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Italian Sausage Manicotti

Creamy, cheesy manicotti shells filled with savory Italian sausage and baked in marinara sauce. A hearty, family-friendly comfort dish that's easy to prepare and budget-friendly.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Filling
  • 1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil For sautéing
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For Assembly
  • 12 pieces manicotti shells
  • 2 cups marinara sauce

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a baking dish.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onion until translucent.
  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into small pieces.
  4. In a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  5. Fold the cooked sausage mixture into the cheese filling.
  6. Carefully stuff each manicotti shell with the sausage and cheese mixture.
Assembly and Baking
  1. Spread half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and arrange stuffed shells in a single layer.
  2. Pour remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle with additional Parmesan if desired.
  3. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly.
  4. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a twist, swap Italian sausage for chicken or turkey. You can also add crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat. This dish stores well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.