Easy Meatless Manicotti

Submitted by ElizabethKnicely

"Whip up thi meatless manicotti for a vegetarian version of a favorite Italian pasta dish. GOOD TO KNOW: Cheese pasta dishes fon't always have to be extremely high in fat. This recipe calls for fat-free cheese, so you get the flavor, the calcium but not all the saturated fat."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 7 servings of 2 manicotti
• Serves: 7

ingredients

• 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1⁄4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti (14 shells)
• 1 (26 ounce) jar fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
• cooking spray
• 1 cup water

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and the next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a medium bowl. Spoon about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked manicotti. Pour half of tomato-basil pasta sauce into a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce, and top with the remaining sauce. Pour 1 cup water into dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over sauce. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until shells are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.