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Yields:
6 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 20 mins
Nothing says comforting family dinner like cheesy, saucy baked manicotti. With the spirit of lasagna but the cheese-stuffed majesty of shells, this delightful delicacy features large tubes of pasta stuffed with a four-cheese mixture and blanketed in homemade meat sauce. It is the epitome of comfort food and will be a celebrated addition to Christmas dinner or a heartwarming weeknight meal any time of year!
How do you fill manicotti tubes?
Because you need to cook the manicotti pasta a little bit before attempting to stuff it, there is a risk of tearing the long tubes. It can also be tedious and messy using a spoon to scoop the creamy cheese filling into the pasta. The easiest way to get the pasta all the way filled is by using a pastry bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Simply squeeze the filling in until the pasta is stuffed and voilà!
Where do you find manicotti tubes?
Manicotti noodles can be found on the pasta aisle next to your other favorite shapes. If your store is out, no-boil lasagna noodles can save the day! Simply fill a large bowl or baking pan with boiling water and add 1 (9-ounce) box of no-boil lasagna noodles to soak until pliable, about 5 minutes. Move them around with a pair of tongs to keep them from sticking and to check on the softness. Remove them to drain on a clean dish towel. Pipe or spoon about ¼ cup of the filling onto one short end of each noodle and roll it up. Place it seam-side-down into the baking dish and continue with the recipe.
What sauce goes with manicotti?
This manicotti is blanketed in a deeply satisfying meat sauce made with lean ground beef and crushed tomatoes. Crumbled Italian sausage would also be scrumptious in this recipe! Most manicotti recipes call for a simple tomato sauce to go with the cheese-stuffed pasta for a hearty vegetarian main dish. If you don’t have time to make your own marinara sauce, use 4 cups of your favorite jarred pasta sauce.
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp.
olive oil
- 1
medium yellow onion, chopped
- 5
cloves garlic, finely chopped and divided
- 1 1/4 tsp.
kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp.
Italian seasoning, divided
- 3/4 tsp.
ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 tsp.
red pepper flakes
- 1 lb.
lean ground beef (90/10)
- 1
(28-oz.) can plus 1 (15-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup
chopped fresh parsley, divided
- 1
(8-oz.) box manicotti shells (about 14)
- 1
(10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 1
(15-oz.) container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup
whole milk small-curd cottage cheese
- 2 1/2 cups
shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided
- 1
large egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup
grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/8 tsp.
ground nutmeg
Nonstick cooking spray
Directions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Step 2In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 3 cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Step 3Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the sauce until thick, 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of parsley.
- Step 4Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti tubes 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain well, rinsing under cold water.
- Step 5Place the spinach in the center of a lint free kitchen towel. Pull the four sides up to make a bundle and squeeze very well over the sink to remove as much moisture as possible. Transfer to a cutting board and finely chop.
- Step 6In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 1 ½ cups of mozzarella, egg, ½ cup of parmesan, ¼ cup parsley, nutmeg, the drained spinach, the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Spoon the mixture into a zip-top bag.
- Step 7Spray a 13-by-9 casserole dish with cooking spray. Spoon 2 cups of meat sauce into the prepared dish.
- Step 8Using a pair of scissors, cut the corner of the zip-top bag. Pipe the cheese filling into the cooked manicotti, arranging the filled manicotti into a single layer in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the manicotti and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Step 9Bake until bubbling around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 15 minutes more.
- Step 10Remove the dish from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before sprinkling with the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and serving hot or warm.
Tip: If you don't want to use cottage cheese, substitute it with another cup of ricotta.
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