Description
Million Dollar Manicotti is a luxurious and flavorful Italian dish filled with a creamy cheese mixture and savory ground beef, all nestled in tender manicotti shells and smothered in marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cheese Filling:
-
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated and divided
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
Other Ingredients:
- 8 oz manicotti shells, uncooked
- 1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce
- 1 lb ground beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheese Filling: In a bowl, mix ricotta, cream cheese, Parmesan, 1 cup mozzarella, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, and basil until well combined.
- Stuff the Manicotti: Spoon the cheese mixture into a piping bag or plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the mixture.
- Cook the Ground Beef: In a skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the Dish: Spread a layer of marinara sauce in a baking dish. Arrange the stuffed manicotti on top. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the manicotti. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the ground beef for a lighter version.
- Feel free to add some sautéed vegetables like spinach or bell peppers to the cheese filling for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 670 mg
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg