Easy Homemade Manicotti with Ricotta Cheese
Manicotti is one of the greatest Italian dishes ever created. Tender tube-shaped pasta shells are stuffed with a creamy ricotta cheese filling, nestled into a pan full of hearty homemade marinara sauce, and covered with freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Once it comes out of the oven bubbling and golden brown, you know dinner is going to be good.
This homemade manicotti recipe does take a little time to prepare, but do not let that scare you away. The actual process is pretty simple, and you can make several parts of the meal ahead of time. Plus, there is a little trick that makes stuffing the manicotti shells much easier than trying to spoon ricotta filling into a narrow pasta tube.
A pastry bag works beautifully for filling the shells. If you do not have one, grab a sturdy plastic food-storage bag, fill it with the ricotta mixture, snip off one corner, and squeeze the filling right into the pasta. It makes the whole job much less frustrating.
The stuffed manicotti gets tucked into a generous amount of homemade marinara sauce and topped with mozzarella and parmesan. After baking, the pasta is tender, the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the sauce has worked its way around everything.
You get the kind of dinner made for Sundays but is also practical enough for a busy family meal.
Why You’ll Love This Manicotti Recipe
First, this homemade manicotti is the ultimate comfort meal. You get tender pasta, creamy ricotta, rich tomato sauce, and plenty of melted cheese in every serving.
The homemade marinara sauce also makes a huge difference. Rather than relying on a jar of sauce, this recipe uses tomato sauce that simmers until the flavors come together beautifully.
Another reason I love manicotti is that it is an excellent make-ahead meal. You can assemble the entire dish, cover it, and refrigerate it before baking. In fact, allowing the prepared manicotti to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour gives the flavors more time to come together.
That makes this recipe especially wonderful when you are feeding a hungry crowd.
You can also freeze manicotti, which makes it a fantastic meal to have waiting in the freezer. When life gets busy, having a homemade dinner ready to bake can be a lifesaver.
Finally, manicotti makes wonderful leftovers. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days, and you have an easy lunch or dinner waiting for you.
What Is Manicotti?
Manicotti is a classic Italian-American pasta dish made with large, tube-shaped pasta shells filled with cheese or another savory filling.
The word manicotti is often associated with the large pasta tubes used for stuffing. Depending on the recipe, manicotti can be filled with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, meat, spinach, or a combination of ingredients.
This version keeps things simple and comforting with a creamy ricotta filling, homemade marinara sauce, and plenty of mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Once the shells are stuffed, they are arranged in a baking dish with tomato sauce. More cheese goes over the top, and everything goes into the oven until hot and bubbling.
In other words, it is pretty difficult to go wrong with a pan full of pasta, tomato sauce, ricotta, and melted cheese.
Homemade Marinara Makes This Dish Special
The marinara sauce is an important part of this recipe.
A good tomato sauce does more than simply sit underneath the pasta. As the manicotti bakes, the sauce surrounds the shells and keeps the pasta moist while also adding plenty of tomato flavor.
This homemade marinara is sweet and hearty, making it a wonderful match for the creamy ricotta filling.
If you already have homemade marinara sauce in your freezer or pantry, this is also a great recipe for using it.
Otherwise, make the sauce ahead of time and let it simmer while you work on the rest of the meal.
Homemade sauce also gives you control over the ingredients. If you prefer cooking with simple ingredients and avoiding unnecessary additives, making your own marinara is an easy way to do exactly that.
The Ricotta Filling
The ricotta filling is the creamy center of the manicotti.
Ricotta has a soft, creamy texture that works beautifully inside stuffed pasta. Once it bakes, the filling becomes warm, rich, and delicious while still retaining that creamy quality.
Freshly grated parmesan adds another layer of flavor and gives the filling that classic Italian-inspired taste.
Depending on the recipe, you can also add herbs, seasonings, spinach, or other ingredients to a manicotti filling. However, I love the simplicity of a cheesy ricotta filling because it lets the homemade marinara sauce and pasta shine, too.
How to Stuff Manicotti Shells
This is the part that many people hesitate about making manicotti.
Trying to spoon ricotta filling into a narrow pasta tube is awkward. You end up pushing the filling around with the spoon while wondering why you decided to make stuffed pasta in the first place.
Thankfully, there is an easier way.
