Description
This easy manicotti recipe features pasta shells stuffed with a creamy ricotta and mozzarella cheese filling, baked in a rich homemade tomato sauce. Perfect for a comforting Italian-inspired dinner, the dish combines tender pasta with flavorful herbs and cheeses, baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta
- 4 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 pound manicotti pasta shells
Filling
- 2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the Oven: Set the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F (204ºC).
- Cook the Sauce: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes until the onion is tender. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, salt, and black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the Pasta: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in kosher salt until dissolved. Add manicotti pasta shells and cook for 9 minutes until al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool. Arrange pasta shells in a single layer on a sheet pan and set aside.
- Make the Filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, grated Parmesan, egg, chopped parsley, chopped basil, dried Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and ground nutmeg. Stir until well mixed.
- Fill the Pasta: Transfer the cheese filling into a large resealable plastic bag or piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Cut off one corner and pipe the cheese filling into each manicotti shell, filling about 10 shells. Place filled shells on a sheet pan.
- Assemble the Manicotti: Spread half of the prepared tomato sauce evenly on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed manicotti in a single layer over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the pasta. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover the dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- To Serve: Garnish the manicotti with additional chopped parsley, basil, and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
- Serving Size: One manicotti shell with sauce.
- Make-Ahead: Assemble the casserole up to 3 days in advance and keep refrigerated. Bake on the day you plan to serve.
- Using Store-Bought Sauce: Add 5 cups of marinara sauce to the sautéed onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning instead of making sauce from scratch; simmer for 10 minutes.
- Make a Meat Sauce: Brown 1 pound of Italian sausage, ground chicken, turkey, or beef first, then add it to the tomato sauce for added flavor.
- Storing and Reheating: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave on high for 1 ½ to 2 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 manicotti with sauce
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
