There are some nights that I want to eat something comforting and satisfying almost like being wrapped in a big fuzzy blanket. Do you feel me?? When these cravings hit, I know I need to make it myself as it’s close to impossible to find a comfort dish that is: dairy free, gluten free, onion free AND garlic free on a restaurant menu. Manicotti is one of those comfort dishes that I have been wanting to recreate for years. I knew I could make a FODMAP safe dinner version of this classic dish but it would take some creativity. My goal is to always sneak in a vegetable with anything I make. Spinach has always been my go-to as it’s so easy to add. I add it to just about anything I can think of: smoothies, milk shakes, homemade pesto, leftovers and now manicotti. Plus picky kids (or in this case my husband) will have no idea there is spinach in it.
I don’t think spinach gets as much recognition as it should. Not only is it FODMAP safe BUT it is also one of the healthiest foods out there! It’s pretty obvious why Popeye is as strong as he is!
Here are some of my favorite benefits of eating spinach:
Protects against cancer
Improve circulation & blood pressure
High in vitamin A & C & magnesium
Maintain Bone Health
Help slow the aging process
Looking for other “comfort” type FODMAP safe dinner recipes, check out my baked gnocchi, butternut squash risotto, and Thai turkey meatballs in coconut sauce.
Vegan cheese manicotti filling in the food processor.
Manicotti filling ready to pipe
Low FODMAP tomato sauce simmering.
Manicotti ready to be baked in the oven.
Spinach & Cheese Manicotti
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
A comfort Italian dish that will for sure be a hit for dinner!
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (make sure garlic and onion free)
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Filling:
- 1 8 oz container of FODMAP safe ricotta (l like Kite Hill cheese)
- 6 oz dairy free cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp dried red chili peppers
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tbsp fresh basil
- 1 container of gluten-free manicotti noodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium size saucepan, add all of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes.
- Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Transfer filling mixture to a Ziploc bag and set aside.
- Bring a large pot to a boil. Once water has begun to boil, add manicotti noodles and follow package instructions.
- Drain pasta and set aside.
- Add half the tomato sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 11 baking dish.
- Fill the noodles and place on a single line until all the noodles and filling has been used.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.
- Remove cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Notes
It’s important to note that in order to keep this FODMAP safe, stick to 1/4 cup serving size of pasta sauce.
Keywords: FODMAP dinner, pasta recipes, low fodmap dinner, vegetarian pasta recipes