Use a pastry bag.
Fill the pastry bag with the ricotta mixture, then pipe the filling directly into each manicotti shell.
Do not have a pastry bag?
No problem.
Use a sturdy plastic food-storage bag instead. Spoon the ricotta filling into the bag, push the filling toward one corner, and snip off the corner.
Now you have an easy homemade piping bag.
Hold the manicotti shell steady and squeeze the ricotta filling into the opening. Fill the shell as evenly as you can, then move on to the next one.
Once you get the hang of it, the process goes much faster.
How to Make Homemade Manicotti
Start by preparing your homemade marinara sauce.
Allow the sauce to simmer until it develops a rich, sweet tomato flavor. While the sauce is cooking, prepare the manicotti shells according to the package directions.
Be careful not to overcook the pasta.
You want the shells tender enough to work with but firm enough that they do not fall apart while you are stuffing them.
Once the pasta is ready, drain it carefully and allow the shells to cool enough to handle.
Next, prepare your ricotta filling.
Mix the ricotta and remaining filling ingredients together until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.
Now grab your pastry bag or plastic food-storage bag and fill it with the ricotta mixture.
Spread a generous layer of homemade marinara sauce across the bottom of your baking dish.
Begin stuffing the manicotti shells with the ricotta filling.
Place each stuffed shell into the baking dish, nestling the shells into the marinara sauce.
Continue until all of the manicotti shells have been filled and arranged in the dish.
Pour additional marinara sauce over the top.
Then comes the cheese.
Sprinkle freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan over the manicotti.
At this point, you can either bake it right away or cover it and place it in the refrigerator.
Make-Ahead Manicotti
One of the best things about this recipe is that you do not have to make it all at once.
Assemble the entire dish earlier in the day, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake.
I actually recommend refrigerating the prepared manicotti for at least an hour before baking. The flavors have more time to mingle, and the dish is ready to go when dinner rolls around.
This makes manicotti especially helpful when you are hosting family or friends.
Instead of trying to prepare everything at the last minute, you can get the messy work finished earlier.
Then, when it is time for dinner, all you need to do is put the baking dish in the oven.
Can You Freeze Manicotti?
Yes, manicotti is an excellent freezer meal.
That is one of the reasons I love making a big pan. You can prepare it ahead of time, freeze it, and have a homemade meal ready for another day.
Freezer meals are also wonderful when you want to help someone else.
A pan of homemade manicotti can be a thoughtful gift for a family going through a busy season. New parents, families dealing with an illness, someone recovering from surgery, or a friend who simply has too much going on can all appreciate having dinner taken care of.
Just make sure you provide clear reheating and baking instructions along with the frozen meal.
Manicotti Makes a Great Meal Train Dinner
A few years ago, I participated in a meal train program with a group of women.
We each signed up for a night and prepared dinner for families who had recently welcomed a newborn baby into their home. The idea was simple: bring the family a homemade dinner so the new parents could focus on their baby instead of worrying about what everyone was going to eat.
I loved being part of something so practical.
New babies are wonderful, but those first weeks can be exhausting. Having dinner already prepared means one less thing for parents to think about at the end of a long day.
Manicotti was a great choice for this kind of meal because it can be assembled ahead of time and frozen.
The family receiving the meal did not have to eat it that night. Instead, they could pull it from the freezer when they actually needed dinner.
That flexibility is one of the best things about giving freezer meals.
If you are interested in organizing a meal train for someone you know, you can learn more at MealTrain.com.
Manicotti for a Crowd
This is also a wonderful recipe when you are feeding a large family or a group of people.
The recipe makes enough to serve up to eight people, depending on portion sizes and what you serve alongside it.
Add a simple green salad and some garlic bread, and you have a complete dinner.
For a larger gathering, you can also prepare multiple pans.
That is especially convenient because the assembly can be done ahead of time. Instead of spending your entire day in the kitchen while your guests are waiting, you can have the manicotti ready to go before everyone arrives.
Then all you have to do is bake it.
What to Serve with Manicotti
Manicotti is rich and filling, so I like serving it with simple sides.
A crisp green salad is an easy choice. The fresh vegetables and light dressing balance the hearty pasta and cheese.
Garlic bread is another favorite. You can use it to soak up all that extra homemade marinara sauce left on the plate.
