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Garnish & Glaze

Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti

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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.

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.

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?!

This is basically lasagna just in a different form but I like this Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti better. 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.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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.
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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.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 7
Author Garnish & 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, seasonings, and tomato paste.
  • 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 ziploc bag and then squeeze into both ends of each shell.

Assembling:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13 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 sauce 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.

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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.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. 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

  3. 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

  5. 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

  7. 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

    • 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

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