Description
Creamy manicotti blends Italian culinary tradition with homemade comfort, nestling delicate pasta tubes with luxurious ricotta and mozzarella. Elegant layers of marinara sauce and melted cheese invite passionate home cooks to savor each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 package (8 ounces / 226 grams) manicotti shells
Cheese:
- 4 cups (907 grams) ricotta cheese
- 1.5 cups (170 grams) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 0.75 cup (75 grams) grated Parmesan cheese
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups (475 milliliters) marinara sauce
- 1 cup (237 milliliters) water
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 350°F, creating an ideal environment for baking the manicotti.
- Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a rolling boil, then gently submerge pasta shells, cooking until they reach a tender al dente texture, approximately 7-10 minutes.
- Drain the pasta shells and immediately rinse under cold water to halt the cooking process and prevent sticking.
- Create a luxurious cheese blend by thoroughly mixing ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, chopped parsley, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Delicately fill each pasta shell with the creamy cheese mixture, ensuring a smooth and even distribution.
- Coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with a generous layer of marinara sauce, creating a flavorful foundation.
- Carefully arrange the cheese-filled pasta shells in a single layer across the sauced baking dish.
- Generously pour the remaining marinara sauce over the shells, then add one cup of water around the dish’s edges to maintain moisture during baking.
- Shield the dish with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven, baking for 45 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Uncover the dish and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, allowing the top to become golden and slightly crispy.
Notes
- Soften manicotti shells gently by undercooking them slightly to prevent tearing when stuffing with cheese filling.
- Use a piping bag or zip-lock bag with corner snipped for easier and cleaner cheese mixture distribution inside shells.
- Replace whole milk cheeses with low-fat alternatives for a lighter version without compromising rich, creamy texture.
- Customize filling by adding cooked spinach, ground meat, or herbs like basil and oregano for extra flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 474
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg