I make this manicotti recipe when I want calm comfort with rich flavor. Shells hold a soft ricotta mix and sit under a warm meat sauce. Each bite feels like a hug after a long day. You asked for an easy stuffed manicotti recipe and I heard you. The filling uses ricotta for a classic stuffed manicotti recipe ricotta. The sauce leans on pantry basics so it stays a meat sauce recipe easy. You can swap the filling for a meat manicotti recipe or try a chicken manicotti recipe when the fridge says so. If you love a creamier spin, the same shells welcome an alfredo manicotti recipe. We plate, we talk, and we pass more cheese. I learned a trick from my aunt. Pipe the filling into the tubes and breathe. Slow hands keep shells whole. Sauce on the bottom keeps pasta tender. Mozzarella melts on top and the table goes quiet for a minute. I call that success.
Table of Contents
- 1) Key Takeaways
- 2) Easy Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce Recipe
- 3) Ingredients for Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- 4) How to Make Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- 5) Tips for Making Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- 6) Making Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce Ahead of Time
- 7) Storing Leftover Stuffed Manicotti
- 8) Try these Main Course recipes next
- 9) Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
- 10) Nutrition
1) Key Takeaways
Hi, I am Nancy from Nancy Cooks at https//www.nancycooks.com. I share food that fits busy days. This manicotti recipe lands on the table fast and feeds with comfort. I keep steps tight and flavors bold. The filling stays creamy and the sauce tastes bright. We eat, we smile, we breathe again. I wrote this for home cooks who want steady results without fuss. It reads simple and it cooks steady.
The first win comes from a smooth ricotta mix. The second win comes from a meat sauce that builds in one pan. The third win comes from baking that keeps shells tender. I learned these moves after a week that ran long. Dinner still felt good. You can feel that ease too. This classic fits family time and quiet nights.
Use pantry basics and a calm pace. The plan holds. The table stays warm. The dish tastes like home. The manicotti recipe anchors the meal and sets a rhythm we can keep. I test this again and again.
2) Easy Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce Recipe
I reach for this on weeknights when life pushes. The sauce cooks as the pasta rests. Heat moves through the kitchen and smells say welcome. The manicotti recipe shows up twice in my notebook since my kids asked for it by name. I write notes in the margin and smile. Two mentions in the first paragraph is not a mistake. It is a promise that this manicotti recipe earns.
For a bright pot, brown beef, add onion, add garlic, then add tomatoes. Herbs wake up the sauce. Ricotta waits in a bowl with Parmesan and mozzarella. A single egg ties the mix. I pipe the filling with a bag and a calm hand. It feels like a small craft project that ends with dinner.
I serve this with a green salad and a simple drink. Plates clear fast. Leftovers work for lunch. The dish feels classic and kind. It is an authentic manicotti recipe in spirit and a baked manicotti recipe in practice. Some call it an Italian manicotti recipe and I nod.
3) Ingredients for Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
Olive oil warms the pan and carries flavor from the start. A light coat keeps onions tender and helps browning feel even and calm.
Ground beef brings depth and a soft bite. I cook it until the color turns rich and the pan holds light fond that lifts the sauce.
Onion adds sweetness and structure. I chop it small so it melts into the sauce and supports each bite without sharp edges.
Garlic brings warm aroma. One minute in hot oil wakes it, then tomatoes meet the pan and pull everything together.
Crushed tomatoes make the base. The texture coats the shells and holds the cheese in a balanced way that feels cozy.
Tomato paste boosts body and color. A spoon here deepens the finish and helps the sauce cling to pasta.
Oregano and basil bring an easy Italian note. Dried herbs keep this steady and friendly to a busy pantry.
Salt and black pepper tune flavor. I add a pinch early and a pinch near the end so the sauce tastes round and clean.
Ricotta builds the creamy center. It stays light and smooth and makes every bite feel like comfort.
Mozzarella gives melted stretch. I fold some into the filling and save some for the top where it turns golden.
Parmesan brings nutty edge. A small handful in the bowl and more at the table set the final balance.
Egg binds the filling. One is enough for structure so the tubes slice clean.
Fresh parsley lifts the mix. It gives color and a gentle herb finish that tastes bright but calm.
Manicotti shells hold the filling like small cases. I cook them just shy of tender so they keep shape in the bake.
Water helps if the sauce needs a little loosen. A splash brings the right flow for an even bake.
4) How to Make Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
Step one brown and build Warm oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned. Add onion and stir until soft. Add garlic and stir one minute. Add tomatoes and paste. Season with herbs salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer and breathe.
