Cheesy Stuffed Manicotti Meat Sauce (Print Version)
Tender pasta shells stuffed with creamy ricotta blend, baked in rich seasoned meat sauce with melted mozzarella
# What You 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
# Preparation Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook until fully browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain excess fat from the pan.
04 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Add dried basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
05 - Boil manicotti shells in salted water for 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and rinse gently with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool slightly.
06 - Combine ricotta cheese, 1½ cups mozzarella, ¾ cup Parmesan, egg, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and well incorporated.
07 - Transfer cheese mixture to a piping bag or zip-top bag with corner snipped off. Pipe filling into each manicotti shell, stuffing generously but being careful not to split the pasta.
08 - Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti shells in a single layer over the sauce.
09 - Spoon remaining meat sauce over the manicotti, covering completely. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan cheese.
10 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes at 375°F.
11 - Remove foil and return to oven for 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown on top.
12 - Let manicotti rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow filling to set. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cheese filling gets impossibly creamy while the pasta stays perfectly tender, never mushy
- That meat sauce develops this deep rich flavor that makes people pause mid bite and close their eyes
- Leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if they actually last that long
02 -
- Overstuffing the manicotti seems like a good idea until they burst open in the oven
- The nutmeg in the filling is not optional, it is what makes restaurant manicotti taste different from homemade
- That rest period is non negotiable unless you want cheese soup instead of stuffed pasta
03 -
- Use a zip top bag instead of a piping bag, it is easier to handle and you can just throw it away when you are done
- Undercook the pasta even more than you think you should, it will finish in the sauce
- Room temperature ricotta mixes more smoothly than cold straight from the fridge