No Bake Crockpot Manicotti
This recipe turned out SO good! It is such an easy weeknight meal and only one bowl to clean!! The ingredients are so simple, you likely have most of them in your pantry! This recipe could easily be doubled for larger crowds or for leftovers! Let me know if you try this simple dinner recipe!
Let’s get started!
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
4 hours
Total Time
4 hours 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese (optional)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 8oz package Manicotti shells uncooked
- 1 lb ground beef or Italian Sausage browned and drained
- 1 24oz jar pasta sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning- optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown a pound of ground beef or Italian sausage
- Pour a 24oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce into the meat
- Add the seasonings and stir
- Cover with a lid and let simmer on low heat
- Add the Ricotta, cottage cheese, shredded Parmesan, and 1 cup mozzarella cheesed into a medium sized bowl- stir together until well blended
- Spoon the cheese into a large resealable plastic bag such as a Ziplock, close the end, being sure to remove the air and snip off one corner so you can pipe the cheese into the shells
- Spoon a small layer of your meat sauce mixture into the bottom of your Crockpot to completely cover the bottom
- Open 1 8oz package of Manicotti shells
- Pipe the cheese into each shell
- Place 7 stuffed shells into the Crockpot on top of the meat layer
- Spoon more the meat sauce over the shells
- Add one more layer of the stuffed Manicotti shells and top it with the remaining meat sauce
- Cover and let cook on low for 4 hours or 2 hours on high
- When there is 20 minutes left of cook time, sprinkle the remaining shredded mozzarella on top
- Once melted, serve with a side salad!
Notes
I like to use a large can of crushed tomatoes for my pasta sauce. If you do this add 1/2 cup of water as well and more seasonings to give it flavor.