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Easy Manicotti Recipe

Manicotti recipe
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This manicotti recipe is pasta bake comfort food at its finest! This easy no-boil method lets you indulge in layers of creamy cheese and savory filling without the fuss.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces manicotti (14 shells)
  • 28 ounces fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus 1/2 tablespoon for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon (optional)
  • Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
  2. Make the tomato sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the fire roasted tomatoes, 1 clove grated or minced garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix well until all the olive oil is incorporated. Stir in 1 cup water (this added moisture allows the dry pasta to cook while baking*).
  3. Squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach using a strainer over the sink. Mix the spinach, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 minced garlic clove, egg, parsley, the tarragon, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. 
  4. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13” baking dish.
  5. Use a pastry bag or long spoon to place the filling into the dry manicotti pasta. Then place each pasta tube into the dish.
  6. Top with the remaining tomato sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
  7. Place the pan in the oven and bake covered with foil for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes.  
  8. Garnish with additional chopped parsley. Allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

*This manicotti recipe is a no boil recipe so the dry pasta cooks in the sauce while baking. You’ll fill the pasta tubes while they are dry, then add 1 cup water to the marinara sauce which is enough moisture to cook the pasta at the same time as baking. (Important: you don’t need to buy no boil pasta, just standard manicotti.) If you prefer cooking the pasta, you can boil the pasta tubes before baking, fill them using a pastry bag, remove the 1 cup water from Step 2, and shorten the bake time by 30 minutes!

Make ahead notes: You can assemble this pasta the night before or day of, then bake (use a metal or ceramic pan for best results). Before baking, allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/manicotti-recipe/