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This Cheese Manicotti is the ultimate Italian comfort food. Stuffed with a creamy three-cheese blend of ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan, these pasta tubes are baked to perfection in a rich marinara sauce. My specific “no-mess” stuffing technique ensures you spend less time prepping and more time eating.
Why This Manicotti Recipe Works
Unlike many versions that result in broken shells or a messy kitchen, this recipe is designed for efficiency:
- The “Hack”: I’ll show you how to use a simple plastic storage bag to pipe the filling, which is 10x faster than using a spoon.
- The “Al Dente” Secret: I par-boil the shells just long enough to make them pliable but firm enough to hold their shape during stuffing.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: This dish actually tastes better when assembled in advance, making it perfect for Sunday meal prep or dinner parties.
Ingredients for the Best Cheese Filling
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Manicotti Shells: Look for standard 8-ounce packages.
- Ricotta Cheese: For the best texture, use whole milk ricotta. Pro Tip: If your ricotta is very watery, drain it through cheesecloth for 30 minutes.
- Mozzarella: Use low-moisture part-skim mozzarella for that classic cheese pull.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated adds a salty, nutty bite that pre-shaken cans can’t match.
- Egg: Acts as the essential binder to keep the cheese from running out of the shells.
- Fresh Basil & Parsley: These add a bright, herbaceous lift to the heavy cheese.
- Marinara Sauce: Use your favorite high-quality store-bought sauce.
How to Stuff Manicotti Without Breaking the Shells
The biggest hurdle with manicotti is the assembly. Follow these steps for a stress-free process:
- Par-Boil the Pasta: Cook the shells in salted water for 2 minutes less than the package directions. They should still be quite firm.
- The Piping Bag Method: Transfer your cheese mixture into a large gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Snip off one corner (about ½ inch).
- Fill from Both Ends: Insert the bag into one end of a shell, squeeze until half full, then flip the shell and fill from the other side. This ensures no air pockets!
- Layer & Bake: Spread a thin layer of sauce in your 9×13 dish first to prevent sticking. Arrange the shells, top with remaining sauce and cheese, and bake until bubbly.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Meat Lover’s Option: Add browned Italian sausage or ground beef to the marinara sauce for a hearty meal. This is similar to what I do with my Meat and Cheese Ravioli.
- Spinach Manicotti: Mix 10 ounces of fresh or thawed, squeezed-dry chopped spinach into the cheese mixture for extra color and nutrients. I love using spinach in my homemade spinach sausage lasagna.
- Don’t Overcook: If the pasta is too soft before stuffing, it will tear. If you accidentally overcook them, rinse them immediately in cold water to stop the cooking process.
Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions
- In the Fridge: Assemble the dish entirely, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
- In the Freezer: You can freeze the assembled (unbaked) manicotti for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 375°F, adding about 15–20 minutes to the total bake time.
What to Serve with Cheese Manicotti
Since this is a rich, cheesy dish, I recommend pairing it with a few of these favorites:
- Kale Caesar Salad made with homemade Caesar Salad Dressing
- Garlic bread covered in Roasted Garlic
- If you don’t add spinach to the filling, you can make Wilted Garlic Spinach and serve it on the side.
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Manicotti stuffed with melted cheese and smothered in marinara sauce is pure comfort food! This easy dinner recipe satisfies all the cravings.
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 ounces manicotti pasta
- 1 pint whole milk ricotta cheese
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded and divided in half
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated and divided in half
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 8 leaves fresh basil sliced into thin ribbons
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 28 ounces marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Partially boil manicotti: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook 5 1/2 ounces manicotti pasta for only a minute. Drain. The goal is to soften the pasta and start the cooking process, but the pasta needs to still be extremely firm in order to stuff. The pasta will finish cooking in the oven.
- Prepare cheese filling: In a large bowl, combine 1 pint whole milk ricotta cheese, 4 cloves garlic, half of the mozzarella, half of the Parmesan, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning, 8 leaves fresh basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Mix well. Add to large resealable plastic bag.
