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This Stuffed Manicotti is an easy and comforting meal that the whole family will love AND it’s ready in only 45 minutes.
Tender manicotti shells are filled with a seasoned ricotta and parmesan filling, then topped with your favorite jarred tomato sauce and melty mozzarella cheese, and then baked to bubbly perfection.
For more pasta favorites, try my Chicken Broccoli Mac and Cheese or my creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Only 15 Minutes of Prep – Prepping this recipe and getting it into the oven is super easy!
- Comforting and Filling – This is one of those comforting Italian meals that the whole family will love!
- Customizable – You can add other ingredients, like veggies or protein, to the filling to mix things up.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Stuffed Manicotti
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This cozy pasta recipe is ready, start to finish, in only 45 minutes!
Prep – Start by preheating the oven and greasing a 9×13” casserole dish.
Mix Filling – Mix together the ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, egg, and seasoning then add to a piping bag or gallon size ziplock bag.
Assemble Manicotti – Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan and pipe the filling into the cooked and cooled manicotti shells.
Add Marinara and Cheese – Evenly pour the remaining sauce over the filled pasta, then top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
Bake – Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Broil for 2-4 minutes for more browning on your cheese if desired.
Serve – Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is super filling on its own, but we love to round out the meal with some garlic bread and a big green salad! Some of our favorites are:
- Copycat Olive Garden Salad
- Spinach Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Stuffed Garlic Bread
- Garlic Breadsticks
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Leftovers – Leftovers can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat covered with foil in a 350℉ oven until heated through, or reheat portions in the microwave.
Freezer Meal – This recipe is a great freezer recipe for make ahead meals. Follow the recipe right up until before you bake it. Cover the top of the pan with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty foil. You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To bake, thaw the pan in the fridge overnight and bake according to recipe. You may need to bake for an extra 5-10 minutes if it is still a little frozen in the center.
Recipe Tips
- Use a Good Marinara – I like to use a high-quality jarred marinara sauce, such as Rao’s, which is a premium sauce with low sugar. You can substitute with your preferred jar sauce or a homemade marinara sauce.
- Add Spinach – You can add 1 cup of thawed, drained and chopped spinach to the filing for a boost of veggies.
- Add Meat – You can also add cooked ground beef, shredded chicken or turkey to the sauce to make for an even heartier dish.
- Dried vs Fresh Spices – Substitute the dried spices with half the amount of freshly minced. Substitute the dried garlic powder with 2-3 fresh cloves, minced.
- Ricotta Substitute – Small curd cottage cheese can be used in place of ricotta.
More Pasta Recipes
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Taco Spaghetti
- One Pot Stove Top Lasagna
- Ravioli Lasagna
- Spinach Baked Ziti
Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients
- 10 Manicotti shells prepared as directed on box
- 24 ounces Whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Grated parmesan cheese divided
- 3 cups Shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 Large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried basil
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 24 ounces Marinara sauce I used 1 jar of Rao’s marinara
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Lightly grease a 9×13 casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl combine the ricotta, ⅔ cup of grated parmesan, 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella, egg and seasonings until well mixed. Place cheese mixture into a thick piping bag with a large round tip or use a gallon size ziplock bag, cutting off the corner to create a large hole for the filling.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan. Pipe the filling into the cooked and cooled manicotti shells, placing them into the baking dish as you fill them.
- Evenly pour the remaining sauce over the filled pasta, then top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Broil for 2-4 minutes for more browning on your cheese if desired.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve with bread or a green salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
