Treat your family to the ultimate Italian comfort food with this easy manicotti recipe — jumbo tubes of pasta stuffed with an herb ricotta filling. To maximize flavor, I include a quick homemade marinara sauce that adds a rustic tomato taste to each serving.
A big casserole dish of manicotti can feed a hungry family and still have plenty of leftovers for the week. It’s also a cinch to prepare in advance so you can bake when ready for a no-hassle weeknight meal. This recipe is Italian-husband approved, and I think Jason’s grandma Rose would even say mangia!
In my years of testing, my scientific mind broke down the recipe into three parts: noodles, filling, sauce. Seems simple, yet each component needs careful preparation. It all starts with simmering the tomato sauce, which gives the flavor plenty of time to concentrate. I cook the pasta to al dente to ensure the pieces don’t break and then pipe in the creamy filling.
What is manicotti?
Manicotti are large tubes of Italian pasta, typically with ridges on the outside, making it easy to trap the flavorful sauce. The cheese-filled shells are nestled in tomato sauce, topped with mozzarella, and baked in a casserole dish.
To customize the recipe, this popular baked pasta can be stuffed with multiple kinds of cheese and the mixture can even include chopped vegetables like mushrooms and spinach. For a heartier meal, I would make this with a meat sauce consisting of Italian sausage, beef, or veal.
Three kinds of cheese in the filling
The hallmark of a tasty stuffed manicotti is its filling. For a unique combination of texture and flavor, I use three types of Italian cheeses. Ricotta cheese is the base, it has a hint of sweetness and creamy consistency. It’s also soft and gooey, making it easy to pipe.
Mozzarella is mild and stretchy, helping to bind the filling and provide the drool-worthy pull. Aged Parmesan cheese is hard, but it brings a nutty and sharp taste. To fill the manicotti shells, use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (I use Ateco 806) or a large freezer bag with the small opening cut in one cornerThe secret ingredient: nutmeg
I worked at an Italian restaurant when I was in college, the head chef told me about a secret ingredient he adds to his cheese-stuffed pasta: nutmeg! Just a dash adds a hint of sweetness and depth. When paired with salt and pepper, you’ll be surprised how much it enhanced the taste.
Cooking the pasta
You need to cook the dried pasta before filling it. Boiling them in saltwater seasons the bland noodles. I cook them until al dente with some chew because they will continue to soften when baking in the oven. After removing from the boiling water, immediately rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process so they don’t get mushy. Al dente noodles are easier to handle when adding the cheese
Make a flavorful tomato sauce
For a quick sauce with intense tomato flavor, grab your can opener! A thick sauce that clings to the pasta shells needs tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes for little bursts of the fruit. But first, I always start by sauteing aromatics like chopped onions and garlic in olive oil and adding dried herbs. Then pour in the canned tomatoes and briefly simmer to meld all of the wonderful flavors together.
Place half of the sauce in a large baking dish followed by the pasta in a single layer, and then add the remainder on top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until the cheese is melted and the pasta is hot and bubbly. Cooking the stuffed tubes in the sauce will infuse more flavor and tenderize the noodles a bit more.
Serve this with:
. Garlic Bread
. Salad with Italian Dressing
. Caesar Salad
Manicotti with 3-Cheese Filling
Treat your family to Italian comfort food with this easy manicotti recipe. Jumbo tubes of pasta stuffed with an herb ricotta filling.
Ingredients :