- Prepare manicotti: Add about 1/2 cup of the sauce to the bottom of an 11×17 baking dish. Snip the corner off the bag containing the cheese filling and pipe it into each manicotti tube. Arrange each tube in the pan on the sauce. Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with foil.
- Bake: Place manicotti in preheated oven and bake, covered, for about 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking until cheese is melted, about 15 additional minutes.
Notes
This recipe can be made ahead. Do full preparation up to the point where the dish goes in the oven. Keep in the refrigerator, covered. When ready to bake, bring to room temperature prior to baking. Alternatively, manicotti can be taken right from the refrigerator and baked, but baking time (covered with foil) will need to be extended by about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 124mg, Sodium: 1288mg, Potassium: 517mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1290IU, Vitamin C: 7.4mg, Calcium: 593mg, Iron: 2.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave me a comment below
This recipe was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
Why would u add 1 pint of milk on one line and second line put ricotta? You already told us to use 16 ounces of ricotta ….I bought that….. I didn’t buy 1 pint of milk ricotta ….so I live in the country I’ve never made this before. I added 2 pints of milk which is 2 cups. Then I added the ricotta along with cheese and realized that was one whole word …..1 pint of milk ricotta…. Really?
I apologize for any confusion that may have caused, but the recipe calls for one pint of whole milk ricotta cheese. That means 1 pint of ricotta cheese that is made from whole milk, not nonfat or lowfat.
My first time through I did not notice the pasta cooking part so I overcooked my noodles I cooked them fully and they kept breaking and I was so irritated. Now that I see it I feel very dumb, I will be trying this recipe again. It is very good, although I like mine sweet so I add sugar to my ricotta cheese mixture. Same with the sauce I like sweet sauce. I also don’t like heat so I don’t add the red chili flakes, I’m a whimp ketchup’s too spicy. I also follow this recipe when I make lasagna but instead of the manicotti noodles I use lasagna noodles.
Ketchup is too spicy… that’s awesome. Funny how different everyone’s tastebuds are!
A bit too salty, but otherwise, a definite repeat recipe.
Loved and used your filling, but made homemade pasta sheets, cut 4 x 6 sheets and rolled your filling into them and used my own marinara sauce. They were delicious. Love all your recipes I have tried.
I am human
Loved and used yo filling, but made homemade pasta sheets, cut 4 x 6 sheers and rolled your filling into them and used my own marinara sauce. They were delicious. Love all your recipes I have tied.
Make a pasta crep. not use those heave shell in a box. enjoy the flavors without filling up on all that pasta. yeahhhhhh
I made it and put it into two dishes – one to eat and one for the freezer. I usually don’t cook dishes that I put in the freezer.
We loved it! I added mild Italian sausage to the sauce.
One thing I learned – whole milk ricotta is DEFINITELY better! Thanks for that tip Krissy.
If I do it again I will use a disposable piping bag. I found the ziploc bag difficult to manage because of its shape.
So good and happy to have another in the freezer!
I make this dish when special guests or family are over. I use shallots in place of garlic and I add a few shavings of fresh Monterrey Jack and Parmesan cheese to the mozzarella. I bake a loaf of Costco’s Sourdough French bread and serve hot from the oven with butter, balsamic & oil, and fresh salad w/Italian dressing. Finish with my wife’s scratch Minestrone and a glass of vino. It’s a great dish to make just to share, talk, and relax. Great recipe. 👍😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Delicious, my grandkids enjoyed helping me make this and loved eating it too 🙂
Made this last night for Sunday dinner. What a hit! Even my super picky-eater husband had two helpings!
I did make one change, I skipped the parboiling of the pasta. It made it super easy to stuff and the pasta held its shape after cooking.
This is a great cheesy pasta dish, great for chilly nights and some what quick to come together!