Sausage Manicotti Recipe
Aug 28, 2017, Updated Jul 13, 2023
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This Stuffed Manicotti is so easy and delicious. Pasta filled with 3 cheeses and topped with an easy Italian sausage sauce.
You will love this Manicotti Recipe with Sausage
Sausage manicotti is a restaurant classic that you can easily make at home. It is a special treat to go out to dinner these days. With three young kids it can just be hard to sneak out. When we do go out I usually either pick Mexican or Italian food.
When we go for Italian, I always choose the cheesy, comfort food dishes. Manicotti is one of my favorites! This recipe is a great go-to recipe when you are in the mood for some home made restaurant food.
Sausage Manicotti Recipe ingredients
- Manicotti shells – These are long, tube-shaped pasta shells.
- Italian sausage – Use ground Italian sausage. You can also substitute with ground beef.
- Onion – Diced onion
- Garlic – Minced garlic
- Pasta sauce – You can use your favorite jarred pasta sauce or homemade sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese – Shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Chive and onion cream cheese – You can usually find this by the cream cheese in the grocery store.
- Ricotta cheese – Ricotta is used for the cheese filling.
- Parmesan cheese
How to make Sausage Stuffed Manicotti
To make, cook manicotti shells according to directions on the box. Be sure to drain off the water once they finish cooking. While the pasta is cooking, cook and crumble Italian sausage in a dutch oven or large skillet. Once it is no longer pink, add in onion and garlic and cook another 4-5 minutes.
Mix your cheeses together in a large bowl until combined. Cut a slit down the middle of the shells and stuff with cheese mixture. Spread a little sauce in the bottom of a prepared baking dish and then lay manicotti slit side down in dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake until heated through and cheese has melted.
Stuffed Manicotti with Sausage Tips
- Make sure to cook your pasta al dente, or slightly undercooked. Doing this makes it easier to fill the manicotti shell with the cheese mixture.
- This recipe can be prepared the night before and then baked when ready to serve.
How to store Sausage Manicotti
Store: Let cool to room temperature and then cover the dish with foil or transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through.
Freeze: Let cool to room temperature. Store in a freezer safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Sausage Stuffed Manicotti FAQs
I recommend using a piping bag, or a long spoon, or a large, gallon size bag with the corner tip cup off.
It’s best to cover the casserole dish with foil while the manicotti is baking so the cheese doesn’t burn. You can remove the foil with 5-10 minutes left of baking time.
Looking for more pasta recipes?
Sausage Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz package of manicotti shells
- 1 16 oz package Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped small
- 1 26 oz jar favorite pasta sauce
- 5 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 7.5 oz chive and onion cream cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 15 oz container ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.Cook manicotti shells according to directions on package. Drain.
- Remove Italian sausage from casings. In a large dutch oven, cook sausage, making sure to crumble it while stirring. Once no longer pink, add in onion and garlic and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and drain any excess grease.
- Pour pasta sauce into the pot with sausage and cook on medium heat until heated.
- In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 3 cups of mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta. Stir until blended.
- Add about 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of prepared baking dish.
- Cut a slit down the middle of each manicotti shell. Spoon cheese mixture into shells. Place seam side down on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Put the rest of the sauce on top of stuffed shells and then sprinkle with the rest of mozzarella cheese.
- Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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