Manicotti

This four-cheese manicotti recipe can be on the table in less than an hour! It's an easy (and vegetarian) weeknight dinner that strikes the perfect balance between cheesy and saucy.

Recipe includes a how-to video!

Course Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 55

Servings servings

Calories 584kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

13x9 glass or ceramic baking dish
Mixing bowls
Piping bag

Ingredients

8 oz (226 g) manicotti shells
24 oz (680 g) whole milk ricotta about 3 cups
1 cup (113 g) shredded mozzarella cheese (note that you will need another cup of cheese for the topping)
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese softened
½ cup (30 g) grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 garlic cloves pressed
3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley plus additional for topping if desired (may substitute 1 Tablespoon dried parsley)
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon table salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For Baking

1 cup (113 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups (525 g) marinara sauce homemade or store-bought (500ml)
Additional fresh parsley or parmesan for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F (190C). You will need a 13x9 casserole dish or similar sized dish for this recipe.
Cook pasta according to package instructions in well-salted water except reduce cooking time by 1 minute (I cook my manicotti shells for 6 minutes). Immediately drain and rinse well under cold water to stop the cooking process.
8 oz manicotti shells
In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, parmesan, egg, pressed garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, salt and pepper and stir until thoroughly combined.
24 oz whole milk ricotta, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 4 oz cream cheese, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 large egg, 2 garlic cloves, 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Transfer the filling to a large piping bag (this is ideal, but if you don’t have one a large ziploc bag with a small corner snipped or even a spoon will do the job).
Layer 1 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish.
2 cups marinara sauce
Snip a hole in the end of the piping bag and pipe filling evenly into each manicotti.
Arrange manicotti in baking dish and cover with another cup of marinara sauce.
Top with mozzarella cheese. Lightly grease a piece of aluminum foil with butter or oil and cover the dish (greased side down!).
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Transfer to center rack of 375F (190C) preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, then carefully remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melty and mixture is bubbly (about 10 minutes longer).
Remove from oven and serve warm, topped with fresh parsley or parmesan cheese, if desired.
Additional fresh parsley or parmesan for garnish

Video

Notes

Spinach

Spinach is a nice addition and a good way to add some veggies to this dish. To add, reduce the ricotta to 15 oz. Thaw and dry well 10 oz of frozen spinach and stir this into the filling.

Meat

You can cook 1 lb of ground beef or sausage, drain well and cool slightly and then stir this into the cheese mixture for a meat manicotti, just know you will likely have leftover filling

Storing

Store tightly covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or place in oven safe dish, cover with foil and heat in 350F (175C) oven and bake until warmed through (time depends on how much you are reheating, typically 10-20 minutes).

Freezing

Manicotti freezes well, and you can freeze before or after baking for up to 3 months. Cover tightly (I cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil) and freeze. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then follow baking instructions in the recipe (may take longer since it is baked from cold or if manicotti is not completely thawed, but check at 30 minutes). TIP: Adding a bit of extra marinara helps keep reheated manicotti from drying out!

Nutrition