Three Cheese Manicotti
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.
Servings: 7 servings
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.
- 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.
- Spread 1½ cups of marinara in the bottom of the baking dish and set it aside.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 13x9-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
