Looking to make something different for dinner? Check out this Beef & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti recipe! Pasta filled with beef, peppers, onions, and cheese. Then baked to perfection in your favorite sauce. Don’t let stuffed pasta deter you, this is a really easy recipe so perfect for any night of the week. Even if you are starting off the school year and have busy nights. You can always make this ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you are ready.
Okay so to be completely honest, I made this manicotti recipe and took the photos about two years ago now and just found my notes and the pictures so figured it was about time to share them with you. So don’t mind my outdated pictures. BUT this Beef & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti recipe does not lack in flavor. I love pasta dishes and this one was a hit! For me, any type of pasta and meat sauce is comfort food to me. I always make my Dad’s Spaghetti Sauce in the Slow Cooker and then use it in my favorite pasta recipes like lasagna or with frozen shells, etc. Well instead of making a meat sauce first, I thought about stuffing the pasta with the meat and cheese filling then I just used a jar of marinara. So this was pretty easy to make.
What you need for these Beef & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
- Ground beef (or Italian sausage would be good too)
- Manicotti
- Onion
- Green Bell pepper
- Garlic
- Ricotta cheese
- Italian Cheeses
- Sauce
- Egg
How to make this easy Beef & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
First start by cooking the ground beef with the green peppers, onion, and garlic. Drain any grease and return to the pan. Add in the parmesan and ricotta cheese. Then add the basil and egg.
Mix it all up until everything is combined. Next add the meat mixture to a gallon sized zip lock bag and cut off one edge. Then squeeze the filling into each cooked manicotti. Pour half the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and add the stuffed manicotti.
Then top with the other half of the pasta and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve hot and enjoy!
What to serve with this easy pasta dinner?
We love ours with some Texas toast, fresh Italian bread, or even my One Bowl Parmesan Chive Bread. If you are looking for a salad, try out my Easy Caprese Spinach Salad to serve with it!
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes if you have time during the day to get it ready then do it! Refrigerate until ready to bake. The cooking time may just have to go a bit longer until heated throughout and cheese is melted.
Can I freeze manicotti?
Yes! If you want to freeze this meal or double the batch for another night, just make according to the instructions until the baking part. Then cover and freeze until ready to eat. When ready, either defrost in the refrigerator or cook from frozen just adjusting the cooking times for a longer.
Where to buy Manicotti Shells?
I have purchased manicotti shells in any grocery store in the pasta section. You can also order them HERE on Amazon.
Pin it!
Beef and Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian Sausage
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 1 cup mozzarella shredded
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 egg
- 1 15 oz. tub ricotta cheese
- 1 24 oz. jar of pasta sauce
- 1 package of manicotti pasta cooked according to package
Instructions
- Cook ground beef over medium heat with the onion, peppers, and garlic.
- Drain any grease and add the parmesan cheese, ricotta, egg, and basil.
- Mix all ingredients until well combined.
- Fill a large ziplock bag with meat and cheese mixture and cut the edge off.
- Fill each cooked manicotti with mixture.
- Add sauce to the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and add stuffed manicotti.
- Add more sauce on top and add mozzarella.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350 degreed for about 30 minutes.
Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!
