Homemade Baked Stuffed Manicotti Recipe

This manicotti is filled with 3 kinds of cheese and baked to absolute perfection! It’s comfort food at its finest that everyone will go crazy over! It’s definitely sure to please a large crowd! The cheese combined with the noodles and savory sauce creates a mouthwatering flavor that you will want to remember! I have fallen in love with Italian food over the years and this one is no exception! Try a few more of my favorite Italian recipes such as Tuscan Shrimp, Creamy Sausage Tortellini Skillet and Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta!

Stuffed Manicotti Recipe

Manicotti is one of my all-time favorite Italian recipes to make! It is something that my kids devour up each time that I make it, which we all know is a WIN! It’s a very traditional Italian recipe that you will see often on the menu at a restaurant but it also happens to be very easy to make at home! You use large noodles that you stuff with flavor and ingredients which makes this recipe is a little different than your traditional pasta that is topped with sauce. You will love it! If you love cheese, then this is the recipe for you! It uses 3 different kinds of cheeses, all of which will melt into the shell creating an amazing texture and taste. This recipe is actually really simple and quick which makes it an excellent recipe to be kept on the regular dinner meal rotation! The flavors are simple and classic and don’t have too many ingredients that my kids question. In fact, chop up your spinach really small and they will never even notice that healthy ingredient in there! Whether you are a beginner or an expert in the kitchen, this is definitely something for everyone to love!

Manicotti Shell Ingredients

Most of these ingredients are common ones that you will already have on hand! The best recipes are the ones that I don’t have to make an extra trip to the store for! See the recipe card below for a list of complete ingredients and measurements.

Manicotti: Use this pasta or if you don’t have manicotti shells, try and use large jumbo shells instead! Cheeses: You will use ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheese to make a mixture that tastes heavenly! Spinach: Baby spinach or regular spinach will work just fine! Italian seasoning: Use what you have in your pantry or put together some of this very savory and delicious Italian seasoning with the spices you already have on hand! Egg: The egg is used to hold all of the different cheeses together! Marinara sauce: You can use store-bought marinara sauce or try out this delicious homemade sauce.

How to Make Homemade Manicotti

Like I said before, quick and simple is the name of this game! It only takes a few minutes of mixing before you are ready to pop this into the oven and bake! The outcome is divine!

Al Dente: Make sure to undercook your manicotti (leave it a tiny bit firm). Follow the instructions on your pasta packaging to cook to “Al Dente”. This makes it easier to stuff the shells and they will continue to get a bit softer as they are baking in the oven! Add salt to water: Make sure to season your water with a little bit of salt as you begin cooking the pasta! This will make a huge different in your flavor of the pasta. A flavor you will realize that you were missing if you have skipped this step before! Trust me, just try it!

Refrigerate: If you want to make this ahead for later that day, you can make it up to 8 hours earlier. Follow the directions on the recipe card and make as usual. Once you have filled the shells and covered them with sauce, cover your casserole dish with foil and leave it in the fridge. When you are ready to cook it, take it out and bake as directed. You may need to add an extra 10-15 minutes of cooking time since you started with a chilled dish. Freezer: Make as usual (but DON’T bake it!) and cover in an airtight container to be placed in the freezer. You can bake this frozen! Bake as directed, you will just need to add an additional 30 minutes to the cooking time!

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All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.