Rich Beef Manicotti

I didn’t grow up eating manicotti—my mom was more of a spaghetti-and-meatballs type. But when I had it for the first time at a friend’s house in college, I was hooked. Those big pasta tubes stuffed with cheese and meat? It felt fancy, like something you’d order at a restaurant.

Turns out, making beef manicotti at home isn’t nearly as complicated as I thought. Yeah, stuffing those shells takes a few extra minutes, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. And the payoff is huge—you get this hearty, comforting dish that feeds a crowd and tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. My kids ask for it at least once a month now, and I don’t blame them.

What Kind of Beef Should I Use?

Ground beef is the star of this manicotti, and you have a few options when it comes to choosing the right kind. I’d recommend going with 80/20 ground beef (that’s 80% lean, 20% fat) because it has enough fat to keep the filling moist and flavorful without being too greasy. If you prefer a leaner option, 85/15 or even 90/10 will work fine, though you might want to add a tiny splash of olive oil while browning to keep things from drying out. Just make sure to drain any excess fat after cooking the beef with the onions, so your filling doesn’t get too oily inside the pasta shells.

Options for Substitutions

This manicotti recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Manicotti shells: If you can’t find manicotti shells, jumbo pasta shells or cannelloni tubes work great. You can even use lasagna noodles – just cook them, add filling, and roll them up.
• Ground beef: Ground turkey, Italian sausage, or a mix of beef and sausage are all good options. You could also go meatless and add sautéed mushrooms or spinach to the ricotta mixture instead.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese works as a substitute – just drain it well and give it a quick blend if you want a smoother texture. Small curd cottage cheese works best.
• Marinara sauce: Any tomato-based pasta sauce will do the job here. You can use store-bought or homemade – whatever you have on hand.
• Mozzarella: Pre-shredded mozzarella is convenient, but you can also use a block and shred it yourself. In a pinch, provolone or Italian cheese blend work too.
• Italian seasoning: If you don’t have Italian seasoning, mix together equal parts dried basil, oregano, and thyme. A pinch of dried parsley works nicely too.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

Overcooking the manicotti shells during boiling is a recipe for disaster – they’ll tear apart when you try to stuff them, so aim for about 1-2 minutes less than the package directions since they’ll continue cooking in the oven.

To make filling the shells easier and less messy, let them cool for a few minutes after draining, then use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off instead of trying to stuff them with a spoon.

Don’t skip draining the beef thoroughly after browning, as excess grease will make your casserole oily and prevent the cheese from melting properly.

Finally, cover your baking dish with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking to keep the pasta from drying out, then remove it for the last 5-10 minutes to get that golden, bubbly cheese on top.

What to Serve With Beef Manicotti?

A crisp Caesar salad or simple mixed greens with Italian dressing is my go-to side for beef manicotti since it cuts through all that rich, cheesy goodness. Garlic bread is pretty much a must-have for soaking up any extra marinara sauce on your plate, and I like to brush it with butter and sprinkle on some parmesan before toasting. If you want to add more veggies to the meal, roasted broccoli or sautéed green beans with garlic work really well alongside the pasta. For a lighter option, try a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover beef manicotti keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just cover the baking dish tightly with foil or transfer individual portions to airtight containers. The flavors actually get even better the next day as everything has time to meld together!

Freeze: This is one of those dishes that’s perfect for freezing. You can either freeze the whole assembled dish before baking, or freeze leftovers after cooking. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and it’ll stay good for up to 3 months. If freezing unbaked, add about 15 extra minutes to the baking time when you’re ready to cook it.

Reheat: To warm up your manicotti, cover it with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, though the oven gives you that nice bubbly cheese on top again.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3150-3450
• Protein: 185-200 g
• Fat: 165-185 g
• Carbohydrates: 195-215 g

Ingredients

For the pasta:

• 8 oz manicotti (I always use Barilla for shells that hold their shape)

For the filling:

• 1.25 lb ground beef
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 dash red pepper
• 16 oz ricotta (I prefer Galbani for a creamier texture)
• 2.5 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup parmesan (freshly grated for better melting)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• salt
• pepper

For the assembly:

• 4 cups marinara (I use Rao’s Homemade for the best flavor)
• 1.25 cup mozzarella

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Preheat

• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup parmesan, freshly grated
• 4 cups marinara

Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and mince the garlic cloves.

