Description
Creamy Italian classic manicotti delivers a comforting pasta experience packed with ricotta and mozzarella. Melted cheese and hearty marinara sauce create a delightful meal you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 8 pieces manicotti
Cheese Mixture:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) ricotta cheese
- 2 cups (226 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping
- 1/2 cup (50 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
Sauce:
- 24 ounces (680 grams) marinara sauce, or spaghetti sauce, any flavor, divided
Instructions
- Prepare manicotti noodles according to package directions, ensuring they are fully cooked. Drain thoroughly and arrange on parchment paper to cool and prevent sticking.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then spread a thin marinara sauce layer across the bottom for preventing sticking.
- Create cheese mixture by combining ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Blend until smooth and uniform in texture.
- Carefully stuff cooled manicotti tubes with prepared cheese mixture. Use a spoon or pastry bag for precision. Fill from both ends to ensure complete coverage.
- Arrange stuffed manicotti in a single layer within the prepared baking dish, positioning them carefully over the sauce base.
- Pour remaining marinara sauce evenly over the filled manicotti, completely covering the pasta tubes.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes at 350°F, ensuring even heat distribution.
- Remove foil and sprinkle additional mozzarella cheese on top. Return to oven and bake uncovered for 5-10 minutes until cheese melts and becomes golden.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately while hot and cheese is melted.
Notes
- Keep pasta slightly undercooked to prevent mushiness during baking, ensuring perfect texture when fully prepared.
- Use a piping bag or zip-lock bag with corner snipped for easier, cleaner cheese filling without tearing delicate pasta tubes.
- Substitute ricotta with cottage cheese for lower-fat version or use plant-based cheese alternatives for vegan dietary needs.
- Allow manicotti to rest 5-10 minutes after baking to help cheese set and make serving cleaner and more structured.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg