This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Forget everything you think you know about manicotti. This isn’t some bland, soggy tray from the freezer aisle. It’s pasta done right.

Stuffed with a rich three cheese blend, and baked in marinara until bubbling and golden.  It’s the kind of meal that makes people fight over leftovers. If you really want to take it up a notch, try using my homemade ricotta cheese for the filling.

Two cheese manicotti on a dinner plate next to a green salad.
Email this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

It’s the kind of cozy, indulgent dinner that feeds a crowd, or future you. I like to double the recipe, bake one pan now, and stash the second in the freezer for an easy win later in the month. If you’re into make-ahead meals like this, don’t miss my stuffed pasta shells.

Here is Why This Three Cheese Manicotti Recipe Works

Triple the cheese, triple the fun:  Ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan team up for a creamy, dreamy filling that hits all the right notes….melty, savory, and rich.

No-fuss marinara: Store-bought marinara keeps things simple, but feel free to make our basil garlic pasta sauce if you have the time. 

Make-ahead friendly: You can fill the shells and assemble the dish a day ahead—just cover and chill until you’re ready to bake.

No mushy noodles: Par-cooking the manicotti keeps them sturdy enough to stuff but still tender after baking

Adding the ingredients for the filling to a bowl.
Ricotta cheese filling in a piping bag.
Piping ricotta cheese into a manicotti pasta shell.
Placing ricotta cheese manicotti in a baking dish.

Recipe Tips

Undercook the pasta: Boil the shells just 6 to 7 minutes. If you boil them until they are soft,  they’ll tear when you try to fill them.

Use a piping bag: Snip the corner off a plastic bag and squeeze the filling into the pasta tubes. It’s way easier (and less messy) than wrestling with a spoon.

Divide the filling: Don’t overload your piping bag. Smaller amounts are easier to handle and give you way more control when filling the shells.

Oil the pan and shells: A little non-stick spray keeps everything from turning into a sticky mess.

Go for two pans if needed: If your shells are too snug in one dish, give them breathing room by splitting across two pans

Swap the cheese, keep the flavor: No mozzarella or Parmesan? Fontina or Asiago bring their own melty, nutty thing to the table and make great substitutes.

You can squeeze 14 manicotti into a 13×9-inch pan (see below), but I prefer to give them a little breathing room. Either split them between two pans or use a larger roasting pan like the one shown here. They’ll bake more evenly, soak up more sauce, and it makes freezing a second batch super easy.

Fourteen stuffed manicotti arranged in a 13x9-inch baking dish, ready to be baked for a cheesy Italian comfort food dinner.
All 14 manicotti fit snugly in a 13×9-inch pan.
Fourteen manicotti arranged in a large roasting pan with extra room for sauce—perfect for a saucy baked pasta dish.
A larger roasting pan gives the manicotti more room for extra sauce.
Stuffed manicotti split between two baking dishes before baking—a flexible baked pasta dinner option.
Split into two pans for extra room without crowding.

Prep It, Stash It, Love It Later

Can I make manicotti ahead of time?

Yes! You can assemble the dish a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Just bake as directed when you’re ready to eat.

Can I freeze manicotti before baking?

Absolutely. Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen for 50–60 minutes covered and 10–15 minutes uncovered to finish.

Cheesy Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti

This cheese manicotti recipe delivers serious homemade comfort with a filling that’s rich, herby, and so satisfying. If you’re ready to ditch the freezer aisle imposters, this is your moment. Grab that ricotta and show your oven who’s boss.

Pin this now to find it later!

Pin It
A dinner plate with cheese manicotti and a green salad.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
4.94 from 15 votes

Three Cheese Manicotti

By Pat Nyswonger
This recipe for manicotti is made with ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese and lots of fresh basil then smothered with pasta sauce and baked till piping hot.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 7 servings
Save Pin Comment Print
Email me this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 1 (8 ounce) box manicotti shells, (14 pasta shells)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 32 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
  • 2½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, 9 ounces
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided, 4 ounces
  • ½ cup chopped fresh basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 cups marinara sauce, (24 ounces) homemade or store bought

