Manicotti Florentine

25 minutes Prep Time
1 hour Cook Time
8 Servings

For most home chefs, manicotti is fun to make. There’s just something about filling those beautiful cylinders! This recipe features melted cheese, fresh spinach and lean beef, making the manicotti ooze with cheesy goodness.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and moisture removed
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup soft bread crumbs
  • 3 eggs, slightly beaten
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 (8 ounce) box manicotti

  • 1 (28 ounce) can Tuttorosso® Tomato Puree Extra Thick with Sweet Basil 28 oz

  • 1 (1.5 ounce) packet spaghetti sauce mix, or 3 tablespoons Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Mix, recipe below
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

Step one

Preheat oven to 375o F. In a skillet brown ground beef and onion in oil for 5 minutes. Drain off excess fat. Add spinach, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, eggs, salt and black pepper.

Step two

Par-boil manicotti for 12 minutes or until soft. Fill manicotti with meat mixture In a bowl combine tomato puree and spaghetti sauce mix. Cover bottom of 9×13 inch baking dish with 1 cup sauce mixture.

Step three

Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer on sauce. Leave a little sauce between manicotti. Add leftover meat mixture to sauce. Completely cover manicotti with remaining sauce. Add ½ cup water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Step four

Recipe for Homemade Spaghetti Sauce Mix Combine the following ingredients in a bowl ;¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup dried minced onion, ¼ cup dried parsley flakes, 3 tablespoons dried sweet pepper flakes, 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, salt & black pepper to taste, 4 teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic.Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to a year.

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