Italian Sausage Manicotti

I’ll be honest—stuffed pasta used to scare me a little. All that filling, the delicate shells that seem to break if you look at them wrong, and the fear of ending up with a soggy mess. But manicotti changed my mind about the whole thing. It’s actually pretty forgiving once you get the hang of it.

The secret is in the filling. A good mix of ricotta, Italian sausage, and cheese makes all the difference. I like using Johnsonville mild sausage because it adds flavor without overwhelming everything else. And those Barilla shells? They cook evenly every time, which means fewer cracked tubes and less frustration.

This recipe has become my go-to when I want something that feels special but doesn’t require me to stress in the kitchen. You make the filling, stuff the shells, cover them in marinara and cheese, and let the oven do the work. It’s the kind of dinner that makes everyone think you spent hours cooking, but really, you were just smart about it.

What Kind of Italian Sausage Should I Use?

You can use either sweet or spicy Italian sausage for this manicotti, depending on your preference. Sweet Italian sausage gives you a milder, more family-friendly flavor, while hot Italian sausage adds a nice kick if you like a little heat. If you want something in between, try mixing half sweet and half hot sausage for the best of both worlds. Make sure to remove the casings before cooking so the meat crumbles nicely and mixes well with the cheese filling.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Italian sausage: Ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken work great here. You can also make it vegetarian by using crumbled tofu or finely chopped mushrooms – just add a bit more Italian seasoning to boost the flavor.
• Ricotta cheese: Cottage cheese is a solid substitute. Just drain it well and give it a quick blend in the food processor if you want a smoother texture similar to ricotta.
• Manicotti shells: Can’t find manicotti? Use jumbo pasta shells or even lasagna noodles rolled up with the filling inside. The cooking time stays about the same.
• Marinara sauce: Any tomato-based pasta sauce works fine. You can use store-bought spaghetti sauce, arrabbiata, or make your own from crushed tomatoes with some garlic and herbs.
• Parmesan cheese: Pecorino Romano or Asiago cheese give you that same salty, sharp flavor if you’re out of parmesan.
• Fresh parsley: Dried parsley works in a pinch (use about 2 teaspoons), or swap it for fresh basil for a different but equally tasty garnish.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with manicotti is overcooking the pasta shells, which causes them to tear when you try to stuff them – cook them 1-2 minutes less than the package directions so they’re firm enough to handle but will finish cooking in the oven.

Another common error is trying to fill the shells while they’re still hot, which makes them too soft and likely to rip, so let them cool for a few minutes and run them under cold water to make handling easier.

To avoid a dry casserole, make sure you’re using enough sauce on the bottom of the dish and covering the shells completely with the remaining sauce before baking – any exposed pasta will turn hard and crunchy.

If you’re having trouble filling the shells, try using a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner cut off, which makes the job much faster and less messy than trying to stuff them with a spoon.

What to Serve With Manicotti?

Manicotti is pretty filling on its own, but I always like to serve it with a simple side salad tossed with Italian dressing and some warm garlic bread for soaking up the extra marinara sauce. If you want to add more veggies to the meal, roasted broccoli or sautéed green beans with garlic work really well alongside the rich, cheesy pasta. For a complete Italian dinner spread, you could also put out some marinated olives and a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. A glass of red wine doesn’t hurt either if you’re looking to make it feel a bit more special!

Storage Instructions

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

Freeze: This is one of those dishes that’s perfect for freezing. You can freeze it either before or after baking for up to 3 months. If freezing unbaked, assemble everything, cover tightly with plastic wrap and then foil, and bake from frozen (just add about 20 extra minutes to the baking time).

Reheat: To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, though the oven method keeps the texture better. Add a splash of extra marinara if it seems a bit dry.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3500-3800
• Protein: 160-180 g
• Fat: 210-230 g
• Carbohydrates: 220-240 g

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 2.5 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for this)
• 1/2 cup onion
• 2 tsp garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1.25 cups mozzarella
• 3/4 cup parmesan (freshly grated gives better texture and moisture)
• 3/4 tsp italian seasoning
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt
• pepper

For the shells and assembly:

• 12 manicotti shells (I always use Barilla for even cooking)
• 2.5 cups marinara sauce
• cooking spray

For the topping:

• 1.5 cups mozzarella (low-moisture part-skim makes it extra creamy and rich)
• 2 tbsp parsley

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Mise en Place

• cooking spray
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, freshly minced

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

While the oven heats, dice the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic fresh—I always find freshly minced garlic makes a noticeable difference in flavor compared to pre-minced.