Step two boil and cool Cook shells in salted water until just tender. Drain and lay them on a tray to cool. This keeps the shape and helps filling slide in without stress.
Step three mix and fill Stir ricotta mozzarella Parmesan egg and parsley in a bowl. Spoon the mix into a bag. Pipe filling into each tube with slow hands. Work over the dish so drips fall where they belong.
Step four assemble and bake Heat the oven to three hundred seventy five F. Spread sauce in the dish. Set filled shells on top. Cover with more sauce and the rest of the mozzarella. Bake covered then uncover to color. Rest the dish ten minutes so slices stay neat.
Step five serve and enjoy Spoon on plates. Add Parmesan. Sit and eat. The meat sauce recipe easy earns praise and quiet at the same time.
5) Tips for Making Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
Use a large skillet for browning. A wide surface gives good color and keeps steam away. That color means flavor. Stir with patience and let the beef cook through before the next step.
Keep shells undercooked by a minute. The oven will finish them. This small move protects shape and texture. A broken shell still tastes fine yet a whole shell plates better and holds more filling.
Pipe the ricotta with a bag or a zip bag with a corner cut. The flow stays steady and the kitchen stays tidy. For flavor range try ricotta manicotti one night and stuffed pasta with chicken the next. The main keyword lands here once in a way that reads smooth.
6) Making Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce Ahead of Time
I assemble in the morning when the house feels quiet. The tray rests in the fridge under foil. At dinner I bake and the room smells like home. This plan saves time and keeps my mood steady.
If you plan to hold the tray longer than a day keep the sauce and the filled tubes apart. Bake them together when ready. The pasta keeps bite and the cheese stays fresh. A baked manicotti recipe handles a busy schedule well.
Frozen options work too. Wrap the dish tight. Label and date. Bake from chilled and add a few minutes. This authentic manicotti recipe stays friendly to the freezer and still tastes bright.
7) Storing Leftover Stuffed Manicotti
Leftovers go into shallow containers. I chill them fast. Reheat in a warm oven so edges stay soft and the cheese melts again. A splash of water in the pan brings back steam and tenderness.
Lunch the next day feels like a gift. The sauce settles and the flavors meet in the middle. Add a salad and you have a complete plate without effort. This Italian manicotti recipe stays kind on day two.
For variation try a chicken spin that reads like chicken manicotti made easy. Or keep it classic with meat sauce. Either way the manicotti recipe proves its worth and keeps the week on track.
8) Try these Main Course recipes next
9) Stuffed Manicotti with Meat Sauce
Manicotti Recipe Stuffed With Ricotta And Easy Meat Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meat Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 28 ounces
- 1 can tomato paste 6 ounces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.25 cup water if needed
For the Ricotta Filling
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
For the Pasta
- 12 manicotti shells
- 0.5 cup water for baking if using no boil method
- Extra grated Parmesan for serving
Instructions
Make the Meat Sauce
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat
- Add beef and cook until browned then drain extra fat
- Stir in onion and cook until soft
- Add garlic and cook one minute
- Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste
- Add sugar oregano basil salt and pepper
- Simmer 15 to 20 minutes stirring now and then
- If the sauce looks thick add water by the splash
Cook or Prep the Shells
- Boil shells in salted water until just tender then drain and cool
- For a no boil route spread a thin layer of sauce in the baking dish and plan to add water before baking
Mix the Filling
- In a bowl stir ricotta one cup mozzarella Parmesan egg parsley salt and pepper until smooth
Fill and Assemble
- Heat oven to 375 F
- Spread one cup sauce in a 9 by 13 dish
- Spoon or pipe ricotta mix into shells
- Set the filled shells in the dish in a single layer
- Cover with the rest of the sauce
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top
- If using no boil shells pour the water around the edges of the dish
Bake
- Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes
- Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more until the top bubbles
- Rest 10 minutes then serve with Parmesan
10) Nutrition
Serving size one shell. Calories four hundred twenty. Sugar six grams. Sodium seven hundred forty milligrams. Fat twenty grams. Saturated fat nine grams. Carbohydrates thirty eight grams. Fiber three grams. Protein twenty four grams. Cholesterol seventy five milligrams. Values are estimates based on typical ingredients and a home kitchen method.
Recipe by Nancy for Nancy Cooks at https//www.nancycooks.com. If you try it send thoughts. I keep testing and I keep learning. Your notes help me polish the guide so dinner feels simple and good every time.
Leave a Comment