Sausage Manicotti is packed full of Italian sausage, chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, and a deliciously seasoned tomato sauce, and finished off with melty mozzarella cheese. It’s comfort food at its finest, making a great weeknight dinner that your whole family will enjoy.
This Italian-inspired dish combines the flavors of homemade lasagna with a touch of extra nutrition by incorporating spinach. It’s a great way to sneak in extra veggies for picky eaters without sacrificing taste.
Pasta is a staple school night dinner in our household, because not only is it convenient, but I also know that we won’t have any dinner time complaints. Not only will jalapeno popper stuffed manicotti and these shotgun shells be a great way to add some variety to your meal plan.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy prep, impressive dinner: Just like cheesy Italian sausage pasta, you can assemble this sausage manicotti recipe ahead and bake when ready. So it’s great for busy weeknights.
- Family‑friendly crowd‑pleaser: The delicious pasta tubes are bursting with creamy ricotta and finished off with gooey cheese, so it’s a hit with young and old alike.
- Budget‑friendly hearty meal: You only need a few simple ingredients, and most of them are pantry staples, so you don’t have to worry about overspending at the grocery store.
Ingredients
- Manicotti Pasta: These tube-shaped pasta shells are perfect for stuffing. Boil just until al dente so they hold their shape when filled and baked.
- Hot Italian Sausage: Adds a spicy flavor to the filling. You can substitute mild or sweet sausage if you prefer less heat.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach: Adds a fresh flavor and boost of nutrients to this classic dish.
- Ricotta Cheese: Creamy and mild, it serves as the base of the filling. Whole milk ricotta gives the best texture and flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: This popular cheese adds a delicious flavor to the cheesy filling, making this dish stand out.
- Egg: Binds the filling together, keeping it neatly inside the pasta.
- Tomato Sauce: I made a simple homemade pasta sauce to cook the pasta in; however, you can also use a jar of your favorite sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese: This creamy cheese melts beautifully over the top and gives it the golden brown top that we all love.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Protein: Not a fan of sausage? Use ground beef or ground turkey instead.
- Use a different pasta: Out of manicotti? No problem, you can use any pasta for this Italian manicotti recipe that allows you to spoon the filling into it. Large shells work great.
- Tone down the creaminess: Swap out a quarter of the ricotta for cottage cheese if you want a slightly more textured filling.
- Spicy: Add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper to give it a bit of heat or you can opt to use spicy Italian sausage in the dish.
How to Make Sausage Manicotti with Spinach
Ready to make this cheesy pasta? Grab your baking dish, preheat the oven to 350°F, and read on to learn how to make manicotti for your family.
- Step 1: Cook pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook the Italian manicotti for about 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Step 2: Cook sausage mixture. Cook the sausage and diced onion in a large pot until the sausage is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain the excess fat and set aside.
- Step 3: Add spinach. Thaw and drain the spinach. Add the sausage to the bowl and stir until well blended.
- Step 4: Make filling. Whisk together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, and parsley. Then stir into the sausage‑spinach blend until everything’s well mixed.
- Step 5: Simmer sauce. Stir together the sauce ingredients and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Step 6: Assemble. Pour a ½ cup of sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Carefully fill each manicotti noodle with the meat‑cheese mixture. Place the tubes in the dish.
- Step 7: Top & bake. Pour remaining sauce evenly over stuffed noodles, then sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
- Step 8: Serve. Serve with fried tortellini as an appetizer for the ultimate meal.
Expert Tips
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Watch the timing on your pasta closely; you don’t want to cook it past the al dente stage. The manicotti must be firm enough to stand up to being filled with the sauce and then baked again. If your noodles are too soft, they’ll either tear while you fill them over they’ll get soggy while they bake.
- Drain the meat: Even if your sausage doesn’t seem to have a lot of grease, drain it anyway. This will prevent the grease from thinning out your filling.
- Melting the cheese: Love the extra gooey cheese on top of chicken parmesan? You can do the same thing here. Remove the foil from the pan for the last ten minutes of baking, and you will have a gooey and slightly browned cheese on top.
- Storing: Leftover stuffed manicotti with meat stays fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, microwave on medium, 30–60‑second bursts until hot. Or reheat in a 350 °F oven, covered, for 10–15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Garnish the baked sausage manicotti with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or fresh parsley for a nice pop of color.
- Pair with a slice of garlic bread or a piece of jalapeno cheddar monkey bread.
- We also enjoy serving a green side salad, Italian pasta salad, or even a simple broccoli salad alongside this sausage manicotti dish for a complete meal.
Sausage Manicotti Recipe FAQs
I’ve found the easiest way to fill the pasta is with a piping bag or a storage bag with the corner cut off. You can also use a spoon if you don’t have a bag on hand.
Yes, you can assemble the dish and freeze it before baking. Cover the baking dish tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, and then with aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
If your filling is watery, that means that you didn’t drain all the water out of the spinach. Once the spinach thaws, I like to squeeze it between two paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
Use a small teaspoon and spoon the filling into each end of the noodles, pushing gently to ensure the filling reaches the center of the noodles.
Yes, you can assemble early, refrigerate, then bake when ready. It’s great for preparing dinner for guests or busy weeknights. Let the baking dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. You may need to cook slightly longer when the dish has been refrigerated.
Try This Sausage Manicotti Recipe Today
This sausage and spinach manicotti recipe is loaded with a rich, meat filling and topped with a simple tomato sauce and a ton of mozzarella cheese. When it’s all said and done, you’ll have a delicious Italian recipe loaded with flavor and ready to be devoured. And it WILL be devoured. Give this recipe a try, and I know you’ll love it as much as I and my family do.
More Delicious Pasta Recipes to Enjoy
And, here is a Bacon Pasta Salad from Great Grub, Delicious Treats you’ll enjoy too.
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Spinach & Sausage Manicotti
Ingredients
- 8 ounce manicotti pasta
For the Italian Sausage Mixture
- 16 ounce ground hot Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 12 ounce frozen chopped spinach
For the Ricotta Filling
- 30 ounce ricotta
- 6 ounce Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
For the Tomato Sauce
- 15 ounce tomato sauce
- 15 ounce crushed tomatoes
- 6 ounce tomato paste
- 6 ounce water
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a 7×11 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat.
- Once water boils, cook manicotti for about 7 minutes, drain.
For the Italian Sausage Mixture
- In a large frying pan over medium high heat, cook sausage and onions until sausage is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Drain grease and put mixture into a large bowl.
- Add the thawed, drained spinach to the meat mixture. Stir to combine.
For the Ricotta Filling
- In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta, parmesan, egg, and dried parsley flakes.
- Add ricotta mixture into the sausage mixture and stir until everything is mixed well.
For the Tomato Sauce
- In the pan used to cook the sausage, add in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Stir together and add in seasonings.
- Reduce heat and bring sauce to a simmer.
- Pour ½ cup of sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish.
- Fill each manicotti noodle with the ricotta meat mixture and place in the prepared baking dish. Repeat until all noodles are filled and placed in the dish.
- Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed noodles and then top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
Notes
- Fill it the easy way: I’ve found the quickest and least messy way to fill manicotti is with a piping bag, or simply grab a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and squeeze.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: Keep a close eye on it. You want it just al dente. Still firm enough to hold its shape while you’re stuffing it.
- Drain the meat: Even if your sausage looks pretty lean, drain it. A little grease can make your filling watery.
