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: Asian Appetizers, Asian Dinners, Asian Vegetarian Recipes, Indian Recipes, 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 Daisy 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 Daisy 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.

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.