Mushroom and Beef Manicotti for Two
Ingredients
1/2 lb Ground Beef
4 oz Baby Portobello Mushrooms
7 oz Ricotta cheese (half of a 15oz container)
7 Manicotti shells
2 cups Spaghetti sauce (your favorite kind)
Procedure
Cook the Manicotti shells until Al Dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a steamer, steam the hamburger meat until done. Stir often to break it up into a fine mix. Drain and set aside.
Put the Mushrooms in a food processor and grind till finally minced. Alternatively, mince by hand with a Chef’s knife.
In a large bowl, add the hamburger, minced mushrooms, and Ricotta. Stir well to fully incorporate all ingredients.
Using a small spoon, scoop the mushroom mixture and stuff into the Manicotti shells and set aside. In a small baking dish (preferably an individual serving dish), lay down a layer of the sauce. Now place the stuffed Manicotti into the dish. Cover the shells with more sauce. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is nicely browned.
Notes
Tip: These shells are so large it’s easier to just use your hands to stuff them. Forego the spoon for a bit of ease if you don’t mind working with your hands.
I used 2 individual serving dishes with 2 stuffed shells each. I had enough stuffing leftover to fill 3 more shells. With those, I used a slightly larger dish that could hold 3 shells and baked it. It went into the fridge for DW’s lunch tomorrow. If you make this recipe as is, expect 7 stuffed shells. You can easily accommodate all 7 in a larger 9 x 13 baking dish.
And of course….WHY did I steam the hamburger meat? A few reasons. For one, the grease drips away into the water meaning you don’t have to drain it, and you can save the “beef/grease” stock to give to the dogs (works great over Gravy Train dog food – the kind that makes “gravy” when you add water). Second, the velvety texture of steamed ground beef is very nice and works well here. Third, the flavor changes a bit since there is no caramelization; it’s a subtle change but nice. Finally, I’ve found steaming allows you to break the meat up into a really fine meal-like mixture. No big chunks means much easier stuffing and no tearing.
Steaming the beef.
The Mushrooms ground up by the Food Processor.
The Mushrooms with the Ricotta cheese and hamburger meat mixed in.
A shot of the individual dish – the spoon is there for size reference.
Add the bottom layer of sauce.
Add the stuffed shells.
Cover with sauce.
Top with Mozzarella.
Bake until golden brown.
Oh – and the “extra” dish that will serve as DW’s lunch tomorrow.
Ingredients
1/2 lb Ground Beef
4 oz Baby Portobello Mushrooms
7 oz Ricotta cheese (half of a 15oz container)
7 Manicotti shells
2 cups Spaghetti sauce (your favorite kind)
Procedure
Cook the Manicotti shells until Al Dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a steamer, steam the hamburger meat until done. Stir often to break it up into a fine mix. Drain and set aside.
Put the Mushrooms in a food processor and grind till finally minced. Alternatively, mince by hand with a Chef’s knife.
In a large bowl, add the hamburger, minced mushrooms, and Ricotta. Stir well to fully incorporate all ingredients.
Using a small spoon, scoop the mushroom mixture and stuff into the Manicotti shells and set aside. In a small baking dish (preferably an individual serving dish), lay down a layer of the sauce. Now place the stuffed Manicotti into the dish. Cover the shells with more sauce. Top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is nicely browned.
Notes
Tip: These shells are so large it’s easier to just use your hands to stuff them. Forego the spoon for a bit of ease if you don’t mind working with your hands.
I used 2 individual serving dishes with 2 stuffed shells each. I had enough stuffing leftover to fill 3 more shells. With those, I used a slightly larger dish that could hold 3 shells and baked it. It went into the fridge for DW’s lunch tomorrow. If you make this recipe as is, expect 7 stuffed shells. You can easily accommodate all 7 in a larger 9 x 13 baking dish.
And of course….WHY did I steam the hamburger meat? A few reasons. For one, the grease drips away into the water meaning you don’t have to drain it, and you can save the “beef/grease” stock to give to the dogs (works great over Gravy Train dog food – the kind that makes “gravy” when you add water). Second, the velvety texture of steamed ground beef is very nice and works well here. Third, the flavor changes a bit since there is no caramelization; it’s a subtle change but nice. Finally, I’ve found steaming allows you to break the meat up into a really fine meal-like mixture. No big chunks means much easier stuffing and no tearing.
Steaming the beef.
The Mushrooms ground up by the Food Processor.
The Mushrooms with the Ricotta cheese and hamburger meat mixed in.
A shot of the individual dish – the spoon is there for size reference.
Add the bottom layer of sauce.
Add the stuffed shells.
Cover with sauce.
Top with Mozzarella.
Bake until golden brown.
Oh – and the “extra” dish that will serve as DW’s lunch tomorrow.
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