Cheesy Stuffed Manicotti Meat Sauce (Printable)
Tender manicotti filled with creamy cheese and baked in seasoned meat sauce for ultimate comfort.
# What you'll need:
→ Meat Sauce
01 - 1 tbsp olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 lb ground beef
05 - 1 (24 oz) can crushed tomatoes
06 - 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - 1 tsp dried basil
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
11 - 1 tsp sugar
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Cheese Filling
13 - 1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
14 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
15 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 large egg
17 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
18 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
19 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Assembly
20 - 12 manicotti shells
21 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
22 - 1/2 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 with cooking spray or olive oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until browned, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain excess fat and return to heat.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, dried basil, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and black 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 to stop cooking process.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 3/4 cup Parmesan, egg, fresh parsley, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
07 - Transfer cheese filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped. Pipe filling into each manicotti shell until full.
08 - Spread 1 cup meat sauce evenly over bottom of prepared baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti in single layer over sauce.
09 - Spoon remaining meat sauce evenly over manicotti. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
10 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes.
11 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
12 - Let manicotti rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The homemade meat sauce transforms simple ingredients into something restaurant-worthy
- Make ahead friendly, so you can assemble it in the morning and bake it for dinner
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
- Undercook the pasta by 1-2 minutes since it will continue cooking in the oven
- Rinse cooked shells with cold water immediately to stop cooking and make them easier to handle
- A zip-top bag with the corner snipped off is the easiest way to fill manicotti without making a mess
- Letting it rest for 10 minutes is crucial or the filling will ooze out when you cut it
03 -
- The nutmeg in the cheese filling is the secret ingredient that makes this taste like it came from an Italian restaurant
- Sugar might seem odd in sauce, but it balances the acidity of canned tomatoes perfectly