Measure out the marinara sauce, grate the parmesan cheese fresh (this helps it melt more evenly into the filling), and preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with a light coating of oil or cooking spray.

Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking will keep the workflow smooth and prevent the beef from overcooking while you’re still dicing vegetables.

Step 2: Brown the Beef Filling

• 1.25 lb ground beef
• diced onion from Step 1
• minced garlic from Step 1
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 dash red pepper
• salt
• pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks.

Once the beef is mostly cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), add the diced onion from Step 1 and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the onion softens slightly.

Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.

Drain off any excess fat from the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

The beef should be fully browned with no pink remaining.

Step 3: Cook the Manicotti Shells

• 8 oz manicotti

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the manicotti shells.

Cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes)—don’t overcook or the shells will become too soft to handle when filling.

Drain the pasta gently in a colander and set aside.

I always use Barilla shells because they hold their shape better than other brands, especially when they’re being filled and baked.

Step 4: Combine the Ricotta Filling

• 16 oz ricotta
• 2.5 cups mozzarella
• freshly grated parmesan from Step 1
• ground beef mixture from Step 2
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• salt
• pepper

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 2.5 cups mozzarella, the freshly grated parmesan from Step 1, and the ground beef mixture from Step 2.

Stir until everything is evenly combined, then season with the ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

The mixture should be creamy but hold together when scooped.

This is your filling base that will go into each cooked shell.

Step 5: Assemble the Dish

• cooked manicotti shells from Step 3
• ricotta filling from Step 4
• marinara sauce from Step 1
• 1.25 cup mozzarella

Spread 1.5 cups of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish.

Using a spoon or small piping bag, carefully fill each cooked manicotti shell from Step 3 with the ricotta filling mixture from Step 4, then arrange them seam-side up in a single layer in the baking dish.

Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the shells, making sure they’re well covered.

Sprinkle the 1.25 cups mozzarella evenly over the entire top.

I prefer to leave a tiny bit of the sauce visible between shells rather than completely burying them—this helps them cook more evenly.

Step 6: Bake and Serve

Place the assembled baking dish in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Let the manicotti rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving—this allows the filling to set slightly so it doesn’t spill out when plated.

Serve with extra marinara sauce on the side if desired.

Rich Beef Manicotti

Delicious Rich Beef Manicotti recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 7 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 3300

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the pasta::

• 8 oz manicotti (I always use Barilla for shells that hold their shape)

For the filling::

• 1.25 lb ground beef
• 1 onion (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp italian seasoning
• 1 dash red pepper
• 16 oz ricotta (I prefer Galbani for a creamier texture)
• 2.5 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 cup parmesan (freshly grated for better melting)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• salt
• pepper

For the assembly::

• 4 cups marinara (I use Rao's Homemade for the best flavor)
• 1.25 cup mozzarella

Method

 

1. Finely dice the onion into 1/4-inch pieces and mince the garlic cloves. Measure out the marinara sauce, grate the parmesan cheese fresh (this helps it melt more evenly into the filling), and preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with a light coating of oil or cooking spray. Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking will keep the workflow smooth and prevent the beef from overcooking while you're still dicing vegetables.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once the beef is mostly cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), add the diced onion from Step 1 and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the onion softens slightly. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant. Drain off any excess fat from the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. The beef should be fully browned with no pink remaining.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the manicotti shells. Cook according to package directions until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes)—don't overcook or the shells will become too soft to handle when filling. Drain the pasta gently in a colander and set aside. I always use Barilla shells because they hold their shape better than other brands, especially when they're being filled and baked.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 2.5 cups mozzarella, the freshly grated parmesan from Step 1, and the ground beef mixture from Step 2. Stir until everything is evenly combined, then season with the ground nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. The mixture should be creamy but hold together when scooped. This is your filling base that will go into each cooked shell.
5. Spread 1.5 cups of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Using a spoon or small piping bag, carefully fill each cooked manicotti shell from Step 3 with the ricotta filling mixture from Step 4, then arrange them seam-side up in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the shells, making sure they're well covered. Sprinkle the 1.25 cups mozzarella evenly over the entire top. I prefer to leave a tiny bit of the sauce visible between shells rather than completely burying them—this helps them cook more evenly.
6. Place the assembled baking dish in the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Let the manicotti rest for 5 minutes out of the oven before serving—this allows the filling to set slightly so it doesn't spill out when plated. Serve with extra marinara sauce on the side if desired.