Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti
This easy Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti is easy enough for a weekday and tasty enough for a special dinner with friends. Manicotti tubes are stuffed with a mouthwatering Italian sausage filling then smothered in marinara sauce and lots of cheese. It’s fantastic for make-ahead meal prep as you can assemble in advance and chill then have it ready to bake when you’re ready to eat. Chocked full of robust Italian flavors with little fuss.
Easy Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
Italian food and pasta dishes are uber popular in the South. While we love our down home comfort foods, different regions in the South are influenced by those who immigrated there. Those who came to our country and settled in particular areas brought with them their style of food and how to make it using the resources available. Fast forward to our lives today and you’ll find Southern cuisine is constantly evolving and inclusive of all types of flavors from all over the world. Dishes like this stuffed manicotti prove it. It’s not all about the gravy, y’all. How to make easy Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti:
- Sausage – Mild or spicy Italian sausage. If you use spicy, omit the red pepper flakes.
- Vegetables – Sweet onion and garlic cloves.
- Seasonings – Dried Italian seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce.
- Filling – Chive and onion cream cheese.
- Cheese – Shredded mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.
- Herbs – Chopped fresh basil.
- Shells – 12 manicotti shells. These should be cooked per the package directions until al dente.
- Sauce – Use your favorite brand of prepared marinara sauce.
How to Make the BEST Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Sharp knife and cutting board, skillet, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater and 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
- What makes this pasta dish easy to assemble? A simple snip using kitchen shears and the shells open up to be filled with ease.
- No need to use a pastry bag or get frustrated with filling the shells, it’s a cinch using this straightforward technique.
- Once I started doing this, stuffed manicotti began making an appearance in my kitchen more often with various fillings.
- To top this, you can use your favorite flavor of prepared marinara sauce for a time saver or use my easy homemade pizza sauce to smother these tubular beauties.
- Assemble it in advance cover and chill and you’ll have dinner waiting for you when you’re ready to eat.
- Store baked Cheesy Italian Sausage Manicotti chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven.
More Easy Pasta Recipes to Make
More to come folks, there are so many ways to make stuffed pasta dishes. Other recipes you may like to try:
- Supreme Pizza Pasta Skillet is a on dish meal.
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is always a hit.
- Beef and Spinach Stuffed Shells a holiday favorite.
- Better than restaurant style Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta.
- Baked Pizza Spaghetti is a family favorite.
- Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells smothered in Alfredo sauce.
- Cowboy Pasta Salad doubles as a side dish or a busy day meal.
- Mexican Chicken Manicotti from That Skinny Chick can Bake.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Cheesy Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp dry Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes more or less to your taste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 8 oz container chive and onion cream cheese softened
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 6 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 2 Tbsp fresh chopped basil
- 12 manicotti shells cooked to al dente
- 4 cups prepared marinara sauce your favorite
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spritz the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 2 cups marinara sauce on the bottom of the dish. Set aside.
- Cook the manicotti tubes in boiling salted water per the package instructions until al dente. (around 7 minutes) Remove to paper towels to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Add the chopped onion. Cook for 3 minutes over medium-high heat until beginning to brown then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the Italian sausage to the skillet. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until no pink remains, Drain any excess fat from the pan.
- To the cooked sausage add the cream cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat just until the cream cheese melts and is evenly distributed.
- Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 4 Tbsp Parmesan and chopped basil. Mix well.
- Use a pair of kitchen shears and cut each manicotti shell in a straight line. Fill with 2 heaping Tbsp filling down the middle, then press the ends together to seal. Place seam side down in the dish. Repeat filling all of the shells.
- Cover the top with the remaining 2 cups marinara sauce, spread to cover.
- Cover the manicotti with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese and 2 Tbsp Parmesan.
- Return to the oven and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbly.
- Rest for 5 minutes on the counter then serve.
I don’t cook the manicotti shells it’s easier to stuff them. Since I don’t care for ricotta I made my
own with about a half cup each of sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella and little hard cheese shredded. Added some of the sauce. Put down sauce then stuffed shells. Covered with the remaining marina and Italian sausage mix. Homemade sauce.
Can you use lasagne noodles to make stuffed manicotti
I wonder if you mean lasagna roll-ups. You can use cooked lasagna noodles rolled with a filling but, it’s not the same as manicotti.