grain panko/breadcrumb.
I've had the Ninja Foodi (affiliate link) for years, which has several functions including air frying and grilling. I find it works really well but is a bit bulky for a kitchen appliance.
If you prefer a more affordable appliance that only air fries, I would recommend Ninja's 4qt Air Fryer or this Corosi Air Fryer. Keep in mind that all appliances vary, and you may need to adjust your cooking temperature or time.
Real parmesan cheese is not vegetarian because it is made with animal rennet. If this is important to you, choose a parmesan cheese made with vegetable rennet, which would make it suitable for vegetarians.
More appetizer recipes
- White Bean Crostini Appetizer
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Basic Hummus
- White Bean Dip
- Vegetarian Buffalo Dip
- Zesty Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
- Burrata with Tomatoes, Pesto, and Toast
- Taco Dip
- Avocado Chimichurri Chip Dip
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Apple and Honey Goat Cheese Appetizer
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Air Fryer Fried Ravioli
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup Italian breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 10 ounces cheese ravioli
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil or cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat the air fryer to 400ºF.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg.
- In another shallow bowl, combine the panko, Italian breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Using a fork, prick each ravioli once to allow steam to escape when cooking.
- Working one at a time, dip the ravioli into the egg until completely coated, letting any excess drip off. I like to keep one hand for the wet egg and one hand for the dry breadcrumbs.
- Transfer to the breadcrumb mixture, turning the ravioli and patting the breadcrumbs on to get them to stick. Transfer the coated ravioli to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- Spray each ravioli on both sides with cooking spray, or brush generously with olive oil.
- Working in batches, add the ravioli to the air fryer in a single layer. Cook for 8-9 minutes, turning once. They should be golden brown and crispy. Transfer cooked ravioli to a clean plate and repeat as necessary.
- Serve fried ravioli with marinara dipping sauce or your other favorite sauce.
Notes
Tips for customizing air fryer fried ravioli
- Mix your favorite spice blend into the breading, such as Pleasoning (a local favorite)
- Use only fine breadcrumbs or only panko breadcrumbs (although I think a combination gives the best texture)
- Try dipping in other favorites such as pesto, ranch dressing, or balsamic vinaigrette
- Make the fried ravioli spicy by adding ¼-¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the breading
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