Manicotti

Manicotti is pasta stuffed with sausage and cheese, topped with a creamy tomato sauce and then baked into the most delicious Italian dinner. A family favorite meal that’s perfect for entertaining guests.

Serve stuffed manicotti with air fryer breadsticks and a green salad for a comforting and delicious dinner that everyone is sure to love. 

Ingredients for Manicotti:

• Manicotti Shells
• Sausage (Italian or Ground Pork Sausage)
• Ricotta Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Parmesan Cheese
• Eggs
• Granulated Garlic
• Thyme
• Basil
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive Oil
• Onion
• Roasted Tomato Sauce
• Heavy Cream

How to Make Manicotti:

• Cook the sausage, crumbling to brown on all sides, drain and set aside.

• Add olive oil and onions to a pan and cook until onions are softened.

• Stir in tomato sauce, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until sauce starts to bubble. 

• Stir in cream and remove from heat. 

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook manicotti in batches, about 6 minutes. Remove from water to a sheet pan. Pasta will finish cooking in the oven. 

• Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of sauce into the bottom of a 10 x 15 baking dish. 

• In a bowl, add sausage, ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, shredded Parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic, thyme, basil, salt and pepper.

• Mix to combine.

• Stuff pasta shells with sausage and cheese mixture using a spoon. Filling can also be piped in with a piping bag if you prefer.

• Place stuffed shells into sauce in a single layer.
• Pour remaining sauce over shells.

• Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. 

• Bake for 40 minutes. 
• Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Recipe Variations:

Substitute sausage with ground beef or omit the meat and just stuff the manicotti with the cheese mixture. 

Mix in vegetables like spinach or kale to the cheese mixture. 

How to Store and Reheat:

Store manicotti wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 4 days. 

Reheat manicotti in a 325° oven for about 30 minutes, covered with foil or microwave about 2-3 minutes per manicotti. 

For another Italian inspired dinner, try this easy Chicken Parmesan. It comes together really quickly and the whole family will love it.

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Add this baked manicotti to your dinner menu the next time you are craving Italian food. It’s so hearty and delicious and is always a hit with our entire family. 

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Print Recipe

4.41 from 5 votes

Manicotti

Manicotti is pasta stuffed with sausage and cheese, topped with a creamy tomato sauce and then baked into the most delicious Italian dinner. A family favorite that's perfect for entertaining guests.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: baked Italian casserole, baked pasta, sausage manicotti, stuffed manicotti

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 551kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

for the filling

• 1 pound sausage Italian or Pork Sausage
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 eggs

for the sauce

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 5 cups roasted tomato sauce or marinara sauce
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

for the pasta

• 8 ounces manicotti pasta
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cook sausage, crumbling as it cooks until well browned. Drain excess grease and set aside.
• Meanwhile, In another pan, cook diced onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often.
• Stir in cream and remove from heat.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook manicotti in batches, cooking about 6 minutes. Remove from water with tongs and set aside on a sheet pan in a single layer. Pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
• Spoon about 1 1/2 cups of sauce into the bottom of a 10 x 15 baking dish.
• Mix filling together by combining cooked sausage, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, 1 cup of shredded Parmesan, eggs, 2 teaspoons of granulated garlic, thyme, basil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Use a spoon to stuff shells with filling, laying stuffed shells into baking dish over sauce.
• Pour remaining sauce over stuffed shells.
• Top with remaining 2 cups of shredded mozzarella.
• Bake, uncovered for 40 - 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Store leftovers covered in plastic wrap in refrigerator up to 4 days.

Reheat in a 325° oven for about 30 minutes. If stored in a glass baking dish, transfer to a different pan before reheating.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 1639mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g