Italian Dishes - Easy Recipes
Manicotti
Italian cuisine is loved by most people, and it is not difficult to follow these simple recipes. There are several pasta recipes that uses manicotti to make a delicious Italian dish.
Some recipes call for ham and cheese, or spinach and ricotta cheese, plus there is a Mexican recipe that uses ground beef and re-fried beans. This recipe below is great, if you like a good spicy Italian sausage. No one leaves the table hungry.
Manicotti Ready to Eat
Spicy Manicotti
Spicy Manicotti
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 lb. bulk spicy Italian sausage
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (28 oz.) jar marinara sauce
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 cups ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 (4 oz.) can green chilies, chopped
- 3 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 18 manicotti shells, uncooked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Spray 13X9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine ricotta, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, beaten eggs, green chilies, Italian seasoning, minced parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper in medium bowl. Set aside.
- Crumble sausage into large skillet; use medium heat to brown. Stir to separate meat while cooking, then drain on paper towels.
- Add tomatoes including juice and marinara sauce to the same skillet and bring to a bowl. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Pour approximately 1/3 of mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Stuff each manicotti shell with cheese mixture. Place the shells in baking pan and top with sausage, then pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil to bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving size: 1/8 th of dish | |
| Calories | 418 |
| Calories from Fat | 162 |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Fat 18 g | 28% |
| Saturated fat 9 g | 45% |
| Carbohydrates 42 g | 14% |
| Fiber 4 g | 16% |
| Protein 24 g | 48% |
| Cholesterol 100 mg | 33% |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Vegetarian Manicotti with Tofu
Italian Manicotti or Lasgna
This Italian spicy manicotti dish is delicious but obviously not low calorie. Many pasta dishes do have a lot of calories. Make a healthy salad to go with the dish and use the main dish in moderation. It is well worth the effort to serve this dish to your family. Lasagna is also a favorite Italian food and the recipe below is delicious.
I know there are many people trying to eat healthier, and there are many vegetarians also. I included the vegetarian recipe as well.
Cheese Lasagna
World's Best Cheese Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
- 3/4 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 12 lasagna noodles
- 16 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley.
- Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Preheat oven to 375º F (190 degrees C).
- To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture.
- Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
- Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Summary
Most everyone likes Italian food. Many of the dishes are one dish meals with the exception of a salad. They are not too difficult to make and no one leaves the table hungry.
The copyright, renewed in 2018, for this article is owned by Pamela Oglesby. Permission to republish this article in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
