Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti
These Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti are cheesy, saucy, and very low effort. No boiling required, easy to prep ahead, and baked right in the sauce for tender pasta and a creamy, comforting filling.
Servings: 14
Calories: 221kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 15 ounce ricotta cheese (1 container)
- 10 ounce frozen spinach chopped, thawed and squeezed dried (1 10 oz package)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
Stuffed Manicotti
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 8 ounce manicotti shells uncooked
- 4 cups marinara sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, spinach, onion, egg, garlic, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, pepper, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.
- Spread about 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or plastic ziploc bag, cut off a little from one end, this will make it easier for stuffing the shells.
- Stuff each manicotti shell with ricotta mixture and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. There should be enough sauce to fully cover the manicotti.
- Top with remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer the dish to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour covered, then 15-20 minutes uncovered, or until the noodles are soft.
- Serve garnished with basil if preferred and more grated Parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- Don’t boil the manicotti. Stuff them straight from the box and let the sauce do the work.
- Make sure the manicotti are fully covered in sauce before baking so they cook evenly.
- If your ricotta is watery, drain it briefly for a thicker, creamier filling.
- This dish can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead and baked when ready.
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave and make an excellent next-day lunch.
Nutrition
Serving: 1manicotti | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 677mg | Potassium: 386mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2999IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 275mg | Iron: 2mg
