When I asked my family what I should say about Manicotti, they all said, “it is delicious”. There was even a belly-rub motion from Samuel who loves lasagna over any meal. Making this dinner is actually the same set-up as lasagna, except for the design and shape of the pasta. In this post I will give my tips and tricks on making a delicious Manicotti your family will love!

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Published November 7, 2021
Updated March 22, 2022
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Cost breakdown for this recipe

When we plan our recipes, grocery shopping and lists, I always try to take into account the cost per meal and making them the most realistic for our budget. Even though the cost for this meal was higher than our typical, it was for two whole baking pans of food. Plus, a meal under $20 for our family is legit my goal, so getting another meal as close to that limit is great in helping save our family budget.

Jar spaghetti sauce $1.09
2 pounds ground beef $7.38
1 onion $0.25
1 egg $0.15
2 containers Ricotta $2.78
1 tsp oregano $0.02
2 cups shredded mozzarella $2.05
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese $1.30
2 boxes Manicotti pasta $4.18
1 tsp Italian seasoning $0.02
3 garlic cloves $0.20
1 pound ground pork sausage $2.39
1 can tomato sauce $0.35

The total cost for this meal was $22.16!
That came to $11.08 for only one pan, and a total of $2.07 per serving, with Tyler and I having lunch the next day. For six people, this was a great price for such an amazing amount of food.

Cheese-Filled Manicotti Recipe

Ingredients for Manicotti

2 pounds ground beef
1 pound pork sausage
1 onion
2 15-oz Ricotta
1 egg
1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 box Manicotti pasta
3 garlic cloves
Jar spaghetti sauce
1 can tomato sauce

Directions for Cheese-Filled Manicotti

1. Fill a 6-Quart pan with water and then set it on the stove to boil at medium-high heat.

2. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and then spray with non-stick spray.

3. Cook the 2 pounds ground beef and 1 pound pork sausage if using until browned.
Thanks to Samuel for being a great cameraman!

On a cutting board, dice 1 onion and then add it to the cooking ground meat.

4. In a large bowl, empty the two 15-oz Ricotta containers with a spatula.

4. Add 1 egg to the Ricotta and mix well with a spatula. The egg helps to bind the cheese with the Ricotta in the pasta.

5. Add 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the Ricotta mixture and blend with a spatula until combined. With the seasonings, you can choose to add or omit what you desire the Manicotti to taste like.

6. Shred mozzarella and parmesan cheese and add to the ricotta. Mix well.
Shred cheese in just seconds using a Cuisinart Food Processor with the shredder attachment.

7. When the water is boiling, add the Manicotti pasta and cook as directed over medium heat. Pick them up one or two at a time and place them carefully into the water.

8. On a cutting board, mince the garlic cloves and add it to the Ricotta in the bowl.
I really enjoy adding flavor and seasoning to the Ricotta as I find it to be just a tad plain in flavor. Adding flavor, like raw garlic, to the ricotta helps to enhance its flavor.

9. When the pasta is fully cooked, pour into a sink colander and let the pasta rest to cool before handling. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water in a heat-resistant measuring cup.
This sink colander is amazing at keeping your foods OFF the sink basin and safe from the splashing water.

10. Pour the spaghetti sauce and tomato sauce into the cooked ground beef and simmer until heated. Add the reserved pasta water to the empty spaghetti sauce jar and swirl it around to release the sauce from the jar, then add the sauce to the beef.
By adding reserved pasta water, the sauce will then stick nicer to the pasta.

11. When the Manicotti pasta is cooled to the touch, transfer to a plate or a cutting board to be filled.

12. Place a plastic bag, opened, on the counter and scoop the ricotta and cheese mixture into the bag, then close the bag and cut the tip off of one corner.
I used my amazing Rubio Bag Holder! This little ditty is amazing at keeping your baggies held open while you fill them.
Once full, close the bag and cut the tip off of one corner. This bag holder helps to keep any size of baggy open as it extends taller and has grips to keep the bag open.

13. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with non-stick spray and then scoop 3 large spoons filled with meat mixture into the dish and set aside.
By placing sauce on the bottom, the pasta will not stick to the baking dish.

14. Then pipe the Ricotta cheese mixture into each Manicotti pasta tube.
Do not over-fill the Manicotti, as the cheese can just melt out if they are too full, and you will then not have enough for all the pasta tubes to be filled.

15. Fill and then place the filled Manicotti shells into the prepared baking dish.

16. Cover the Cheese-Filled Manicotti with any remaining meat sauce and then top with shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

17. Bake the Cheese-Filled Manicotti for 15-20 minutes.

When done, let the Cheese-Filled Manicotti rest for 5-minutes, then serve and enjoy!
For dinner, I made two pans of Manicotti, and we had very little leftovers! This meal is so delicious, cheesy and filling for a very reasonable cost.

Recipe for Cheese-Filled Manicotti

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