Roasted vegetables also work beautifully.
If you are serving manicotti for a special dinner, you could add a simple appetizer beforehand and finish with a light dessert.
Of course, you do not need a huge spread.
A big pan of manicotti is already a meal worth gathering around the table for.
Tips for Making the Best Manicotti
Do not overcook the pasta. Slightly firm shells are easier to stuff without tearing.
Use a piping bag. This makes filling the shells much easier than trying to use a spoon.
Try a plastic bag. If you do not have a pastry bag, a sturdy plastic food-storage bag works just as well.
Use freshly grated cheese. Freshly grated mozzarella and Parmesan melt beautifully over the top.
Make the marinara ahead. Having the sauce finished before assembling the manicotti makes the process much easier.
Give it time to rest. Refrigerating the assembled dish for at least an hour allows the flavors to develop.
Make extra. Since manicotti freezes well, making a second pan while you already have everything out is worth considering.
How to Store Leftover Manicotti
If you have leftovers, allow the manicotti to cool before transferring it to an airtight container.
Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days.
When you are ready to eat, reheat the manicotti until it is hot throughout.
The leftovers are one of my favorite parts of making a big pan of pasta.
The flavors have had even more time to develop, and you get a homemade dinner without having to start from scratch.
Why Homemade Manicotti Is Worth the Effort
I know manicotti takes more time than opening a jar of sauce and boiling a pot of spaghetti.
Still, this is one of those meals that is worth making when you have the time.
The homemade marinara sauce fills the kitchen with that incredible tomato aroma. Then you have the creamy ricotta filling, tender pasta, and all that melted mozzarella and Parmesan.
Once the pan comes bubbling out of the oven, you will understand why this dish has remained such a favorite.
Better yet, manicotti is not just delicious.
It is useful.
You can make it ahead or freeze it. You can take it to a potluck to serve to a crowd. Or, you can give it to a family that needs dinner. You can make enough for your own family and enjoy the leftovers for several days.
That is a lot of mileage from one pan of pasta.
A Comforting Italian Dinner Everyone Will Love
There is a reason manicotti has become such a beloved comfort food.
You get tender pasta stuffed with creamy ricotta, surrounded by homemade marinara sauce and covered with melted mozzarella and parmesan. Every bite is rich, cheesy, saucy, and completely satisfying.
Although the recipe takes a little time, the individual steps are simple.
Make the sauce. Prepare the shells. Mix the ricotta filling. Pipe the filling into the pasta. Cover everything with sauce and cheese. Then bake until hot and bubbling.
The next time you need a dinner for a large family, a Sunday meal, a potluck, or someone who could use a little help, make manicotti.
Better yet, make two pans.
Serve one tonight and put the other in the freezer.
Because sometimes the best homemade meals are the ones that do more than feed your own family. They give you something delicious to share with someone who needs it, too.
More Family Style Recipes
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Baked ziti
Lasagna- Classic Homestyle
Manicotti
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Ingredients
Homemade Marinara
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 cup Onion, diced
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Basil
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 4 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp Sea salt
- 1/2 tsp tsp Black pepper
Cheese Filling
- 1 16oz container Ricotta cheese
- 1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup Shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp Dried parsley
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 2 Eggs
Other ingredients
- 1 box Manicotti Shells
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese (topping)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (topping)
Instructions
- In a 6 quart stockpot on medium heat, cook onions in olive oil until tender and translucent.
- Add garlic and saute until fragrant (approximately 30 seconds)
- Add basil, oregano, italian seasoning, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer on medium low for 30 minutes.
- While marinara is simmering, cook manicotti shells in boiling water for 7 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, parsley, oregano and eggs.
- Once shells are cooked and cheese is mixed, pour half of the marinara into a 9x13 baking dish.
- Pour cheese mixture into a gallon size storage bag. Cut a small corner off the cheese filled storage bag. This is a quick makeshift, disposable piping bag.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Fill manicotti shells with the cheese mixture by squeezing it into the shells from the corner of the bag. Fill half the shell, then turn it around and fill the other half. Continue to fill each shell and place them on top of the marinara sauce.
- Once all shells are filled and in the pan, cover them with the remainder marinara sauce. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese over the top and cover with foil.
- Bake the manicotti, covered, for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes longer, or until the top is browning and the marinara is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
