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cheese manicotti on a white plate with a salad

How to Make Cheese Manicotti (Easy Recipe)


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5 from 1 review

  • Author: Rose Atwater
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Yield: 7 1x

Description

This Easy Cheese Manicotti is stuffed with a rich blend of three cheeses, topped with a delicious homemade marinara sauce, and baked to golden, bubbly perfection! It's the ultimate comfort food that everyone will love.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Marinara Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 Cheese Filling

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded

 Assembly

  • 8 oz manicotti pasta
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
  • Parsley, minced (for garnish)

Instructions

Marinara Sauce

  1. Add a tablespoon of oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4-6 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer.
  5. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes. This will help it thicken.

 Cheese Filling

  1. Mix the ricotta, parsley, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, egg, and parsley together.
  2. Add both cheeses and mix until combined.

Assembly

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Boil a salted pot of water and add the noodles. Boil the noodles for 2 minutes then gently strain them. They are very difficult to fill and also get too soft in the oven if they are cooked through before filling and baking.
  3. Rinse with cold water to cool them and prevent them from sticking.
  4. Pour and spread about 1- 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
  5. Add the cheese filling to a pastry bag (or a zip top plastic bag), cut the tip, and fill each par-boiled shell full (about 3 tablespoons). Alternatively, you can simply use a spoon and your fingers to fill the shells.
  6. Place each shell in the baking dish and line them side-by-side in 2 rows. Continue until all shells are filled.
  7. Pour remaining sauce over the stuffed shells, cover with foil, and bake until pasta is tender, about 45-55 minutes.
  8. Uncover, top with parmesan and mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is melty.
  9. Sprinkle with additional parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Freshly shredded cheese makes a huge difference in this recipe.
  • You can use canned pasta or marinara sauce instead of making a homemade sauce, if desired. You will need about 1 ½ jars of pasta sauce.
  • This recipe can be customized easily. Add chopped fresh basil or even chopped spinach.
  • Add crumbled Italian sausage or ground beef to add protein.
  • Manicotti can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days before baking. Bake an additional 5-10 minutes if baking cold. Add the cheese on top at the same point as if baking hot (when the noodles are cooked).
  • Manicotti can be made in advance and put in the freezer for up to 2-months before baking. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes if baking from frozen.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
  • Prep Time: 45
  • Cook Time: 60
  • Category: Pasta
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian
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