Last Updated on July 13, 2024
Today, we’re going to be looking at how long to cook manicotti in oven, and how to make the infamous dish, beef and cheese manicotti. Manicotti is one of the most delicious types of pasta, it’s tubular and tastes incredible when stuffed with anything; but in particular, beef and cheese. But how do you go about making it? How long does it take to cook in the oven? Let’s take a closer look.
What Is Manicotti?
You may have heard of manicotti if you’re American. It’s a type of pasta that comes from Italian-America. Manicotti literally translates to “little sleeves”, and this particular pasta is very similar to that of cannelloni. Manicotti are large tubes of pasta, which were designed to be filled and then baked in the oven. Typical filling includes cheese, greens, and ground meat (such as beef or veal).
Ingredients in manicotti
You may be wondering what the ingredients are when it comes to manicotti. The typical ingredients for the manicotti shells themselves are simply:
- durum wheat semolina
- water
However, the filling can vary. But the filling typically includes:
- ricotta cheese
- cooked spinach
- ground meat (beef or veal)
Nutritional information of manicotti
You may be curious as to the nutritional value of manicotti. One tube of manicotti stuffed with cheese and spinach contains the following:
- Calories: 272
- Fat: 12.8g
- Saturated Fat: 7.1g
- Cholesterol: 104mg
- Sodium: 528mg
- Carbs: 22.83g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugar: 0.76g
- Protein: 15.5g
How long to cook manicotti in oven
The time manicotti stays in the oven will depend on whether you’ve slightly cooked the manicotti beforehand. Typically, you cook manicotti for around 5 minutes on the stove and then transfer to the oven for around 30-35 minutes. This method of cooking manicotti is sure to lead to the tastiest results.
Difference between manicotti and cannelloni
You may know manicotti better as cannelloni. While they aren’t quite the same, manicotti is the Italian-American style of the dish. They’re both tubular, but manicotti are usually slightly larger, thicker and have ridges. The differences between the two are almost non-existent and easily replaceable for the other in most recipes.
Beef And Cheese Manicotti Recipe
Let’s get down to the reason you’re here – how to make beef and cheese manicotti. The perfect blend of three kinds of cheese, alongside ground beef and an assortment of herbs and spices. This recipe is inspired by a recipe from Food Network. Let’s take a closer look at how to make this Italian-American favorite.
Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:
- 20ml of olive oil
- 1 chopped medium onion
- 500g ground beef
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 12-14 tubes of manicotti
- 450g of ricotta cheese
- 350g of shredded mozzarella
- 100g of parmesan (grated)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 30g of cubed butter
- 750ml of marinara sauce
Recipe
Now all you need to do is:
Step 1: Cook the meat
Grab a pan and add one teaspoon of oil, over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and ground beef. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Once the chopped onion becomes translucent and the meat is brown, you can remove from heat, and leave to cool. Cooking should take around five minutes.
Step 2: Cook the manicotti
Oil a baking sheet with around one teaspoon of oil. Add some salted water to a pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the manicotti and cook for around 4-6 minutes. The pasta should not be soft, you want it to still be quite firm. Remove the manicotti and place onto your prepared baking sheet.
Step 3: Prepare the filling
Before you make the filling, preheat your oven to 180C. In a bowl, add your ricotta, parsley, 50g of parmesan and around half of the mozzarella cheese; alongside the garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well and add the meat to this mixture.
Step 4: Fill the manicotti
Grab a baking dish and brush around two teaspoons of oil around the entire dish. Add around half of the marinara sauce to the dish. Fill your tubes of manicotti with the meaty-cheese mixture and place the tubes on top of the sauce, in a single layer. Pour over the other half of the marinara sauce. Add the remainder of the cheese you have to the top of the dish (parmesan and mozzarella)
Step 5: Bake
Put small cubes of butter around the dish and place in the center of your preheated oven for around 30-35 minutes – the sauce should be bubbling. Leave for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Conclusion
I hope this post has given you an idea of how long to cook manicotti in oven. Manicotti with beef and cheese is a delicious, heart-warming dish, that’s perfect for all the family – and doesn’t take too long to make at all! Serve as it is, or you can serve with veggies of your choice.
Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to cooking manicotti in the oven? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!
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FAQs
How Long Does it Take to Reheat Manicotti in the Oven?
Manicotti should take around 20 minutes to reheat in the oven. It's important that the pasta has been stored in the correct way; in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When reheating, be sure to cover with aluminium foil, first.
How Do You Cook Frozen Uncooked Manicotti?
If your manicotti is frozen and uncooked, it's best to bake covered for around an hour, and then an additional 15 minutes with no cover. Ensure it's heated through before eating.
Can You Cook Manicotti From Frozen?
Absolutely! You can cook manicotti from frozen. In fact, for best results, it's best to cook from frozen, rather than defrosting.
Should I Defrost Manicotti Before Cooking?
There is no need to defrost manicotti. Manicotti can be cooked from frozen, and does not need to be thawed before baking.
How Long To Cook Manicotti In Oven & Manicotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 20 ml of olive oil
- 1 chopped medium onion
- 500 g ground beef
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 12-14 tubes of manicotti
- 450 g of ricotta cheese
- 350 g of shredded mozzarella
- 100 g of parmesan (grated)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 30 g of cubed butter
- 750 ml of marinara sauce
Instructions
- Cook the meatGrab a pan and add one teaspoon of oil, over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and ground beef. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Once the chopped onion becomes translucent and the meat is brown, you can remove from heat, and leave to cool. Cooking should take around five minutes.20 ml of olive oil, 1 chopped medium onion, 500 g ground beef, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste)
- Cook the manicottiOil a baking sheet with around one teaspoon of oil. Add some salted water to a pot and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the manicotti and cook for around 4-6 minutes. The pasta should not be soft, you want it to still be quite firm. Remove the manicotti and place onto your prepared baking sheet.20 ml of olive oil, 12-14 tubes of manicotti
- Prepare the fillingBefore you make the filling, preheat your oven to 180C. In a bowl, add your ricotta, parsley, 50g of parmesan and around half of the mozzarella cheese; alongside the garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well and add the meat to this mixture.20 ml of olive oil, salt (to taste), pepper (to taste), 450 g of ricotta cheese, 100 g of parmesan (grated), 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley, 2 minced garlic cloves, 350 g of shredded mozzarella
- Fill the manicottiGrab a baking dish and brush around two teaspoons of oil around the entire dish. Add around half of the marinara sauce to the dish. Fill your tubes of manicotti with the meaty-cheese mixture and place the tubes on top of the sauce, in a single layer. Pour over the other half of the marinara sauce. Add the remainder of the cheese you have to the top of the dish (parmesan and mozzarella)20 ml of olive oil, 100 g of parmesan (grated), 750 ml of marinara sauce, 350 g of shredded mozzarella
- BakePut small cubes of butter around the dish and place in the center of your preheated oven for around 30-35 minutes - the sauce should be bubbling. Leave for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!30 g of cubed butter
Nutrition
My name is Ania, and I am very glad to see you here. I have always loved cooking; even some of my earliest memories are flipping through a cookbook and making pudding standing on a stool because I was too small to reach the stove.
You should know that I am not a professionally trained chef, just a big food lover who grew up in a family obsessed with cooking and focused on what we eat.
