Description
This No Boil Manicotti with Meat Sauce is a comforting Italian-inspired casserole featuring uncooked manicotti noodles stuffed with a creamy cheese mixture and smothered in savory Italian sausage and marinara sauce. Baked to perfection, the dish is topped with melted mozzarella cheese, offering a hearty, cheesy meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Sauce
- 1 lb Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 1 (24-oz) jar spaghetti sauce
- 1½ cups water
Cheese Filling
- 1 (15-oz) container cottage cheese
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 1 large egg
Pasta
- 1 (8-oz) box manicotti noodles, uncooked
Other
- Cooking spray (for greasing pan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pan: Set your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cook the Italian sausage: In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Once done, drain off the excess fat. Stir in the jar of spaghetti sauce and 1½ cups of water, then remove the skillet from heat.
- Prepare the cheese filling and stuff the noodles: In a mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, grated Parmesan cheese, dried parsley, and the large egg. Mix well until fully incorporated. Carefully fill each uncooked manicotti noodle with the cheese mixture using a spoon or piping bag, and arrange the stuffed noodles in the prepared baking dish.
- Assemble the casserole: Pour the meat sauce evenly over the stuffed manicotti noodles in the baking dish. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake the manicotti: Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the noodles are tender and cooked through.
- Add the remaining cheese and finish baking: Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups of mozzarella cheese evenly over the top of the noodles. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and slightly bubbly.
Notes
- Using uncooked manicotti noodles eliminates the need to boil them beforehand, saving time and reducing the number of dishes.
- To easily fill the manicotti, use a piping bag or a plastic zip-top bag with a corner snipped off.
- Ground turkey or beef can be substituted for Italian sausage for a leaner meat option.
- If you prefer a spicier sauce, add red pepper flakes to the meat sauce when cooking the sausage.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
