SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI (MEATLESS)

Spinach Cheese Manicotti (Meatless) image

Provided by HeatherFeather

Time 1h25m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (canola or olive)
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded,divided (4 ounces)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated,divided
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8 manicotti, cooked and drained acording to package directions
1 (26 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps:

In a small skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil for about 3 minutes, set aside.
In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, just 1/2 cup of the mozarella, all of the cream cheese, just 4 Tbsp of the Parmesan,the Italian seasoning, and the pepper until smooth.
Add the onion mixture to the cheese mixture, along with the spinach (along with a dash to taste of both freshly grated nutmeg and some cinnamon).
Fill the cooked manicotti noodles either with a spoon or by piping the mixture (using a decorating bag or a ziptop bag with one end snipped off).
Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13" casserole.
Place filled manicotti in the pan on top of the sauce, then pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Cover an bake at 350 F 25 minutes.
Remove the cover, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and bake another 5-10 minutes more to melt cheese.