Manicotti stuffed with melted cheese and smothered in marinara sauce is pure comfort food! This easy dinner recipe satisfies all of your cravings.
This vegetarian stuffed cheese manicotti recipe is super easy to make and the step-by-step process photos below will guide you through the entire recipe.
This easy manicotti recipe is one of those no-fuss picky-eater-approved dinners. It is simply a creamy cheese mixture stuffed into pasta shells and baked with marinara sauce. Its perfect for a big family dinner or when you need to feed a large crowd.
The Best Manicotti EVER!
This manicotti is filled with 3 kinds of cheese and baked to absolute perfection! It’s comfort food at its finest that everyone will go crazy over! It’s definitely sure to please a large crowd!
Prep: 15min
Total: 45min
Yield: 10
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 268 kcal, Carbohydrate 15 g, Protein 17 g, Fat 15 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 72 mg, Sodium 339 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, unSaturated Fat 5 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 10 manicotti
- 16 ounce ricotta cheese
- 3 cups mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1 cup spinach (chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1 16 ounce jar marinara sauce, or homemade sauce
Instruction:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the manicotti according to package directions and rinse in cold water.
- In a medium-sized bowl combine ricotta, one cup of mozzarella cheese, parmesan, spinach, Italian seasoning, and egg.
- Stuff the shells with the cheese mixture. I find that using a piping bag works the best.
- In a 9×13 inch, pan add 1 cup of marinara sauce to the bottom. Line the manicotti in an even layer. Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Beef and Cheese Manicotti
Prep: 0 15min0
Total: 0 55min0
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 6 servings, calories 864, Fat 53g, Saturated Fat 26g, Carbohydrate 46g, Fiber 4g, Sugar 10g, Protein 50g, Cholesterol 164mg, Sodium 1359mg
Ingredients:
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
- 1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Instruction:
- Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
- Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.
The BEST Homemade Cheese Manicotti
Manicotti stuffed with melted cheese and smothered in marinara sauce is pure comfort food! This easy dinner recipe satisfies all the cravings.
Prep: 20min
Total: 80min
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutrition Facts: calories 438 kcal, Carbohydrate 24 g, Protein 29 g, Fat 25 g, Saturated Fat 14 g, Cholesterol 124 mg, Sodium 1288 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 5 g, servingSize 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 5 1/2 ounces manicotti pasta
- 1 pint whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese (shredded and divided in half)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (grated and divided in half)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 8 leaves fresh basil (sliced into thin ribbons)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
Instruction:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Par boil manicotti: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook manicotti for only a minute. Drain. The goal is to soften the pasta and start the cooking process, but the pasta needs to still be extremely firm in order to stuff. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
- Prepare cheese filling: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, garlic, half of the mozzarella, half of the Parmesan, eggs, Italian seasoning, basil, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix well. Add to large resealable plastic bag.
- Prepare manicotti: Add about 1/2 cup of the sauce to the bottom of an 11×17 baking dish. Snip the corner off the bag containing the cheese filling and pipe it into each manicotti tube. Arrange each tube in the pan on the sauce. Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
- Bake: Place manicotti in preheated oven and bake, covered, for about 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 15 additional minutes.
Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
FAQ
Should manicotti be cooked before stuffing?
How do you stuff manicotti without breaking them?
What sauce goes with manicotti?
What do Italians eat with manicotti?