Special Cheese Manicotti Recipes

CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients; stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. In another bowl, mix marinara sauce and water; spread 3/4 cup sauce onto bottom of a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Fill uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture; arrange over sauce. Top with remaining sauce., Bake, covered, 50 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. If desired, top with additional parsley.

MANICOTTI WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and cool on waxed paper or aluminum foil to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper; fill manicotti with cheese mixture.
• In a 9x13 inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom and arrange manicotti in a single layer; cover with remaining sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 minutes longer; serve.

SPECIAL CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions; rinse in cold water and drain. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the egg, sour cream, salad dressing and zucchini., Carefully stuff manicotti with cheese filling. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Pour spaghetti sauce over top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

SPECIAL MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Remove Italian sausage from casing and crumble well in dutch oven.
• Add ground beef, onions and garlic to sausage and cook over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble meat.
• Remove from fire and drain well.
• Add tomato sauce to dutch oven and the next 11 ingredients.
• Over medium heat bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Cook manicotti shells in salted boiling water according to package directions.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Combine cream cheeses and the next 7 ingredients in a large bowl or mixer.
• Stuff mixture into shells.
• Spoon half the sauce into a lightly greased 14x12 inch baking pan or 2 lightly greased 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dishes.
• Place stuffed shells over sauce.
• Spoon remaining sauce over shells.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

BEEF AND CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
• Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
• Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, onion and egg. Season with parsley, pepper and garlic powder. Mix in 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. In a separate bowl, stir together spaghetti sauce and water.
• Spread 1 cup sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture, and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until noodles are soft.

THE BEST CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook the manicotti shells according to the directions on the box.
• Drain in colander and set aside to dry.
• Mix all the ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan in a bowl.
• Add an extra handful of mozzarella and a little more parmesan if you like it cheesier.
• I like a lot of flavor in my manicotti so I just keep adding the basil and Italian seasoning until I think it’s enough.
• If you don’t like a lot of seasoning, just put 1 tsp.
• of each in.
• If not, just keep adding until it's seasoned to your taste.
• You can also add a dash of salt and pepper if you like or a little bit of garlic.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Once the shells are drained and the cheese is mixed together, begin stuffing the shells.
• Be careful because they have a tendency to split.
• Pour about half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly before you place the shells in the dish.
• Once all the shells arranged in the baking dish, pour the remainder of the marinara sauce on top.
• Then add any leftover cheese on top of the sauce.
• Sprinkle with basil and Italian seasoning.
• Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.

EASY CHEESY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish, spread about one-third of the pasta sauce.
• Mix spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, oregano and pepper. Fill uncooked manicotti shells with spinach mixture; place on sauce in baking dish.
• In medium bowl, mix remaining pasta sauce and water. Pour sauce mixture evenly over shells, covering completely. Cover; bake 1 hour. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover; bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until shells are tender.

MANICOTTI WITH CHEESE FILLING AND BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Drop manicotti into boiling water as indicated on package. Cook 10 minutes or until the desired degree of doneness. Do not overcook. Drain.
• Stuff each manicotti with an equal portion of cheese stuffing, most easily done by using pastry bag outfitted with large round tube (No. 8). Fill them neatly without overflowing.
• Select rectangular baking dish large enough to hold stuffed manicotti neatly and compactly in one layer. Add one cup of sauce and smooth over bottom. Arrange stuffed manicotti on top. Spoon remaining sauce evenly over manicotti. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 15 to 20 minutes.

FOUR-CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add both cans of tomatoes, breaking up with a wooden spoon, then increase heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup basil, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 15-20 minutes.
• Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain and transfer to a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until foamy and nutty smelling, 1-2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking often, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan and 1/3 cup Pecorino; season with 1/2 tsp. salt and remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper.
• Mix ricotta, mozzarella, shallot, egg, 1/3 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup basil, and remaining 1/3 cup Pecorino and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.
• Spoon ricotta mixture into manicotti noodles at both ends. Spread half of tomato sauce then half of cheese sauce (keep them separate but they'll meld together) on bottom of a 13x9" or other 3-qt. baking dish. Arrange manicotti over, then top with remaining tomato sauce, cheese sauce, and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Bake manicotti until bubbling and lightly browned on top, 30-35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Top with remaining 1/4 cup basil and serve.