Take-out Tuesday, Short Cut Asparagus Manicotti

the Painted Apron

9 years ago

Okay, in case you are officially exhausted from the holiday whirlwind, this recipe is perfect for tired cooks, especially if you have some leftover holiday ham

I love manicotti, but it can be a little labor intensive

This is my short cut version, but don’t let the title fool you, it’s plenty big on flavor

If you don’t have any ham, no problem, just make it without-

Oh, and did I mention that it’s covered with alfredo sauce and cheese 😋

It’s a short cut to heaven!

Boil manicotti for 5 minutes and drain immediately

You want it only partially done so it doesn’t tear when filling

Snap tough ends off asparagus and rinse. Wrap in a clean towel and microwave for 2 minutes on high

Pour about 1/2 jar of sauce in sprayed casserole dish and top with Parmesan and ham

Simply slide 4-5 spears of asparagus into each manicotti noodle

Lay them on the bed of Alfredo sauce and ham

Cover with more sauce

Parmesan and Cheddar

That’s it!

Your tummy will never know you didn’t slave over the preparation

Ham & Asparagus Manicotti

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword asparagus manicotti, easy manicotti, manicotti, pasta casserole, shortcut manicotti

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 bunches fresh asparagus about 50 spears
12 manicotti noodles
1 jar 15 oz Alfredo sauce {I used Classico}
4-6 slices spiralized ham {optional}
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz grated sharp cheddar or other cheese of choice

Instructions

Boil manicotti for 5 minutes and drain, pasta should be softened but not cooked completely.
Snap woody ends off of asparagus spears, rinse and wrap in clean towel. Microwave for 2 minutes on high. Let cool several minutes.
Chop ham slices into bite size pieces. Spray or grease casserole dish and spread half of sauce over bottom in an even layer. Sprinkle with 1/2 of Parmesan cheese. Top with ham pieces.
Fill each manicotti with 4-5 spears and place them on top of ham. Cover manicotti evenly with remaining sauce, spreading it with the back of a spoon. Cover sauce with grated cheeses. Cover dish and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Bake at 325, covered, for 30-45 minutes until heated through and golden. Time will depend on temperature of dish at the beginning of cooking time. Serve with a large spatula to include the ham from the bottom of the dish.