Description
Cheesy Beef-Stuffed Pasta Tubes is a rich, satisfying dish where tender pasta tubes are filled with seasoned beef and smothered in a savory tomato sauce and melted cheese. It’s a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
- large pasta tubes (cannelloni or manicotti)
- ground beef
- onion, diced
- garlic, minced
- olive oil
- tomato sauce
- tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- ricotta or cottage cheese (optional in filling)
- mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Parmesan cheese
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook pasta tubes until just al dente; drain and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Add beef and cook until browned; season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir in tomato paste and a little tomato sauce; simmer for 5 minutes.
- Fill pasta tubes with beef mixture (use a piping bag or spoon).
- Spread some tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange filled tubes on top.
- Pour remaining sauce over pasta. Sprinkle generously with mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Notes
- For added flavor, you can mix spinach or mushrooms into the beef mixture.
- Ground turkey or chicken can be used as a leaner option for the filling.
- Swap mozzarella for provolone or gouda for a different cheese flavor.
- This dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until hot.
- Assemble and refrigerate the dish up to 24 hours before baking for easy make-ahead preparation.
- Freezing before baking works best, but you can also freeze after baking if needed.
- Cannelloni or manicotti tubes are ideal for holding the filling and providing the best result.
- Adding ricotta to the filling enhances its creaminess and richness.
- Cook the pasta al dente to prevent it from tearing when filling.
- For convenience, jarred tomato sauce can be used.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta tubes.
- If you’re a cheese lover, feel free to add more cheese on top before baking.
- Serve with garlic bread or a green salad for a perfect meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 85mg