Have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking the meat, as the filling comes together quickly.

Step 2: Brown the Sausage and Build the Filling Base

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 tsp garlic, freshly minced

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the Italian sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns.

Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened, then stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly while you prepare the cheese mixture.

Step 3: Make the Cheese and Herb Filling

• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1.25 cups mozzarella
• 3/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated
• 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooked sausage mixture from Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, 1.25 cups mozzarella, 3/4 cup parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

I like to use freshly grated parmesan instead of pre-grated because it melts more smoothly and gives better texture.

Mix until well combined, then fold in the cooked sausage mixture from Step 2 until evenly distributed.

Step 4: Cook the Manicotti Shells

• 12 manicotti shells

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti shells for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions—I always use Barilla because it cooks evenly and won’t fall apart when filled.

Drain well and lay the shells on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sticking.

Handle them gently as they’ll still be somewhat delicate.

Step 5: Assemble the Manicotti

• 2.5 cups marinara sauce
• cooked manicotti shells from Step 4
• cheese and sausage filling from Step 3

Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Using a spoon, fill each cooked shell with the cheese and sausage mixture from Step 3, then arrange filled shells in a single layer in the dish.

Pour the remaining 1.5 cups marinara sauce over the shells, making sure each one is covered.

This prevents them from drying out during baking.

Step 6: Bake Covered and Add Final Cheese

• 1.5 cups mozzarella, low-moisture part-skim

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the filling is heated through.

Remove the foil, sprinkle the 1.5 cups low-moisture part-skim mozzarella evenly over the top, and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

Let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving—this helps the dish set slightly and makes plating cleaner.

Step 7: Finish and Serve

• 2 tbsp parsley

Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately while hot.

Italian Sausage Manicotti

Delicious Italian Sausage Manicotti recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 3650

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the filling::

• 2.5 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb italian sausage (I prefer Johnsonville mild for this)
• 1/2 cup onion
• 2 tsp garlic (freshly minced for best flavor)
• 15 oz ricotta
• 1 egg
• 1.25 cups mozzarella
• 3/4 cup parmesan (freshly grated gives better texture and moisture)
• 3/4 tsp italian seasoning
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt
• pepper

For the shells and assembly::

• 12 manicotti shells (I always use Barilla for even cooking)
• 2.5 cups marinara sauce
• cooking spray

For the topping::

• 1.5 cups mozzarella (low-moisture part-skim makes it extra creamy and rich)
• 2 tbsp parsley

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. While the oven heats, dice the onion into small pieces and mince the garlic fresh—I always find freshly minced garlic makes a noticeable difference in flavor compared to pre-minced. Have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start cooking the meat, as the filling comes together quickly.
2. Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles as it browns. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes until softened, then stir in the minced garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly while you prepare the cheese mixture.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, 1.25 cups mozzarella, 3/4 cup parmesan, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I like to use freshly grated parmesan instead of pre-grated because it melts more smoothly and gives better texture. Mix until well combined, then fold in the cooked sausage mixture from Step 2 until evenly distributed.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti shells for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions—I always use Barilla because it cooks evenly and won't fall apart when filled. Drain well and lay the shells on a clean kitchen towel to prevent sticking. Handle them gently as they'll still be somewhat delicate.
5. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Using a spoon, fill each cooked shell with the cheese and sausage mixture from Step 3, then arrange filled shells in a single layer in the dish. Pour the remaining 1.5 cups marinara sauce over the shells, making sure each one is covered. This prevents them from drying out during baking.
6. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes until the filling is heated through. Remove the foil, sprinkle the 1.5 cups low-moisture part-skim mozzarella evenly over the top, and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving—this helps the dish set slightly and makes plating cleaner.
7. Top with fresh parsley and serve immediately while hot.