Delicious manicotti shells stuffed with 3 creamy cheeses and spinach with herbs and a sausage tomato sauce. This recipe can be made ahead and freezes well.
Ingredients
1 small onion - minced (appx.1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic - minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
32 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg - beaten
½ cup grated parmesean
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 packed cup frozen chopped spinach - thawed and well drained
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon chopped basil
1 package Manicotti shells
1 jar Prego Tomato Sauce with Sausage
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
Cook manicotti shells in a large pot of water according to instructions on the pasta box.
Drain manicotti shells and set aside.
Saute minced onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent and tender.
In a large bowl mix together the sauteed onion, garlic, ricotta, egg, parmesean, mozzarella, spinach, salt and pepper until well combined.
Put the manicotti filling into a gallon sized zip lock bag.
Snip off one corner with scissors and as you would with a pastry bag, squeeze the filling into each manicotti tube until each tube is full.
Pour and spread ⅓ of the sausage tomato sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish (a 2nd 8x8 baking dish may be needed to hold all the stuffed manicotti)
Arrange the stuffed manicotti shells in the dish.
Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with extra parmesean if desired.
Bake uncovered for 45 min until heated through.
Garnish with basil leaves.
(If you freeze this ahead of time and place in oven frozen, then baking time will be 1.5 hours)
Recipe by Sand and Sisal at https://www.sandandsisal.com/2015/05/amazing-manicotti.html