Description
Million Dollar Manicotti is a hearty and comforting Italian-American baked pasta dish featuring tender manicotti shells stuffed with a creamy cheese mixture and rich Italian sausage, all baked in savory marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. This satisfying casserole is perfect for family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 (8-oz) box manicotti pasta
Meat and Sauce
- 1 lb Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
Cheese Filling
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Cook Pasta Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the manicotti pasta shells and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until they are just tender but still firm. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.
- Cook Sausage and Prepare Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain any excess grease, then stir in the entire jar of marinara sauce. Spread about ½ cup of this meat sauce evenly on the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Set aside.
- Make Cheese Filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, and the egg. Mix well until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Fill Pasta Shells: Transfer the cheese filling to a pastry bag or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Carefully pipe the filling into each of the partially cooked manicotti shells, filling them generously without overstuffing. Place the filled shells in the prepared baking dish over the meat sauce.
- Add Sauce and Bake: Spread the remaining meat sauce evenly over the stuffed shells. Bake the dish uncovered in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to bubble.
- Add Cheese Toppings and Finish Baking: Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese along with the grated parmesan cheese evenly over the top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and turned golden and bubbly.
Notes
- Partially cooking the manicotti shells before filling helps prevent them from becoming too soft during baking.
- Using a pastry bag or plastic bag for filling makes the process cleaner and easier.
- Feel free to swap Italian sausage for ground beef or turkey if preferred.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- For a spicier kick, add red pepper flakes to the cheese filling or sauce.
