Cheese Spinach Manicotti

Name: Cheese Spinach Manicotti
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 7 servings.
Cuisine: Italian Dinners, Italian Recipes, Italian Vegetarian Recipes
Ingredients: 1 large onion, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 3 cans (8 ounces each) no-salt-added tomato sauce; 2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste; 1-1/2 cups water; 1/2 cup dry red wine or vegetable broth; 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning; 2 teaspoons sugar; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; FILLING:; 1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese; 1-1/4 cups 2% cottage cheese; 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 package (8 ounces) manicotti shells; 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

No one will even miss the meat in this hearty, delicious meal. Cream cheese and cottage cheese beef up the filling and give this lasagna-like dish a creamy base. —Julie Lower, Katy, Texas

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cans (8 ounces each) no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry red wine or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons dried oregano
FILLING:
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
1-1/4 cups 2% cottage cheese
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (8 ounces) manicotti shells
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, wine, Italian seasoning, sugar and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, for filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the cottage cheese, spinach, Parmesan cheese, eggs and salt.
Stuff cream cheese mixture into uncooked manicotti shells. Spread 1 cup sauce into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spay. Arrange manicotti over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top.
Cover and bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until pasta is tender. Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Facts

2 each: 389 calories, 9g fat (4g saturated fat), 80mg cholesterol, 722mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 5g fiber), 25g protein.

Originally published as Spinach and Cheese Manicotti with Homemade Sauce in Healthy Cooking February/March 2011

Reviews

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Average Rating:

sandra 3807

Sep 10, 2012

Love it !
shessuchariot

Apr 4, 2011

This recipie was really good and made believers out of my family that not every dish needs meat! Thank goodness it was so tasty or otherwise I would probally never be able to pull that off again. The sauce was excellent and it really surprised me how the noodles cooked so well. I will cover my manicotti for now on with sauce to make them cook, since it was so much easier. I used low-fat ricotta instead of cottage cheese because coming from italian family, nothing but ricotta is unheard of! The ricotta was good, but I didnt care much for the cream cheese so I think next time I make this I will omit the cream cheese entirely and just use my traditional ricotta filling. Great recipie nonetheless!
brendaleebrown

Mar 29, 2011

This recipe was great!!
julie23219

Mar 15, 2011

Wonderful Recipe! I served this to my gourmet club and they loved it.
Mjcappucci

Feb 21, 2011

This recipe is so good and easy. I wasn't sure about not precooking the manicotti, but it was done perfectly!
mlworden

Feb 1, 2011

Excellent Recipe ! Our family enjoyed this dish. I made this exactly as written. Leftovers taste great reheated by covering with foil & reheating in the oven.
sashimilicious

Jan 31, 2011

Rave. reviews from my bff and her 12 yo son.