Italian Stuffed Pasta Tubes

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This Italian stuffed pasta tubes recipe is one I created after tasting something similar at a local restaurant. The stuffed pasta tubes freeze well, allowing dinner to be ready faster. I generally make my pasta tubes and spaghetti sauce from scratch, but to shorten preparation time, manicotti tubes and jarred spaghetti sauce will work, too.

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
50 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Servings:
10
Yield:
1 (9x13-inch) casserole
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 10 servings

Stuffed Manicotti:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package manicotti shells

  • 1 (20 ounce) package Italian turkey sausages, casings removed

  • 1 (24 ounce) jar roasted garlic spaghetti sauce (such as Barilla), divided

  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

  • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning

  • cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • cooking spray

Cheese Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups heavy cream

  • ½ cup shredded Fontina cheese

  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

  • ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook manicotti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 7 minutes. Drain; cool.

  2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess grease.

  3. Add 2 cups spaghetti sauce, garlic, and Italian seasoning to sausage; simmer for about 10 minutes.

  4. Cut open manicotti tubes; lay flat. Place about 3 tablespoons sausage mixture down middle of flattened tubes; divide and sprinkle 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese on top sausage mixture. Roll up tubes.

  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly coat a 9x13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

  6. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until a smooth paste forms. Slowly pour in cream, whisking to prevent any lumps. Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in Fontina cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese until thoroughly blended.

  7. Pour 1/2 cheese sauce into the prepared casserole dish. Place stuffed tubes, seam-sides down, over sauce; pour remaining 1/2 cheese sauce on top. Pour remaining 1 cup spaghetti sauce down middle of casserole.

  8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

I use turkey sausage, but feel free to use pork sausage.

If you plan on freezing the stuffed tubes, place them seam-sides down on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Freeze stuffed tubes until solid then transfer to a resealable plastic bag; store in the freezer. Make the cheese sauce the day you plan to cook the casserole. Allow stuffed tubes to thaw at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for 45 to 50 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

569 Calories
44g Fat
23g Carbs
23g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Calories 569
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 44g 56%
Saturated Fat 22g 111%
Cholesterol 162mg 54%
Sodium 1146mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 23g 45%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 205mg 16%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 263mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.