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13 by 9 inch baking dish with non-stick oil spray, reserve.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti pasta shells for 6 to 7 minutes. Drain, then return them to the pot with a drizzle of oil to prevent sticking. Let them cool while you make the filling.
    Boiling manicotti pasta in water.
  • In a large bowl, add the ricotta, 2 cups of Mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, garlic, basil, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk the eggs together in a small dish, then add them to the cheese mixture and gently combine the filling.
    Combining the cheese filling for the baked manicotti.
  • Spread 1½ cups of marinara in the bottom of the baking dish and set it aside.
    Spreading pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking pan.
  • Scoop ½ of the filling into a plastic food bag, snip off the corner with scissors. Working with one pasta tube at a time, pipe the filling into the tube. Arrange the filled tube in the dish of marinara sauce. Repeat with the remaining pasta tubes and filling.
    Adding the basil ricotta filling to a manicotti pasta tube.
  • Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the top of the filled pasta tubes. Spray a piece of foil with non-stick oil and cover the dish.
    Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and bake another 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
    Pouring the marinara sauce over the homemade stuffed pasta dinner.
  • Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Garnish with chopped basil.
    Topping the pasta bake with more cheese.

Video

Notes

Parboil, don’t overcook: The manicotti will be partially cooked after 6 to 7 minutes; they’ll finish softening as they bake in the sauce.
Smaller batches are easier: Dividing the filling into smaller amounts makes it easier to handle and helps avoid overstuffing the shells.
No piping bag? No problem: A small appetizer spoon works just fine for filling the manicotti if you’d rather skip the piping.
Don’t crowd the pan: Fourteen manicotti fit snugly in a 13×9-inch dish, but if you want more room (or more sauce), use a larger roasting pan or split between two pans.
More pan space = more sauce: If you’re using a larger roasting pan or dividing the manicotti between two pans, plan to add ½ to 1 cup more marinara to keep everything nicely covered.
To freeze and bake later: Assemble the manicotti in a freezer-safe baking dish, cover with plastic wrap first, then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap and re-cover with the foil. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes, then uncover and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1manicotti, Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.002g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 611mg, Potassium: 294mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 759IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 317mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!
A baking dish with hot ricotta manicotti and marinara sauce.

Variations 

Spinach and Artichoke Manicotti: Mix 1 cup of chopped, cooked spinach and ½ cup of diced artichoke hearts into the ricotta filling.

Mushroom and Garlic Manicotti: Sauté 1 cup of finely chopped mushrooms with an extra clove of garlic and stir them into the ricotta mixture.

Tomato and Olive Manicotti: Add ¼ cup of chopped sun-dried tomatoes and ¼ cup of sliced black olives to the ricotta mixture.

A spatula lifting a manicotti pasta from a baking dish.

More Recipes to Try

Storing Leftovers

Refrigerating leftovers: Let the manicotti cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: For longer storage, place the cooled manicotti in a freezer-safe dish. Cover tightly with foil and then wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: Preheat the oven to 350°F, cover the manicotti with foil, and bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes. 

The Ingredients

  • Pantry: Manicotti pasta tubes, marinara sauce, olive oil
  • Fridge: Whole milk ricotta cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, eggs
  • Produce: Garlic, fresh basil
  • Pantry seasonings: Salt, ground black pepper, ground nutmeg
Ingredients used to make basil ricotta manicotti.

About Pat Nyswonger

Pat Nyswonger is a self-taught home cook with years of experience creating from-scratch meals for family and friends. As a wife, mother of four, and grandmother to seventeen, she understands the value of recipes that bring people together. Her kitchen has always been the heart of her home, where she enjoys developing flavorful, approachable dishes that home cooks of any level can make and enjoy.

Read More About Me

You May Also Like

4.94 from 15 votes (15 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




7 Comments

  1. Fady says:

    How do you avoid having the filled manicottis stick to the cooking dish in the oven?

    Reply
    1. Pat says:

      Hi, Fady….If you spray the inside of the dish with a little non-stick spray such as Pam it will prevent the manicotti from sticking. Thanks for that great question, hope you enjoy the recipe. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sabrina says:

    Your manicotti looks great!

    Reply
  3. Elaine @Flavour and Savour says:

    Mmmm! Beautiful! I’ve used that ziplok bag trick too for filling all sorts of things. Whoever discovered (and shared) it was brilliant. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Pat says:

      Thanks, Elaine…yes, I agree that zip-up bag has many uses. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Laura @ Raise Your Garden says:

    Well, I have never made manicotti before, but it seems a lot like lasagna. And because I have really dark eyes and hair, everything thinks I’m Italian and therefore am an excellent Italian cook. Not! I’m actually just a really dark Russian. I’ve tried Lasagna but honestly, it’s just the recipe on the back of the box. All that cheese on top of your manicotti? My heart swells.

    Reply
    1. Pat says:

      Thank you for visiting our site, Laura. This is a great main meal that tastes delicious. I did add a generous dusting of the cheese 🙂

      Reply