Freezer Meals 101

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manicotti

Make Ahead Mexican Manicotti Bake

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Our family loves Tex Mex type flavors. I’ve been making an Italian Manicotti freezer meal for years. I decided to experiment. I took the inspiration of the Tex Mex influence and created this Mexican Manicotti Bake. Mexican Manicotti Freezer Meal Bake #freezermeals101 #casserole #familyfriendly #forsupperThis little experiment really paid off! The taste is there. My family approved of this new version of manicotti.

I doubled the recipe to make one large casserole dish. We have a large family, so a single recipe wouldn’t be enough for all 9 of us. The recipe below makes one square dish.

Mexican Manicotti Bake Recipe:

  • 1 lb. ground beef, browned
  • 16 oz. can refried beans
  • 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 1/2 cup shredded tex mex cheese blend
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 14 oz. tomato sauce
  • 4 oz. can green chilies
  • box manicotti noodles
  • shredded tex mex cheese blend for topping

Brown the ground beef. Mix together the cooked ground beef, refried beans, 1/2 cup tex mex cheese, softened cream cheese, 1/2 the tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and green chilies in a large bowl. collage of Mexican manicotti bake under foil and on a plateWith a small spoon or piping bag, fill the manicotti noodles with the mixture. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over everything. Top with a sprinkling of shredded cheese.

Place in a square foil casserole dish. If you double it, use a large foil dish. Cover with two layers of aluminum foil. Freeze. close up of Mexican manicotti bake

Bake at 350° for one hour if thawed before putting in or one and a half hours if cooking from frozen.

Serve with a fresh garden salad.

You’ll also enjoy these freezer meal recipes:

Tex Mex Pasta Bake collage of tex mex pasta bake in freezer bag and on a plateSalsa Verde Chicken Tacos close up of Mexican salsa verde chicken tacos

Print
Mexican Manicotti Bake Recipe
Course: Main Course
Keyword: freezer meal, mexican manicotti
Servings: 6
Calories: 411 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 lb. ground beef browned
  • 16 oz. can refried beans
  • 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 1/2 cup shredded tex mex cheese blend
  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 14 oz. tomato sauce
  • 4 oz. can green chilies
  • box manicotti noodles
  • shredded tex mex cheese blend for topping
Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef. Mix together the cooked ground beef, refried beans, 1/2 cup tex mex cheese, softened cream cheese, 1/2 the tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and green chilies in a large bowl.

  2. With a small spoon or piping bag, fill the manicotti noodles with the mixture. Pour the rest of the tomato sauce over everything. Top with a sprinkling of shredded cheese. Place in a square foil casserole dish. Cover with two layers of aluminum foil. Freeze.

  3. Bake at 350° for one hour if thawed or one and a half hours if cooking from frozen.