Baked Manicotti with Turkey Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 box (227 g; 8 oz, usually 14 tubes)manicotti shells
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)extra virgin olive oil
• 150 g (1 cup), dicedonion
• 1 tablespoonfresh garlic, minced
• 454 g (1 lb), removed from its casingItalian turkey sausage
• 907 g (2 lb)whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 2eggs
• 2 tablespoonsfresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 100 g (1 cup), freshly grated and dividedParmesan cheese
• 56 g (½ cup), shreddedmozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoonskosher salt
• 1 teaspoonfreshly grated black pepper
• 480 ml (2 cups), plus extra for servingmarinara sauce
• 14 slicessliced mozzarella cheese from the deli counter

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the pasta

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a full boil. Add the manicotti tubes gently, one at a time. Once the water returns to a boil, cook for exactly 6 minutes; the tubes will finish cooking in the oven. Lift them out with a spider or strainer and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

2. 2

   Store the tubes

   If preparing the tubes ahead, arrange them apart on a lightly sprayed, parchment-lined baking tray. Spray the tops, cover with cling film and refrigerate until needed.

3. 3

   Set aside pasta

   If using the tubes straight away, lay them apart in a pan so they do not stick together.

4. 4

   Cook the sausage

   Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until the pieces are fine and no longer pink; break up any pieces larger than a kidney bean.

5. 5

   Cool the filling

   Take the pan off the heat and leave the sausage mixture to cool to room temperature.

6. 6

   Heat the oven

   If baking straight away, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).

7. 7

   Mix the filling

   In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, parsley, half of the Parmesan, the shredded mozzarella, salt and pepper. Once the sausage mixture has cooled, stir it into the ricotta mixture. If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate.

8. 8

   Sauce the dish

   Pour 240 ml (1 cup) of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 25 × 33 cm (10 × 13-inch) baking dish.

9. 9

   Fill the tubes

   Spoon about a third of the filling into a large pastry bag, leaving room to twist the top closed. Cut an opening slightly smaller than the pasta tubes. Hold a tube and gently pinch its middle as you pipe filling from the centre towards one end, letting a little filling bulge out. Turn the tube around and fill the other half in the same way.

10. 10

    Arrange the pasta

    Set the filled tube in the prepared dish and repeat with the rest, arranging two rows of seven and refilling the bag as needed. If a tube splits, place the split side down.

11. 11

    Add the sauce

    Spoon the second 240 ml (1 cup) of marinara sauce over the tubes, covering each one.

12. 12

    Add Parmesan

    Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the manicotti.

13. 13

    Top with mozzarella

    Cut each slice of mozzarella in half and place two halves over each tube.

14. 14

    Bake covered

    Cover the dish first with parchment and then foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

15. 15

    Bake uncovered

    Remove the covers and bake for a further 20 minutes.

16. 16

    Brown the top

    Place the dish under the grill just until the cheese is lightly browned.

17. 17

    Serve with sauce

    Serve with extra marinara sauce.

What is baked manicotti?

Manicotti is an Italian-American baked pasta dish made with large tubes filled with cheese or other savoury fillings. It draws on the Italian tradition of stuffed pasta, while the name and familiar tube-shaped pasta are especially associated with Italian-American cooking.

This version combines ricotta with turkey sausage, herbs and two kinds of mozzarella, then bakes the filled tubes in marinara. Briefly boiling the pasta before filling helps it stay firm enough to handle and finish cooking in the oven.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 851 calories, 60g protein, 40g carbs, 50g fat.

The manicotti shells and marinara provide most of the carbohydrates, while olive oil, whole-milk ricotta and mozzarella contribute much of the fat. The ricotta, turkey sausage, eggs and cheeses are the main protein sources. For a more balanced plate, serve a portion with a generous salad or cooked vegetables.

The filling and its ingredients

Sausage base: Onion and garlic are cooked before the turkey sausage, giving the meat a savoury foundation. Breaking the sausage into small pieces makes it easier to mix into the ricotta and distribute through the tubes.

Cheese mixture: Whole-milk ricotta gives the filling a creamy texture, while egg helps bind it. Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper add seasoning; shredded mozzarella makes the filling more cohesive and stretchy.

Getting the pasta ready

Six-minute boil: The recipe deliberately stops short of fully cooking the manicotti. Set a timer once the water returns to a boil, then transfer the tubes straight to ice water so they do not soften further.

Keeping tubes separate: Lay the cooled pasta apart rather than piling it up, since damp tubes can stick together. If making them ahead, use the sprayed, parchment-lined tray and cover them before refrigerating.

Filling without splitting

Pastry bag: Use an opening just smaller than the tube so the filling goes inside rather than spilling around it. Filling from the middle towards each end gives you better control than trying to push the mixture through from one side.

Gentle handling: Manicotti can split while being filled, so avoid squeezing hard. A split tube can still go into the dish; position the damaged side down as directed.

How to judge doneness

Covered bake: The parchment and foil cover the dish for the first 30 minutes, giving the pasta time to cook through in the sauce without the cheese browning too early.

Uncovered finish: Bake for another 20 minutes without the cover, then grill briefly until the top is lightly browned. Watch closely under the grill, as the cheese can colour quickly.

Making it ahead

Pasta prep: The tubes can be boiled, cooled and refrigerated on the prepared tray until you are ready to fill them. Keep them in a single layer so they remain easy to pick up.

Filling prep: The sausage mixture can cool while you prepare the other ingredients, and the assembled ricotta mixture can be covered and refrigerated if you are preparing ahead. Allow for the recipe's stated baking times when planning to serve.

What to serve with manicotti

Fresh contrast: A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette can balance the creamy filling and melted cheese. Keep the dressing separate until just before serving so the leaves stay crisp.

Simple sides: Serve with extra marinara, as the recipe suggests, and add vegetables such as roasted courgette or broccoli if you would like a more varied plate.

Recipe notes & tips

• Salt the pasta water before it comes to the boil.
• Keep the ice bath beside the hob before the six-minute timer ends.
• Let the cooked sausage mixture cool before stirring it into the ricotta.
• Refill the pastry bag in smaller batches so it is easier to handle.
• Arrange any split tubes with the damaged side facing down.
• Watch the dish closely while it is under the grill.

Variations

• Add spinach: Stir well-drained cooked spinach into the ricotta mixture.
• Use pork sausage: Swap in Italian pork sausage if you prefer its richer flavour.
• Add chilli: Mix a pinch of chilli flakes into the sausage as it cooks.
• Try fresh herbs: Replace some of the parsley with minced basil.
• Use provolone: Top the tubes with sliced provolone instead of deli mozzarella.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overcooking the pasta: Boil for exactly 6 minutes after the water returns to a boil, then use an ice bath.
• Leaving tubes in a pile: Lay them separately so they do not stick together.
• Filling while the sausage is hot: Cool it to room temperature before mixing it into the ricotta.
• Overfilling the pastry bag: Use about a third of the mixture at a time, leaving room to twist the top closed.
• Squeezing too hard: Pipe gently from the middle towards each end to reduce splitting.
• Grilling unattended: Stay by the oven and remove the dish as soon as the cheese is lightly browned.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven-safe dish, covered with foil, until hot throughout, or microwave individual portions; add a little marinara if the pasta seems dry.

Frequently asked questions