homemade manicotti

Cheese Manicotti is truly comfort food.  Tender manicotti noodles stuffed with a blend of three kinds of cheese, baked in a hearty marinara sauce, and topped with melted mozzarella make this dish a delicious meal the whole family will love.

Cheese Manicotti Recipe

manicotti shells

ricotta cheese

mozzarella cheese (shredded)

cheese

oregano

basil

parsley (finely chopped)

garlic powder

onion powder

salt

¼ tsp black pepper

eggs

oz marinara sauce

mozzarella (shredded)

tbsp Italian parsley (finely chopped)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add one-half cup of marinara sauce to the bottom of a baking dish and set aside until needed.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring it to a boil.  Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water.

Add the manicotti shells to the boiling water. Drain. *You only want to soften the pasta, not cook it.  The manicotti tubes will finish cooking in the oven.

Add the ricotta, mozzarella, grated Romano, eggs, and all the seasonings to a large bowl. Mix well to fully combine the ingredients.

Add the cheese mixture to a pastry bag or a large ziplock bag with one end snipped off.

Fill the par-cooked manicotti shells with the ricotta mixture and place them in the baking dish.

Add the remaining sauce on top of the manicotti and top with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese and finely chopped Italian parsley.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place it on the center rack of the preheated oven.

Bake the manicotti, covered, for 40- 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted.

Serve with extra grated Romano or parmesan cheese and a side salad.

This make-ahead, Homemade Manicotti is beyond delicious with an Italian sausage marinara and tender melt-in-your-mouth pasta.

Make-Ahead Italian Sausage Manicotti

extra virgin olive oil

Italian sausage

garlic (finely minced)

Italian seasoning

14 1/2- ounce can fire-roasted canned tomatoes

basil leaves

water

milk

all-purpose flour

butter (cooled slightly)

Mozzarella cheese (I like whole milk Mozzarella)

Parmesan cheese

black pepper

Mozzarella Cheese (I like whole milk Mozzarella)

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until golden brown (about 10 minutes), breaking up the sausage with a metal spatula until sausage is crumbly.

When sausage is golden brown, pour off all accumulated fat except for 1 tablespoon. Add garlic and Italian seasoning to sausage and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring continually.

Add fire-roasted tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes until sauce is beginning to thicken.&nbsp;

Remove from heat, add chopped basil and stir to combine. Transfer sauce to an 8x12 baking dish or 12-inch oval gratin pan

For the sauce:

Combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil (or parsley), salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

For the filling:

Whisk eggs together then add all ingredients together and whisk until smooth. Consistency will be like heavy cream.

Heat a 6 or 7-inch skillet until hot over medium heat. Remove pan from the burner and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Add 1/4 cup batter to the pan and swirl the pan until the bottom is evenly coated. Cook until the surface becomes slightly dull, about 30-40 seconds. Flip and cook opposite side for another 10-15 seconds. Slide the pasta circle onto a piece of parchment paper.

Repeat, making 5 more pasta circles, stacking them between pieces of parchment paper.

Continue with the recipe or refrigerate stack in a ziplock bag, if not using right away.

For the pasta:

Place about 1/6 of the filling (a large rounded tablespoonful) onto the lower end of one of the pasta rounds. Spread filling in an even layer across the circle (see picture above in the post). Bring the lower end of the circle over the filling and roll into a tube shape. Place pasta tube on top of meat sauce in the pan.

Repeat with remaining pasta rounds, snuggling the filled pasta next to each other on top of the meat sauce.

Top with 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella.

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Tent manicotti with foil so that foil is not touching cheeses. Bake for 45 minutes then remove foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes (until cheese is beginning to brown at the edges). Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley, if desired.

To fill the pasta:

This manicotti is filled with 3 kinds of cheese and baked to absolute perfection! It&#039;s comfort food at its finest that everyone will go crazy over! It&#039;s definitely sure to please a large crowd!

The Best Manicotti EVER!

manicotti

mozzarella cheese (divided)

parmesan

spinach (chopped)

jar marinara sauce,

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Italian Seasoning

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 9x13 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.

I worked in the best Italian restaurant and they used crepes for their manicotti and cannelloni.  I can make this low-carb with almond flour crepes!  Thanks for the recipe!

Recipe was delicious! 

Just a little comment! You should never cover sauce with foil in the fridge. First plastic then aluminum foil. The acidity in sauce eats away at the foil and can leave debris in your dish causing stomach upset.

I'll say one thing, and I'm not ashamed to say it. My estimation of Alyssa Rivers as a cook, just skyrocketed. 
Breath of fresh air after eating grilled cheese off the radiator in the can.

Top 3 homemade manicotti recipes from across the web

The most viewed homemade manicotti recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Cheese Manicotti Recipe

Make-Ahead Italian Sausage Manicott...

The Best Manicotti EVER!

Top 3 homemade manicotti recipes from across the web

The most viewed homemade manicotti recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Cheese Manicotti Recipe

Make-Ahead Italian Sausage Manicott...

The Best Manicotti EVER!

The most viewed homemade manicotti recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine