Cheesy Stuffed Manicotti With Meat Sauce (Printable)
Tender manicotti filled with creamy cheese blend and baked in rich, seasoned meat sauce for classic Italian comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat Sauce
01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 pound ground beef
05 - 1 (24 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
11 - 1 teaspoon sugar
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Cheese Filling
13 - 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
14 - 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 large egg
17 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
18 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Pasta and Assembly
20 - 12 manicotti shells
21 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
23 - Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - Boil manicotti shells in salted water for 1-2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain and rinse gently with cold water.
06 - Mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until smooth.
07 - Fill each manicotti shell with cheese mixture using a piping bag, spoon, or zip-top bag with corner snipped off.
08 - Spread 1 cup of meat sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer over the sauce.
09 - Spoon remaining meat sauce evenly over the pasta. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more until cheese is bubbly and golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
# Tips from dashanddishes:
01 -
- The homemade meat sauce simmers into something infinitely better than anything from a jar
- That moment when you cut into a manicotti tube and watch the cheese center ooze out is pure kitchen magic
02 -
- Filling manicotti shells by hand is messy and frustrating, use a zip-top bag with the corner cut off
- Always rinse the cooked pasta under cold water or the shells will keep cooking and become too soft
03 -
- Room temperature ricotta mixes more smoothly and prevents lumps in your filling
- Add a splash of pasta water to your sauce if it seems too thick