Stuffed Manicotti Shells with Ricotta, Spinach & Meat Sauce
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Total Time: 60 Minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb Laura's Lean Ground Beef
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 16 ozs Rao’s Marinara Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Dried oregano leaves
- 2 pkgs Low-fat ricotta cheese (15-ounce packages)
- 1/2 cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese (shredded, divided)
- 3/4 cup Frozen spinach (thawed)
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 1 pkg Manicotti (5-ounce package)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Yield
*Serving calculations based on 16oz beef products.
For 12oz beef products reduce serving size by 1/4.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 50 Minutes
- Total Time: 60 Minutes
Serving size based on 1 cup (242g)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the manicotti and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and reserve a cup of the pasta water to return to the pot.
3. Once the pasta has been drained, rinse with cold water and return to the pot with the pasta water, so they don’t stick together, along with a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly toss to coat.
4. Bring a medium shallow to saute pan to medium-high heat. Add Laura’s Lean and cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes—season with salt and pepper to taste. Add Rao’s Marinara Sauce to the cooked ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano leaves, and stir. Reduce heat to simmer.
5. Add all cheeses (Ricotta, Parmesan, and 1 cup of mozzarella) to a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and eggs.
6. Add the thawed spinach to the middle of a cheesecloth or a clean hand towel. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Add 3/4 cup of chopped spinach to the ricotta mixture and the eggs and stir to combine.
7. Layer the bottom of a 9X13 casserole dish with half of the marinara meat sauce. Add the ricotta mixture to the bag and cut the tip using a piping bag or a large freezer bag. Carefully pipe the ricotta mixture into both ends of a single manicotti pasta. Place in a line in the middle of the casserole dish until the dish is filled.
8. Finally, top the manicotti with the rest of the marinara meat sauce and the remaining shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven to cook covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for 10 minutes.
9. Allow to cool, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve.
Recipe credit: Nicole Washington
♦︎♦︎Suggested Recipes♦︎♦︎
Select your email service