Spinach Cheese Manicotti
photo by thecookierookie
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
4-6
ingredients
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 (15 ounce) carton ricotta cheese
- 1 (3 ounce) package softened cream cheese
- 1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 (3 ounce) package grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and drained
- 9 manicotti, cooked, drained on wax paper
- 1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
directions
- .In a skillet, saute onion and garlicin oil and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, cream cheese, half the mozzarella, half the parmesan, italian seasoning, salt, and pepper and beat until well mixed.
- Drain spinach with several paper towels and squeeze until spinach is well drained.
- Add spinach and onion to cheese mixture and mix well.
- Spoon this mixture into manicotti shells, using 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Be careful not to tear shells.
- Pour half of spaghetti sauce in bottom of 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Arrange shells over the sauce and top with remaining sauce.
- Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven , uncover and sprinkle remaining cheeses over top.
- Return to oven until cheese melts.
Reviews
-
Haven't made this yet, but wanted to offer a hint for filling the manicotti shells. I use Barilla shells which are packed in plastic cartons. Remove the shells, lightly spray the cartons with cooking spray and fill the hollows evenly with the ricotta filling. Pop in the freezer for half an hour or so, remove and just pop the bar of filling into the cooked manicotti. Easy peasy and no mess!
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I agree with the other reviewers...the creaminess of the cream cheese adds that special something! I had never filled manicotti before so found it challenging; to save the trouble next time, I might just roll up the filling in lasagna, since it's covered with the sauce and cheese anyway. For me, the recipe made 12 manicotti instead of nine.
see 7 more reviews
Tweaks
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We used small curd cottage cheese in place of ricotta, and per our habit were fairly generous with the fresh garlic. We kept nibbling at the cheese mixture while stuffing, and still had enough for twelve instead of nine. Stuffing was easy using a small spoon; don't overcook the noodles! Lots of spinach was a plus for DH and less so for me, but the dish was beautiful and delicious in any case.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
weekend cooker
United States
<p>Hello everyone, My name is Doug and I am the host of I recommend tag.I am in my early 40's, I am married, with two children. Michael 14, and katherine 10 . I started to learn to cook, after I got married, when my wife started working nights, and I couldn't get around because I had my entire left leg rebuilt. I just completed remodeling my entire house, and am very active at volunteering at my childrens schools.<br />Rating System <br />5 stars- Outstanding (4 out 4 ) in family enjoyed. <br />4 stars - Very good (3 out of 4) in family enjoyed. Will make no adjustments. <br />3 stars - good, might consider an adjustment <br />2 stars- Okay- will make adjustment <br />1 star- debatable I will make again, would with right adjustment <br />0 stars - Will not attempt again.</p>