Description
A delicious and comforting Italian pasta dish featuring manicotti shells stuffed with a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese, spinach, and mozzarella, baked in a rich marinara sauce with a golden cheesy topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 14 manicotti shells
Filling
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Sauce and Topping
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp extra parmesan cheese for topping
- 1 cup additional mozzarella cheese for topping
Instructions
- Cook the manicotti shells: Boil 14 manicotti shells in salted water until they are al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the shells and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Lay them out in a single layer to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, thawed and squeezed dry spinach, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1/3 cup grated parmesan, the egg, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until smooth and well combined.
- Stuff the manicotti: Spoon the filling mixture into a zip-top bag or piping bag for easier handling. Carefully fill each manicotti shell with the ricotta-spinach mixture, being gentle to avoid breaking the pasta.
- Preheat and prepare baking dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of the dish.
- Assemble the dish: Arrange the stuffed manicotti in a single layer over the marinara sauce. Pour the remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce evenly over the top of the manicotti shells.
- Add cheese topping: Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese along with 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the assembled dish.
- Bake the manicotti: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese topping is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden brown.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out all excess water from the spinach to prevent the filling from becoming watery.
- Do not overcook the manicotti shells during boiling as they will continue to cook in the oven.
- Using a piping bag to fill the shells makes the process cleaner and easier.
- If fresh spinach is preferred, sauté it first until wilted, cool, and squeeze dry before mixing into the filling.
- The dish can be prepared a day ahead by assembling and refrigerating before baking.
