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Taste of Italy: Weeknight Manicotti (Gluten-Free)

I’ve been tweaking this recipe for years to make it just a bit more nutritious without losing any of the nostalgic, cozy flavor. It’s gluten-free, high in protein, and full of savory goodness. The best part? It makes enough to freeze for future you. (Trust me—future you will thank present you.)
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion coarsely chopped
  • ½ lb lean ground turkey
  • 2 cups mushrooms roughly chopped
  • Salt + freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 box gluten-free manicotti
  • 2 cups cottage cheese (low fat)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella (low fat) divided
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan
  • 4-6 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
  • 3 cups marinara sauce

Method
 

  1. Sauté onion in olive oil until starting to caramelize, then add turkey, cook until done. Stir in mushrooms, salt & pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes, till mushrooms are tender. Set aside to cool.
  2. Boil water with a little salt and oil, and cook manicotti. Set aside to cool.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 2 cups mozzarella, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, spinach, and the cooled turkey mixture.
  4. Stuff the filling into cooked GF manicotti shells. Spread sauce in a baking dish, layer in the stuffed shells, pour more sauce over the top, sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella.
  5. Bake covered at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, then uncover to brown the top a bit. Serve hot and enjoy. 🍝

Notes

(It makes a lot, so I freeze half of the stuffed manicotti shells in a pan for later, and also freeze the filling that didn’t fit. Then I can just boil a half box of shells and have a third dinner from one prep!)