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Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti

May 25, 2017 | Beef

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Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti is a fancy pasta dish made simple. You don’t have to precook the noodles so it’s way easier and less time consuming.

Two stuffed Cheese Manicotti on a plate and topped with melted cheese and parsley.

If there’s one food I’m always down for, it’s Italian. Pasta con Broccoli, Toasted Ravioli, this Easy Beef Spinach and Cheese Manicotti… it’s just so comforting, warm, cheesy! How can one resist?!

 

Uncooked manicotti noodles in a casserole dish stuffed with ricotta and spinach.

This is basically lasagna just in a different form but I like this Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti better. Lasagna seems to slip and slide all over the place so some bites are just completely noodle because all the meat and sauce slides out. These manicotti stuffed noodles don’t give you that problem. Plus, they are just so beautiful!

Hard noodles filled with cheese and topped with a hearty meat red sauce.

You make everything from scratch in the recipe but it’s not too difficult and the taste is totally worth it. Some manicotti recipes don’t use a meaty sauce but I love the taste and it helps keep you more full.

A close up shot of manicotti stuffed with spinach and cheese.

The noodles are filled with a mixture of 3 cheeses- ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Aww yeah! And there’s spinach and a couple eggs in there too. I use to stuff them with a baby spoon but have found that tossing the mix into a bag, cutting the tip, and pipping it in on both ends is way easier and a heck of a lot less messy.

Top view of cheese covered manicotti with a fork removing a bite.
A fork cutting into a ricotta spinach stuffed manicotti noodle.

If you’re looking for a delicious meal that will keep you full and wow your family and dinner guests, this Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti is it! Enjoy!

Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti

Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti is a fancy pasta dish made simple. You don't have to precook the noodles so it's way easier and less time consuming.
Print Recipe
4.5 from 2 votes

Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti

Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti is a fancy pasta dish made simple. You don’t have to precook the noodles so it’s way easier/less time consuming.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr 30 mins
Total Time1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 7
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Garnish and Glaze

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 4 cups tomato juice, divided
  • 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Filling:

  • 1 15 ounce container part-skim Ricotta cheese
  • 3 cups 12 ounces shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1 8 ounce package manicotti shells (uncooked)
  • Parsley or basil

Instructions

For the Sauce:

  • Cook the ground beef and onion until beef is browned. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
  • Add 2 cups of tomato juice, tomato paste, and seasonings.
  • Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until meat is tender.

For the Filling:

  • Mix the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, spinach, eggs, Parmesan, and salt together until combined. Place in a plastic bag and then squeeze into both ends of each shell.

Assembling:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  • Place filled shells in the bottom of the pan and top with the simmered sauce and then pour the remaining 2 cups of tomato juice on top.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, take off foil, and immediately put on the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese and let it sit for 10 minutes. Top with parsley or basil and serve.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition Facts
Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti
Amount Per Serving
Calories 399 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 13g81%
Cholesterol 137mg46%
Sodium 986mg43%
Potassium 592mg17%
Carbohydrates 11g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 28g56%
Vitamin A 1105IU22%
Vitamin C 27mg33%
Calcium 372mg37%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @GarnishandGlaze on Instagram and use hashtag #GarnishandGlaze

More awesome Italian recipes to try: 

  • Baked Ziti with Sweet Italian Sausage by Garnish & Glaze
  • Chicken Mozzarella Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes by Julia’s Album
  • Pasta con Broccoli by Garnish & Glaze
  • Pasta Carbonara by Cooking Classy
Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti is a fancy pasta dish made simple. You don't have to precook the noodles so it's way easier and less time consuming.

Related topics:
Beef Pastabeef cheese noodles pasta

Comments

  1. Dawn Hymel says

    May 20, 2020 at 2:02 pm

    Can I just get a clarification? Is it 4 cups of tomato juice or tomato sauce? The ingredients list says juice. Later it refers to tomato sauce. Just don’t want to mess it up.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      May 28, 2020 at 5:19 pm

      It’s tomato juice! 2 cups when making the sauce and then 2 cups poured over the top.

      Reply
  2. Teresa Joudrey says

    October 2, 2018 at 1:25 pm

    I am confused. You say beef but the filling recipe has no beef. The first photo shows beef stuffing The next 2 photos show cheese stuffed and then the photos morph into beef stuffed. Is there another recipe?

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      October 5, 2018 at 9:49 pm

      The beef is in the sauce. The noodles are stuffed with a cheese and spinach mix and the beef sauce is poured on top. The pictures and the recipe indicate that.

      Reply
  3. Kara says

    November 19, 2017 at 5:06 pm

    How do the shells cook if you don’t precook them at least a little?

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      December 17, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      They cook in the moisture of the sauce since you’re baking it covered tightly in foil.

      Reply
    • Michele says

      January 14, 2018 at 1:18 pm

      You want to precook them cause if you don’t you will have gummy noodles. I can’t stand when they say uncooked, that’s gross.

      Reply
      • Melanie says

        January 14, 2018 at 8:01 pm

        I have never had them turn out gummy with this recipe. Maybe those other recipes didn’t haven enough liquid?

        Reply
        • Kara says

          January 14, 2018 at 8:07 pm

          Ok thank you!!! 😊

          Reply
  4. Mark Wade says

    October 19, 2017 at 10:19 am

    This recipe looks absolutely awesome and I intend to try it…!
    Question, in your video you use a tool for the garlic cloves. Is this a garlic press…?

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      October 19, 2017 at 1:26 pm

      Hey Mark! Yes! Here is the one I have (affiliate link). I love it and use it whenever a recipe calls for minced garlic. Enjoy the manicotti!

      Reply
  5. Leslie B says

    September 28, 2017 at 4:58 pm

    This recipe sounds delicious. What size can of tomato paste do we use?

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      October 17, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      The small one. 6 ounces.

      Reply
  6. Tracy says

    September 16, 2017 at 4:46 pm

    Hi ur recipe looks amazing and I want to try it but I have fresh spinach can I use it instead of frozen? I am making this tomorrow for dinner!

    Reply
  7. Anonymous says

    June 1, 2017 at 3:03 am

    Good morning, I just subscribed to your newsletter beause what I saw here looks interesting. I am from Greece and stay in Athens, we have a different cousine but I cook a lot and have lots of tested and traditional recepies that might interest you.
    When I prepare caneloni in a similar recepie like yours I stuff them with cooked groud beef one egg and some cheese and cover eith milk they come out delicious. I can sent you the recepie if you like.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      June 5, 2017 at 8:28 pm

      Thanks for subscribing! I’d love to try your recipe! That sounds yummy. You can send it to Melanie@garnishandglaze.com. Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
  8. Paige says

    May 25, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    This looks amazing! We haven’t made manicotti in ages! Adding this to next weeks menu!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

    Reply

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