Mexican Manicotti

Submitted by Nicole Brummett

"I have made this both ways and actually prefer it Vegetarian style without the beef. This is delicious and is a big hit with the kids. This is so creamy they won't even realize theres no beef in it if you leave it out. The prep time is making this without the beef."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef (optional)
• 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti
• 2 1⁄2 cups water
• 1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1⁄4 cup sliced green onion
• sliced ripe black olives (optional)

directions

1. In a bowl combine beef (if desired), beans, chili powder, and oregano.
2. Spoon into uncooked manicotti shells; arrange into a greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
3. Combine water and picante sauce; pour over shells.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
6. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour.
7. Uncover; spoon sour cream over top.
8. Sprinkle with cheese, onions, and olives (if desired).
9. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Reviews

[papergoddess]

I would just like to comment that I find it interesting that this recipe was posted in November, 2001. Inez Willenborg's wasn't posted until 4/24/2002, yet hers is a NUMBER 1 rated recipe. Doesn't seem fair, does it?

 

[FLUFFSTER]

I can't believe I've made this 3 times and didn't review it. I',m so sorry! I think I can sum it up with this comment by my hubby: "I think this may be the best Mexican food I've ever had." It's amazingly good! Thank you!! 9/09 I just wanted to add this to my previous post. I read one of the other members' review about using a baby spoon to get the mixture into the manicotti shells. I took a plastic bottle that has a snap on little cap, the ones tht you put ketchup and mustard in for a picnic. I just snipped off a little more of the opening, filled it with the mixture and then just squeezed the mixture into the shell.Hope this helps.

 

[Chef MB]

DELISH! Of course I played around with it, used leftover T'gving turkey instead of ground beef. Everyone at my house loved this! I let it sit for about an hour before cooking and the pasta was perfect. It was a tiny bit too saucy, so I'll just cut back on the water next time. Oh, and I used enchilada sauce in place of the picante sauce--it was really, really simple and tasty.

 

[ebryan09]

I liked this recipe for the most part, the only thing I would tweek is adding more seasoning and maybe using a different sauce besides picante. Also, I use veggie crumblers which is a form of beef. It actually helps for the vegetarians out there. I season it with a taco seasoning, but I do believe that it should get more flavoring the next time I make it. Like someone else said, I use a baby spoon to help with the stuffing of the manicotti noodles. Also, I bake it at a 400 degree temperature for around 30-35 minutes and the sauce helps the noodles to cook well enough that I don't have to set it in the fridge. That being said, I then add cheese to the top and bake it for another 15. This makes the cook time so much quicker.

 

[pamela t.]

This was a disappointment for my family. The noodles were too mushy and we thought the beans overwhelmed the meat and spices. If I were to make this again, I would not refrigerate for 8 hours--maybe 2 hours. Also, it was bland--we like a lot of spice. I would add dried onion and green chili for some kick or maybe red pepper flakes. The 3 teaspoons of chili powder was not enough to give it any punch. Maybe tweaking the spices and cooking al dente manicotti, this would be an improvement.