Cheese Stuffed Manicotti
Description
This three-cheese stuffed manicotti recipe is baked with rich, homemade meat and tomato sauce flavored with roasted garlic, making for a hearty dinner.
Ingredients
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1 pound ground beef
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1 small onion, diced
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1 teaspoon roasted garlic
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1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
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1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
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1 tablespoon white sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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1 bay leaf
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1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
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1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
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1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
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1 (8 ounce) package manicotti shells
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30 ounces cottage cheese
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1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
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1 egg, beaten
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion, and roasted garlic; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue simmering until pan juices evaporate, about 10 minutes more. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and garlic salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer sauce until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Add manicotti and return to a boil. Cook manicotti, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
4
Combine cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. Spoon a generous amount cheese filling into each manicotti shell.
5
Pour enough sauce to cover bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti over sauce; pour remaining sauce over stuffed manicotti. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
6
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese over manicotti and return to the oven. Bake until cheese filling is melted, 10 to 15 minutes more.