Stuffed Manicotti

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This Stuffed Manicotti is cheesy, creamy, and utterly delicious. The pasta shells are full of creamy filling and topped with sauce and mozzarella that’s browned to perfection.

If you love a cheesy pasta dish, then you should try this Easy Four Cheese Ravioli and Cheesy Baked Orzo.

Stuffed Manicotti being lifted out by a spatula

Table Of Contents

Recipe Details
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
Add-ins and Substitutions
How to Make Stuffed Manicotti
Recipe Tips
FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Make This Recipe in Advance
More Delicious Italian Dishes!
Full Recipe Instructions

Recipe Details

I love this Stuffed Manicotti recipe. It’s such a satisfying meal that everyone enjoys, and it’s so easy to make. It doesn’t get much better than that!

TASTE: The combination of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella give this pasta dish so many layers. The sweet marinara sauce and fresh parsley add great flavor, too.
TEXTURE: The pasta is cooked al dente and filled with a creamy cheese mixture that’s addictively good. The browned, gooey mozzarella on top is perfect.
TIME: This recipe will take about 40 minutes.
EASE: This simple dish is really easy to make, and I’ll walk you through it with tips, photos, and instructions so it always comes out just right.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients for Stuffed Manicotti, including manicotti shells, marinara sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan, egg, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Ingredient Notes

Manicotti- Manicotti literally means “little muffs,” and they were meant to be stuffed. Look for them in your pasta aisle, any brand you prefer.
Cheese- This dish calls for Ricotta, Parmesan, and Mozzarella. They’re used for filling the manicotti, and the mozzarella is also sprinkled on top for a gooey finish.
Egg- This acts as a binder holding everything in the filling together.
Marinara- This ingredient will keep the outside of the shells soft during baking and provide great flavor. It should be on the thin side rather than chunky.
Herbs & Spices- We keep it simple with just salt, black pepper, and parsley. Go with fresh herbs over dried for the best flavor.

Add-ins and Substitutions

Add meat- If you prefer a meatier Stuffed Manicotti, then add some ground beef or turkey to the cheese filling, or in the sauce.
Substitute shells- If you have no manicotti, you can make this recipe with shell pasta in place of the manicotti. Depending on their size, you may have to tweak your bake time.
Use dairy-free cheese- Make this without dairy by using vegan or plant-based ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. They’re in most health and grocery stores, in the refrigerated section.
Add vegetables- Try this with sauteed spinach, garlic, onion, or mushrooms. They add great flavor to this already tasty dish.

How to Make Stuffed Manicotti

Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt, black pepper, and egg. Transfer it to a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and press the mixture into one corner before snipping off a small part of the end.

Steps to make Stuffed Manicotti, including making the cheese filling and adding it to the piping bag, then snipping off the end with a scissor.

Cook and fill the manicotti. Now cook the manicotti in a large pot of salted boiling water to al dente. Then rinse them with cold water and begin piping the cheese mixture into each manicotti shell.
Start assembling the stuffed manicotti. Pour about a cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Then place the stuffed manicotti into the dish.

Steps to make Stuffed Manicotti, including cooking the manicotti shells, then piping in the filling, covering the baking dish with sauce, then topping it with the manicotti.

Layer the manicotti. Then pour another 2 cups of marinara on top of the manicotti along with a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.
Bake. Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. Once it’s done, garnish with some freshly chopped parsley.

Pro Tip: If you want the cheese to brown a little on top, broil for a few minutes at the end.

how to make cheesy stuffed manicotti in the oven.

Recipe Tips

Don’t overcook the manicotti- You want the manicotti shells to be firm enough to be easily handled when you fill them, so only cook them to al dente. They’ll cook more in the oven.
Rinse the manicotti shells in cold water- So they don’t get too soft, rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Pipe the filling in- While you can also spoon it in, piping does a better job of thoroughly filling the manicotti without stretching or tearing the shells.
Line the bottom of the pan with sauce- To keep the manicotti from getting hard while they bake, line the pan with sauce to keep them moist. This also keeps them from burning on the bottom.

FAQs

How do you fill manicotti shells without breaking them?

The easiest way to stuff manicotti shells is by piping the filling in. You won’t break or tear them this way. You can use an actual piping bag or just a gallon sized ziplock with the tip cut off.

Should you cover manicotti when baking?

You can cover your stuffed manicotti with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then take off the foil and let it broil so the cheese can brown a little. You can also just bake with no cover, still broiling in the end for the browning. Either way is fine.

Stuffed Manicotti in a white baking dish

Serving Suggestions

This Stuffed Manicotti is versatile and goes great with so many things. Here are some delicious ways to serve it.

Breads: Serve this dish with some bread to sop up every drop. Try it with these Copycat Pizza Hut Breadsticks, Garlic Cheese Bread, and Rustic Bread.
Salads/Soups: Start the meal with a Easy French Onion Soup, Antipasto Salad, Caprese Salad, or Tortellini Soup.
Sides: Pair this Stuffed Manicotti with Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts, or Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli.
Desserts: Finish your dinner with a sweet treat, like this Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Easy Napoleon Cake (VIDEO), Coffee Chocolate Mousse, or Zeppoles (Italian Donuts).

Make This Recipe in Advance

Make ahead: You can prep this ahead by making the cheese filling and storing it in the fridge. Or you can assemble the baking dish of stuffed manicotti, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake it.

Storing: Store any leftover Stuffed Manicotti in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the baking dish. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave.

Freeze: Once this dish has cooled (or if it hasn’t been baked yet), you can cover it with foil and plastic wrap, then place it in the freezer. It can be frozen for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.

More Delicious Italian Dishes!

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Full Recipe Instructions