Spinach and Ricotta Manicotti
Tender pasta tubes stuffed with creamy ricotta, spinach, and cheese, then baked in marinara sauce until bubbly. A vegetarian Italian comfort classic that looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in under an hour.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 28g
Ingredients
- 1 pound manicotti pasta (large tubes)
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Set the oven to 375°F and wait until the indicator light or beep tells you it has finished heating, about 10 minutes.
- 2
Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water, add a pinch of salt, and bring it to a rolling boil—you'll see big bubbles breaking the surface continuously—about 8 minutes.
- 3
Pour the manicotti pasta into the boiling water and stir once with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking; cook for 1 minute less than the package directions (about 7 minutes total), so they stay slightly firm.
- 4
Drain the pasta in a colander—a large metal sieve—and set it aside on a clean cutting board to cool for 2 minutes, just until you can touch it without burning your fingers.
- 5
In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, 0.5 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper with a wooden spoon until everything is combined uniformly.
- 6
Spoon the ricotta mixture into a small dish or cup for easy access; you'll load each manicotti tube from one end with a regular spoon, filling it about three-quarters full so the filling doesn't spill out the sides.
- 7
Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil evenly across the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish by tipping the bottle and moving it side to side.
- 8
Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce across the oiled bottom of the baking dish with the back of a spoon until it covers the surface evenly.
- 9
Arrange the filled manicotti tubes in a single layer across the sauce, placing them seam-side up (the gap where you filled them facing up) and sitting side by side without overlapping.
- 10
Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the manicotti tubes, tilting your spoon to spread it so every tube gets coated.
- 11
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella evenly over the top of the sauce in a single layer, covering as much surface as you can.
- 12
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, sealing the edges so steam stays inside, and slide it into the preheated 375°F oven.
- 13
Bake covered for 25 minutes until you smell the cheese and sauce bubbling, then carefully remove the foil—it will be very hot; use thick oven mitts.
- 14
Bake uncovered for another 8 to 12 minutes until the cheese on top turns golden brown with light brown spots, watching through the oven window to avoid burning.
- 15
Remove the baking dish from the oven using thick oven mitts and set it on a heat-safe surface; let it cool for 5 minutes before serving, so the cheese can set slightly and won't fall apart.
Tools you’ll need
- large pot
- colander
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- medium mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- small serving spoon
- aluminum foil
- oven mitts
- heat-safe surface
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