Classic Baked Manicotti with Ricotta and Marinara

Name: Classic Baked Manicotti with Ricotta and Marinara
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 53 min
Total time: 1 h 28 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 14 shells (one 8-oz box) (227 g) manicotti shells, uncooked; 1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water; 2 cups (454 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese, well drained; 1 cup (113 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded; ½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely minced; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) nutmeg, freshly grated or ground (optional); 3 cups (720 ml) marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature; 1 cup (113 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, for sprinkling after the foil comes off; ¼ cup (20 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, for sprinkling after the foil comes off; 6 leaves (4 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender pasta tubes stuffed with a creamy ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan filling, nestled in marinara and baked until bubbling with golden cheese. A make-ahead Italian-American favorite that feeds a crowd.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 53 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 43 min
Makes: 14 stuffed manicotti (6 servings, 2–3 shells each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the shells
14 shells (one 8-oz box) (227 g) manicotti shells, uncooked
1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, for the pasta water
For the filling
2 cups (454 g) whole-milk ricotta cheese, well drained
1 cup (113 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
½ cup (40 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely minced
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) nutmeg, freshly grated or ground (optional)
For assembly
3 cups (720 ml) marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
1 cup (113 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, for sprinkling after the foil comes off
¼ cup (20 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, for sprinkling after the foil comes off
6 leaves (4 g) fresh basil leaves, torn, for serving (optional)

Equipment (8)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish
Large pot (at least 5 qt/4.7 L)
Colander
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet or large tray
Gallon-size (3.8 L) zip-top bag or piping bag, for filling
Aluminum foil
Spoon and rubber spatula

Steps

Before you start

Set the ricotta in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl for 15–30 minutes if it looks wet; watery ricotta makes a loose filling.
Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block if you can; it melts more smoothly than pre-shredded. Keep the topping mozzarella and Parmesan aside; they go on after the foil comes off.
Buy a box with at least 14 shells (usually 8 oz/227 g) so you have spares for any that tear.
Read the timing: shells cook 7–8 minutes, so don't start them until the filling is ready.

1
Heat oven and waterOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position a rack in the center and heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Fill a large pot with about 4 quarts (3.8 L) of water, add 1 tbsp salt, and set it over high heat to come to a full rolling boil while you make the filling.
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Ready when: Water is at a full rolling boil with large bubbles.
Tip: Use plenty of water so the shells don't stick together.
2
Mix the filling
- In a large bowl, stir together the drained ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, beaten egg, parsley, garlic, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper and the nutmeg if using.
- Mix with a spatula until evenly combined and thick but spreadable.
- Scrape into a gallon zip-top bag, press out the air, and push the filling into one bottom corner.
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Ready when: Filling looks uniform with no streaks of egg or pockets of plain ricotta.
Tip: Don't use a food processor; it turns the filling gummy and thin.
3
Boil the shells
- Add the 14 manicotti shells to the boiling water one at a time so they don't clump.
- Cook, stirring gently in the first minute and occasionally after, for 7–8 minutes, which is 2–3 minutes less than the package says.
- Drain carefully in a colander.
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Ready when: Shells are pliable and bendable but still firm in the center; they will finish cooking in the oven.
Tip: Overcooked shells tear when filled. Pull them early; they soften further in the sauce.
4
Cool the shells
- Lay the drained shells in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, not touching, and let cool for about 5 minutes until you can handle them comfortably.
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Ready when: Shells are warm, not hot, to the touch.
Tip: A drizzle of cold water over the shells in the colander also stops them cooking and prevents sticking.
5
Sauce the dish
- Spread 1 cup (240 ml) of marinara evenly over the bottom of the 9×13-inch baking dish.
- This cushion keeps the shells from sticking and drying out on the bottom.
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Ready when: Bottom of the dish is fully covered in a thin, even layer of sauce.
6
Fill the shells
- Snip about ¾ inch (2 cm) off the corner of the filled bag.
- Holding a shell upright in one hand, pipe in the filling from one end until it is full, then pipe from the other end to fill the middle.
- Lay it seam-side up in the dish.
- Repeat with the remaining shells, arranging them snugly in 2 rows of 7.
- Each shell holds roughly ¼ cup (60 g) of filling.
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Ready when: Each shell is plump and filled end to end with no empty gaps.
Tip: If a shell splits, press the split closed and lay it split-side down; the sauce will hide it.
7
Sauce and cover
- Spoon the remaining 2 cups (480 ml) of marinara over the filled shells, covering them completely so no pasta is exposed, since uncovered pasta turns hard in the oven.
- Do not add the cheese yet.
- Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, crimping it around the rim.
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Ready when: Every shell is buried under sauce and the foil is sealed all the way around the rim.
Tip: The foil can touch the sauce safely, since the cheese goes on later.
8
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake the covered dish at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes, until the sauce is hot and starting to bubble at the edges and the shells are tender.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling around the edges of the dish.
9
Add cheese and brownOven 375°F / 190°C
- Carefully remove the foil, watching for steam.
- Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan evenly over the shells.
- Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for 13–15 minutes at 375°F (190°C), until the cheese is melted with golden spots and the sauce is bubbling throughout.
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Ready when: Cheese is melted and speckled golden brown; the filling reads 160°F (71°C) in the center of a shell.
Tip: For deeper browning, finish under the broiler for 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
10
Rest and serve
- Let the manicotti rest in the dish for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the shells hold together when served.
- Scatter with torn basil if using, and serve 2–3 shells per person with a spoonful of sauce from the dish.
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Ready when: Sauce stops actively bubbling and the dish is hot but no longer scalding.
Tip: Use a wide spatula to lift each shell from underneath.

Good to know

Tips

Pipe the filling with a zip-top bag; it is far faster and neater than spooning it into narrow tubes.
Drain the ricotta well so the filling stays creamy and holds its shape rather than turning watery in the oven.
Undercook the shells slightly; they finish cooking in the sauce and are much less likely to tear.
Make sure the shells are completely covered in sauce before baking, so no exposed pasta dries out.

Make ahead

Assemble through step 7 (shells filled, covered in sauce, foil sealed, no cheese yet) and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Keep the topping mozzarella and Parmesan in the fridge separately. Bake covered for 40–45 minutes since the dish starts cold, then add the cheese and finish as in step 9. You can also freeze the assembled, unbaked dish for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: cover and keep up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze baked portions in airtight containers up to 3 months. Reheat covered with foil at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes (45 minutes from frozen) until hot in the center, or microwave single portions for 2–3 minutes.

Substitutions

manicotti shells → large jumbo pasta shells or no-boil lasagna sheets rolled around the filling. Cook jumbo shells 1–2 minutes short of al dente. Soak no-boil sheets in hot water for 5 minutes until pliable, then roll.
whole-milk ricotta cheese → cottage cheese, drained and blended or mashed. Drain well in a strainer first; the texture is a bit looser and tangier.
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano. Saltier and sharper, so reduce the added salt in the filling to ¼ tsp.
marinara sauce → homemade tomato sauce or a vodka sauce. Use the same amount, about 3 cups (720 ml), and make sure it isn't too thick to spread.