This manicotti with meat recipe adds a nice mix of veggies to the normal manicotti recipe that is made with pasta and ricotta cheese. It is a great way to get kids to eat their vegetables and not complain.
If you’re a fan of Italian cuisine and enjoy experimenting with flavors, then this recipe is for you. Today, we’re going to create a mouthwatering dish that will be sure to impress your family and friends.
Keep reading to find out how to make this classic Italian dish.
To save on time, these stuffed shells are topped with store bought Italian sauce. A sprinkling of your favorite cheese makes this a feel-good comfort food dish. I used cheddar cheese but any fresh cheese will work fine.
This recipe is both hearty and has a generous helping of fresh herbs as well as a heap of veggies.
You’ll love knowing that you have added some nutritious value to a normally high carb meal.
Cannelloni vs manicotti
Readers often ask me “what is the difference between cannelloni and manicotti?” It’s easy to see why these long pasta tubes are so confusing to many.
They look similar. The difference is in the texture and size of the tubes. Manicotti is ridged and slightly thicker, whereas cannelloni tubes are smooth, slightly smaller and slightly thinner.
Translated from Italian, the words seem similar, as well. Cannellone means “a big pipe” and manocotti translates as “a big pipe.” Not much difference, right?
There is a difference in the terminology between countries, too. In Italy, this stuffed pasta dish is called cannelloni, but in the USA, it is referred to as manicotti.
Finally, manicotti is made with pre-formed tubes, where cannelloni recipes are often made with pasta sheets. To make it even more confusing, cannelloni also comes in tube shapes.
In the USA, today, many cookbooks, and even some restaurants, use the terms “cannelloni” and “manicotti” interchangeably.
For the purposes of this manicotti with meat recipe, either type of tube can be used. I’ve cooked the dish both ways with good success!
Making manicotti with meat – Great Italian main dish
My vegetable and herb garden are both growing well right now, so I decided to try and incorporate as many fresh ingredients in this recipe as possible.
To make this stuffed shells pasta dish, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Uncooked manicotti shells (cannelloni tubes also work)
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Lean ground beef
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh oregano
- Fresh basil
- Fresh thyme
- Sweet red, yellow and orange peppers diced
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli florets
- Ricotta cheese
- Egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan Regiano cheese
- Marinara sauce (bottled is fine, but if you have time, you can make your own marinara sauce)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° and cook the pasta in salted water according to the directions on your package.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion, garlic, peppers and mushrooms until they are just lightly cooked and starting to get tender. Add the fresh herbs and stir to combine. Set this mixture aside
Using the same pan, cook the ground beef until it is lightly browned. Add the cooked beef to the vegetable mixture.
Combine the egg with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. Add the vegetables and meat mixture and stir to combine everything into one thick and creamy mixture.
Place a little of the pasta sauce in the middle of a 9 x 13″ pan. Fill each manicotti shell with the vegetable mixture and place the stuffed shell on top of the sauce. When the shells are all filled, add more sauce over the top and then finish with the grated cheddar cheese.
Cook for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven. This manicotti with meat recipe tastes great with garlic bread and a tossed salad.
More pasta recipes to try
Are you as fond of pasta dishes as I am. Why not try one of these recipes some time soon?
- Vegetable manicotti – perfect for those who don’t eat meat.
- Vegan Broccoli Pasta – Garlic and Onions in a Creamy Sauce
- Meaty Spaghetti Sauce with Pork and Beef – Homemade Pasta Sauce
- Shrimp Pasta with Broccoli – Ready in Less Than 30 Minutes!
- Ziti Pasta with Sausages and Swiss Chard – Skillet Ziti Noodles Recipe
- Sausage Garlic Parmesan Pasta – A Delicious 30 Minute Meal
Share this manicotti with ground beef recipe on Twitter
If you enjoyed the beef manicotti, be sure to share the with a friend. Here is a tweet to get you started:
Craving a hearty and flavorful meal? Our latest recipe explores the delicious world of #manicotti with #beef and #vegetables. Dive into this Italian classic that combines tender pasta, savory beef, and nutritious veggies. Find out… Share on XPin this recipe for ground beef manicotti
Would you like a reminder of this recipe for meat manicotti? Just pin this image to one of your cooking boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
Admin note: this post for this manicotti with beef recipe first appeared on the blog in May of 2013. I have updated the post to add new photos, a printable recipe card with nutritional information, and a video for you to enjoy.
Manicotti with Meat and Fresh Vegetables
This meat stuffed manicotti recipes adds a nice mix of vegetables to the normal manicotti recipe with just ricotta cheese. It's a great way to get kids to eat vegetables.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of uncooked manicotti shells
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 pound of lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon of fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon of fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup of sweet peppers, finely diced
- 1 cup of diced mushrooms
- 1 cup of small broccoli florets, finely chopped
- 15 ounces of ricotta cheese
- 1 medium egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Regiano cheese
- 14 ounces of marinara sauce
- 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water as the box suggests. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion, garlic, peppers and mushrooms until just starting to get tender. Add the herbs and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Using the same pan, cook the ground beef until lightly browned. Add to the vegetable mixture.
- Combine the egg with the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. Add the vegetables and meat mixture and stir to combine.
- Put a little of the pasta sauce in the middle of a 9 x 13" pan. Fill each manicotti shell with the vegetable mixture and place on the sauce. Add more sauce to the top of the filled shells and then top with the grated cheddar cheese.
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated 400 degree oven.
Notes
Cannelloni shells also work
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 616mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 32g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.