Mushroom Manicotti Pasta Recipe

I hope your long President’s Day weekend was a lovely as ours. We had some company on Saturday and had a relaxing Sunday and Monday. Yesterday, we made a few appetizers and mostly snacked on these bite-size finger foods and a few sweets throughout the day. By the evening, I still felt pretty full and assumed everyone else was too, but I was so wrong. I ran into the kitchen and improvised a meal with one Portobello mushroom, ricotta cheese, manicotti pasta shells, tomato sauce and a jar of peach jalapeno preserves from our friend Martha at San Saba River Pecan Company.

I completed a salad and mushroom manicotti dish in less than 40 minutes. The challenge was to turn a handful of key ingredients into a dish as fast as possible before baby Aria woke up from her afternoon nap. Come to think of it, that sounds like a fun Food Network Challenge! At any rate, I’m proud to report my husband Lulu and family absolutely loved the dishes. I’ll share the salad with you soon.

1. Info for Mushroom Manicotti Pasta Recipe

• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Servings: 6
• Calories: 272 kcal

2. Ingredients for Mushroom Manicotti Pasta Recipe

• 1 (8-ounce) package manicotti pasta, cooked
• 1 Portobello mushroom
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 (4.5-ounce) tube tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (8-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 6 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
• 1 (15-ounce) package ricotta cheese
• ½ (8-ounce) jar jalapeno and peach preserves (see tips)
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese, finely chopped
• 1 fresh mozzarella ball, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Asiago cheese, freshly shaved

3. Directions:

1. Prepping the Portobello mushroom: Using the edge of a spoon, scrape and remove the gills of the mushroom. Wipe the inside clean using a paper towel (see tips). Cut into thin slices, then cut crosswise into quarters. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a medium-sized pan, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the yellow onion and cook for about 6-8 minutes until soft and nicely golden. Leaving as much oil as possible in the pan, transfer to a platter. Set aside for the tomato sauce.
3. Add 2 more tablespoons oil and add the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add ricotta cheese and mix until evenly distributed. Add the chopped Monterey Jack and 4 tablespoons parsley. Mix well.
4. Adjust seasoning. Add more salt if necessary.
5. Heat the same pan and return the onions. Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the jalapeno and peach preserves. Stir well. Season with salt and pepper.
6. In a large casserole dish lined with parchment paper and sprayed with oil (for easy clean up), spread a layer of tomato sauce first.
7. Stuff the manicotti shells with the mushroom mixture and place the stuffed shells into the pan. Ladle more tomato sauce over the manicotti shells. It should cover the whole tray. Cover with sliced mozzarella and sprinkle on Asiago cheese.
8. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 400°F, lower the temperature to 375°F and cook for another 20 minutes. Broil for about 2-3 minutes to get a nice golden top (if necessary). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
9. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.
10. Bon appétit!