Cheesy Manicotti
This manicotti recipe is an Italian-American favorite with three kinds of cheese, marinara sauce, and spinach! It's an oven-baked classic that feeds a crowd.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 manicotti shells
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 16 ounces frozen spinach thawed
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded
- For serving: fresh basil and/or chopped parsley optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375F and move the rack to the top third of the oven.
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook the manicotti 2 minutes less than package directions indicate (they will finish cooking in the oven). Once the pasta is done, drain it and keep in your colander/strainer until needed.
- Pour the jar of marinara sauce in a 9x13 casserole dish and spread it out evenly.
- While the manicotti cooks, thaw the spinach and squeeze the water out thoroughly. Add it to a prep bowl along with the ricotta, parmesan, egg, salt & pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Stir together until well combined.
- Spoon or pipe the mixture into each manicotti noodle and add them to the casserole dish as you fill them. I find it fastest to use a small spoon (like a teaspoon), and I fill each one halfway then turn it around and finish filling it from the other opening. You can pack quite a lot of filling into each manicotti shell so it all gets used up (let some filling stick out a bit as shown in the step-by-step photos in the blog post).
- Top with the mozzarella and cover the casserole dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese (watch it carefully so it doesn't burn).
- Serve immediately with extra salt & pepper as needed and fresh basil and/or parsley if using.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size. Two manicotti shells per person is a reasonable portion size, especially if it's served with something else.
- You can use fresh spinach if you prefer. Simply sauté 16 oz. of fresh baby spinach in a skillet until wilted, let it cool, and then chop it.
- See the blog post for make ahead info, freezing tips, and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 1387mg | Potassium: 825mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10118IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 613mg | Iron: 4mg