Description
A comforting dish of tender pasta shells filled with creamy cheese, layered with marinara sauce, and slow-cooked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–6 manicotti shells (or jumbo stuffed shells)
- 1 lb lean ground beef or Italian sausage
- 2 cups rich marinara or meat sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella & parmesan blend
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, mix the browned ground beef or sausage with half of the mozzarella and half of the parmesan cheeses. Stir in some seasoning for an extra kick, if you like.
- Stuff the shells: Carefully fill each manicotti shell with the cheesy mixture using a spoon or a piping bag. Don’t overstuff, but make sure they’re full!
- Layer ingredients: In your slow cooker, spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom. Place the stuffed shells gently in a single layer, then cover with the remaining marinara.
- Top with cheese: Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella and parmesan over the top, allowing it to create that enticing, golden crust as it cooks.
- Slow cook to perfection: Cover and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Check occasionally to ensure the pasta is tender and the cheese is bubbly.
- Serve warm: Once done, let it sit for a few minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
You can prepare the filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge. Consider adding spinach or other veggies to the filling for a nutritional boost.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 240 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: manicotti, cheesy pasta, slow cooker recipe, Italian food, comfort food