Adapted from Dinneratthezoo.com
For the filling
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage hot or mild, casings removed (I use Trader Joe’s Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage)
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese (I use Trader Joe’s Whole Milk Ricotta)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For assembly
- 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara Sauce)
- 12 manicotti shells (I use 2 (7oz) boxes of Jovial Gluten Free Manicotti)
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Cooking spray
- Preheat the oven to 375-F. Coat a 9″x13″ baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the manicotti in salted boiling water for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain and cool slightly.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan.
For the filling
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook, breaking up the meat, for 3-4 minutes.
- Add onions; cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until onions are softened and sausage is browned and cooked through.
- Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat.
- In a large bowl, stir to combine ricotta cheese, egg, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Add the meat mixture to the ricotta mixture. Stir until well mixed.
For assembly
- Use a spoon or piping bag to fill each manicotti with the meat and cheese mixture.
- Arrange the manicotti in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
For baking
- Gluten Free: Cover and bake for 40 minutes. Then, remove cover, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese has browned.
- Regular pasta: Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over the top, then bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melted and browned.
- Sprinkle with parsley