Description
This classic Manicotti recipe features tender pasta shells stuffed with a creamy, cheesy filling made from ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, cream cheese, and eggs, seasoned with garlic and herbs. Baked in a rich marinara sauce and topped with melted mozzarella, it delivers a comforting Italian-American meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Filling
- 15 oz. ricotta cheese
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- 5 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2 eggs
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Other Ingredients
- 10 manicotti shells (boil extra in case some break)
- 24 oz. marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the manicotti.
- Reserve Mozzarella: Set aside 1 ½ cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese for topping the manicotti later.
- Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, the remaining mozzarella, softened cream cheese, eggs, minced garlic, dried parsley, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Once combined, refrigerate this mixture to firm up slightly.
- Cook Manicotti Shells: Boil the manicotti shells in salted water for 1-2 minutes less than al dente to ensure they can be filled without breaking. Drain the shells in a colander, rinse gently with cold water to stop cooking, and cool completely. Set aside.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Fill Shells: Using a spoon or piping bag, carefully fill each manicotti shell with the cheese filling, allowing some filling to extend over the top. Place each filled shell seam side down in the casserole dish over the marinara sauce.
- Add Toppings: Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the filled shells and sprinkle the reserved 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella evenly on top.
- Bake: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese.
- Broil (Optional): For a golden, bubbly top, broil the manicotti at 425°F (218°C) for 1 minute. Be sure to watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve: Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve hot, ideally accompanied by garlic bread with cheese for a complete meal.
Notes
- Boil extra manicotti shells to have backups in case some tear during filling.
- Allow the cheese filling to chill to make it easier to pipe or spoon into the shells.
- If a piping bag is unavailable, a spoon works fine for filling the shells.
- Make sure not to overcook shells; they should be slightly underdone to hold the filling without breaking.
- Broiling is optional and used only to get a nicely browned top; watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Use good quality marinara sauce or homemade for best flavor.
