Did you know that manicotti translates literally to “little sleeves?!” Little sleeves made to be surrounded by all the yummy things! That’s what this Mimic Manicotti Casserole entails. Big, bouncy noodles swimming in a rich, tomato-y sauce packed with juicy beef and sausage, and so much melty cheese. For a little kick, there are some spicy pepperoni slices sprinkled on top. What a filling feast this is! Learning new things is fun… especially when they taste as delicious as Mimic Manicotti Casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 (8-ounce) can mushrooms, drained
- 2 (32-ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
- 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, shredded
- pepperoni, to taste, thinly sliced
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta.
Step 3 –While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and the Italian sausage, while crumbing, until no longer pink, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 4 –Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat mixture to a 5-quart baking dish.
Step 5 –Stir the mushrooms, the spaghetti sauce, and the cooked pasta into the meat mixture.
Step 6 –Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and the pepperoni over the top of the pasta mixture.
Step 7 –Bake the casserole until the cheese is brown and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Step 8 –Serve.
