Simple Sausage Manicotti Recipes

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a nonstick skillet; add the red pepper and onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Drain manicotti; set aside., In a bowl, combine the sausage mixture, egg whites, cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, fennel and pepper. Stuff into manicotti shells. Combine spaghetti sauce and water; spread 1/2 cup in an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sausage and cottage cheese. Stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with marinara sauce. , Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of a shell reads 160°., Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Transfer individual portions of cooled manicotti to freezer containers; freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high, stirring occasionally; add a little spaghetti sauce if necessary.

Steps:

• Spread 2 tblsps of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
• Combine first 8 ingredients together in a bowl.
• Take shells and stuff with the meat mixture.(I find it easier to use pastry bags filled with the meat mixture to stuff the shells or you can cut the end of a sandwich baggie and stuff them that way. Less messy and much faster.).
• Place shells in pan and pour remaining sauce of shells.
• Bake at 350 for 45 minutes, remove from the oven and top with mozzeralla cheese. Return to oven and bake and additional 15 minutes.
• Remove and enjoy.
• Goes wonderfully with a tossed salad and garlic bread.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces, until browned and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve for the filling.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pot and cook the onion until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute (the tomato paste will turn a deep maroon color). Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, bay leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. Melt the butter into the sauce, remove the bay leaves and stir in 1/3 cup of basil. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, 40 minutes.
• For the filling: mix together the ricotta, reserved sausage, the remaining 1/3 cup basil, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 1 cup of the cooled tomato sauce. Place the filling in a large piping bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells until they have softened slightly but still hold their tubular shape, 5 minutes.
• Pour half of the tomato sauce into a broiler-proof 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture. Place the filled shells in the baking dish. Pipe any extra filling along the ends of the shells in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and 1 cup Parmesan over the top. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the sauce begins to bubble, 40 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, remove the foil and increase the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the manicotti back into the oven to bake until the cheese is browned and bubbling, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Combine raw sausage, egg, cheese, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powder.
• Fill UNCOOKED manicotti with the meat mixture. I use a long iced tea spoon to stuff the tube which works pretty well.
• Spread approximately 1/4 - 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in bottom of two 13x9 pans.
• Arrange the filled manicotti in each pan in a single layer.
• Pour the remaining sauce over the manicotti.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan or Romano and any leftover mozzarella cheese you have remaining.
• If you have any leftover meat mixture left, crumble it over the manicotti and sauce.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until shells are soft and the sausage is thoroughly cooked.
• Notes: I like to make these and freeze them (before adding the sauce and baking them). Then I have plenty in the freezer for a quick weeknight dinner later and can grab just what I want. I add the Prego and garnish with the Parmesan on cooking day.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cook sausage in skillet on medium heat for 14-16 minutes, covered, turning occasionally.
• Sausage is done when cooked through, with no pink in center.
• In separate skillet, steam spinach.
• When sausage is done, chop into ½ in.
• pieces, return to same skillet and add marinara sauce.
• Let sauce and sausage simmer while you prepare manicotti filling.
• Make filling by mixing first 6 ingredients together.
• Stuff filling into uncooked shells and lay in an 8” x 13” glass casserole dish.
• Pour sauce and water over stuffed shells.
• Cover with foil, bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes-adding shredded mozzarella or parmesan cheese if desired.