Name: Baked Manicotti
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients: 1 box manicotti noodles; 2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained); 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 (15–16 oz) container ricotta cheese; 1 cup cottage cheese; ¼ cup Parmesan cheese; ¼ cup fresh parsley (or 2 tbsp dried parsley); 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese; 1 egg; 1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced); ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; Pinch of nutmeg; 1 lb ground beef; 1 onion, diced; 1 jar (about 24 oz) tomato sauce

Baked Manicotti

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Classic cheesy baked manicotti stuffed with creamy ricotta filling, rich meat sauce, and melted mozzarella. The ultimate family pasta dinner.

Author: Sarah
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Main Course, Pasta Bake
Method: Baked
Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

For the Manicotti:

1 box manicotti noodles

2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 (15–16 oz) container ricotta cheese

1 cup cottage cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ cup fresh parsley (or 2 tbsp dried parsley)

1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese

1 egg

1 tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

For the Meat Sauce:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 jar (about 24 oz) tomato sauce

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Instructions

Cook manicotti noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and lay on a baking sheet to cool.

Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté spinach 2–3 minutes (or use thawed frozen spinach). Chop finely and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan, parsley, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix well.

In a skillet, cook ground beef and onion until browned. Drain fat, stir in tomato sauce, and simmer for a few minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish.

Fill manicotti tubes with the cheese mixture using a piping bag or Ziploc bag. Arrange in the baking dish.

Pour remaining meat sauce over pasta and cover with foil. Bake 40–45 minutes.

Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake uncovered 15 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Make Ahead: Prepare and refrigerate unbaked manicotti up to 24 hours.

Freezer-Friendly: Freeze assembled, uncooked manicotti up to 3 months; thaw overnight before baking.

Protein Swap: Use ground turkey, sausage, or chicken in place of beef for variation.

Find it online: https://allrecipesmade.com/baked-manicotti/