Healthy Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Manicotti

Submitted by sbera007

"This is one of my bf favorite dishes with a healthy twist. We did the math and this ends up about 380 per serving (2 stuffed noodles). Enjoy sans guilt!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1⁄2 cup green pepper (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes (drained)
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 3 hot Italian turkey sausage (removed from casing and crumbled)
• 2 cups fresh spinach (packed)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti (cooked)

directions

1. Combine onion, green pepper, garlic, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, thyme, basil, oregano, red pepper in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. When heated through reduce heat to low and cover. (simmer about 1 hour).
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Heat teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet and saute spinach until wilted. Set aside to cool. When cool chop the spinach.
4. Add sausage to skillet spinach was in and cook until browned. Drain.
5. In a bowl, combine spinach, cheeses, sausage.
6. Place a layer of sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan.
7. Stuff noodles with cheese, spinach, and sausage and place in pan.
8. Top with the rest of the sauce.
9. Bake 350 for 30 to 45 minutes.

Reviews

[imperial08]

Great recipe! I used ground turkey instead of sausage and sprinkled mozzarella cheese on top and it was delicious.

 

[Mustang Sally 54269]

We also thought this was a GREAT recipe! Didn't change a thing (ok maybe added abit more garlic cause I can't help myself) and it came out perfectly & with great flavour. I was short on time so one step I did differently is that I made the tomato sauce in an electronic pressure cooker. Awesome recipe, thanks for sharing