Baked Manicotti

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Cook Time: 45 minutes 

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. (14 noodles) Manicotti, cooked to package instructions
• 1/2 medium onion chopped
• 1/2 pound of ground beef
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp salt divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups marinara sauce
• 15 oz. cottage cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• 1/4 cup parsley plus more to garnish

Directions:

1. Cook Pasta: Preheat oven to 375˚F. Cook pasta in salted water according to package instructions (stirring several times to keep the pasta from sticking to the pot), then drain and fill pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and keep shells from sticking to each other.
2. Make Sauce: In a deep pan over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and sauté chopped onion until softened and golden (3-5 min).  Add the ground beef and cook until brown and crumbly.  Drain excess fat. Add minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp oregano. Sauté another 1 minute stirring constantly until garlic is fragrant. Add 3 cups marinara and bring to a uniform boil then simmer for 2 minutes and pour the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
3. Cheese Filling: In a large bowl, add 15 oz. cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/3 cup parmesan, 1 egg, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir until well combined.
4. Stuff Shells: Spoon in cheese mixture just until filled (do not overstuff). Place them in the casserole over the marinara sauce in a single layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese over the top.
5. Bake: Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling at the edges. Remove foil and broil for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley to serve.