Manicotti (3-Cheese Stuffed Pasta)
Manicotti, meaning “little sleeves” in Italian, is a classic dish named for its signature tube-shaped pasta shells. In this easy recipe, you simply stuff the large shells with a decadent 3-cheese mixture, layer with spaghetti sauce, and bake until melted and bubbly. It's a luxurious baked pasta that's ready in 45 minutes or less! And, you can freeze it for a later date or a friend in need (see tips below).
Servings: 8 up to
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 8 ounces (12 tubes) manicotti pasta
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 10 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or sliced
- 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (I use my homemade Italian seasoning recipe without added salt)
- Black pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups homemade spaghetti sauce (or substitute with one 24-ounce jar of marinara)
Instructions
- Get ready. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and heat to 350°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season well with salt.
- Cook the pasta. Add the manicotti to the boiling water and cook until softened but still slightly firm, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and cool.
- Prepare the filling. Add the ricotta cheese to a medium mixing bowl, along with half of the mozzarella and parmesan (save the remaining for later). Add the parsley, Italian seasoning and a big pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each, depending on whether your Italian seasoning already has salt). Add a drizzle of olive oil and mix until well-combined.
- Get ready to stuff. Add half of the spaghetti sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and tilt to spread. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and fit with a round piping tip. If you don’t have a piping bag, use a large zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
- Stuff the cooked manicotti shells. When the manicotti tubes are cool enough to handle, squeeze the ricotta filling into each side until completely stuffed. Arrange the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish as you go.
- Layer and bake. Top the stuffed pasta with the remaining spaghetti sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake on the center rack of your heated oven until the cheese is bubbling and melty, 20 to 30 minutes.
- Rest and serve. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to rest for about 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with more parsley and serve!
Video
Notes
- To refrigerate: Wrap tightly with plastic and refrigerate up to overnight. Unwrap and bake until the cheese has melted and slightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes in total.
- To freeze: Wrap tightly with plastic and freeze for up to 2 months. Unwrap and bake from frozen until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the center is hot, about 50 minutes to 1 hour in total.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 262.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 17.8g | Fat: 17.8g | Saturated Fat: 10.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.9g | Cholesterol: 63.3mg | Sodium: 867.9mg | Potassium: 394.6mg | Fiber: 1.7g | Sugar: 3.8g | Vitamin A: 1176.2IU | Vitamin C: 9.8mg | Calcium: 398.2mg | Iron: 1.7mg
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