Hearty Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce is stuffed with ricotta, herbs, and Parmesan cheese and topped with delicious homemade marinara. This dinner recipe is perfect for any night of the week! To make a complete meal, serve with a salad and garlic bread.
I have a serious obsession with Italian Food. It satisfies my soul. Manicotti is almost like lasagna, just with manicotti pasta instead. The manicotti is stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture that includes Parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, fresh herbs, and a couple of eggs. The manicotti is then topped with a thick, hearty meat sauce and baked in a baking dish. Perfection!
Ingredients in this Stuffed Manicotti Dish
The ingredients included in this recipe are basic and simple to obtain at most grocery stores. Here are the ingredients I included in this recipe:
Ricotta Cheese: You can use full-fat ricotta cheese or low-fat ricotta cheese to make this recipe healthier.
Manicotti Shells: The Manicotti Shells are long and cylinder, sort of the same shape as cannolis.
Chopped Spinach: Use chopped spinach found in the frozen section. Be sure to squeeze the excess water from the spinach and add it to the ricotta cheese mixture.
Ground Beef: I used ground beef only for this recipe. I used Laura’s Ground Beef. However, you can use half ground beef and half Italian Sausage for added flavor.
Marinara Sauce: Once I cooked the ground beef, I added Marinara Sauce to the meat, making it the meat sauce I used to cover the manicotti as it cooked in the oven. I prefer to use Rao’s Homemade Marinara.
There are additional ingredients that are used in this manicotti recipe.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes. You will want to cook the manicotti shells in a pot of salted water until they are al dente. Meaning they aren’t cooked through completely. The manicotti will cook completely while baking in the oven.
You will place the ricotta cheese mixture in a piping bag or a freezer bag. You will cut the tip of the bag large enough to pipe the cheese mixture inside the manicotti shell.
Once you drain the manicotti, reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water and return to the pot with the manicotti and about a tablespoon of olive oil, this should help prevent sticking.
Similar Recipes
If you like pasta recipes like the Italian Stuffed Manicotti, you will enjoy the recipes below:
- Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Skinny Lasagna Rolls
- Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Spaghetti Bolognese
- Creamy Pappardelle with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Bacon
Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
Are you a home cook looking for a delicious and easy meal for your family? Look no further than this Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce recipe! This pasta is filled with creamy ricotta cheese and spinach filling, with a zesty tomato–based meat sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 2–3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 lb. Marinara Sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Dried Oregano leaves
- 1 tsp. Dried Basil leaves
- 2–15 oz. Low Fat Ricotta Cheese
- 1/2 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 2 c. Mozzarella Cheese, shredded and divided
- 3/4 c. Frozen Spinach, chopped
- 1/2 tsp. Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 2 eggs
- 5 oz. Manicotti Package
- 1 tbsp. Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the manicotti and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta and reserve a cup of pasta water to return to the pot. Once the pasta has been drained, rinse with cold water and return to the pot with the pasta water so they don’t stick together, along with a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly toss to coat.
- Bring a large skillet pan to medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the Marinara Sauce to the cooked ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano leaves, and dried basil, and stir. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Add all cheeses (Ricotta, Parmesan, and 1 cup of mozzarella) to a large bowl. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and eggs. Add the thawed spinach to the middle of the cheesecloth or a clean hand towel.
- Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Add ¾ cup of chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture and the eggs and stir to combine.
- Layer the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with half of the Marinara meat sauce.
- Add the ricotta mixture to the bag and cut the tip using piping or a large freezer bag. Carefully pipe the ricotta mixture into both ends of a single manicotti pasta. Place in a line in the middle of the casserole dish until the dish is filled in a single layer.
- Finally, top the manicotti with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven to cook covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
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