The Best Italian Manicotti Recipes

THE BEST CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook the manicotti shells according to the directions on the box.
• Drain in colander and set aside to dry.
• Mix all the ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan in a bowl.
• Add an extra handful of mozzarella and a little more parmesan if you like it cheesier.
• I like a lot of flavor in my manicotti so I just keep adding the basil and Italian seasoning until I think it’s enough.
• If you don’t like a lot of seasoning, just put 1 tsp.
• of each in.
• If not, just keep adding until it's seasoned to your taste.
• You can also add a dash of salt and pepper if you like or a little bit of garlic.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Once the shells are drained and the cheese is mixed together, begin stuffing the shells.
• Be careful because they have a tendency to split.
• Pour about half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly before you place the shells in the dish.
• Once all the shells arranged in the baking dish, pour the remainder of the marinara sauce on top.
• Then add any leftover cheese on top of the sauce.
• Sprinkle with basil and Italian seasoning.
• Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt. Boil the spinach until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (keep the water in the pot boiling), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop. Set aside.
• In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese and mix until evenly combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and pepper. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shells and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Scatter the remaining 2/3 cup grated cheese on top and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper to taste. Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

SPECIAL MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Remove Italian sausage from casing and crumble well in dutch oven.
• Add ground beef, onions and garlic to sausage and cook over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble meat.
• Remove from fire and drain well.
• Add tomato sauce to dutch oven and the next 11 ingredients.
• Over medium heat bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Cook manicotti shells in salted boiling water according to package directions.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Combine cream cheeses and the next 7 ingredients in a large bowl or mixer.
• Stuff mixture into shells.
• Spoon half the sauce into a lightly greased 14x12 inch baking pan or 2 lightly greased 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dishes.
• Place stuffed shells over sauce.
• Spoon remaining sauce over shells.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until heated.
• Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CREAM CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Boil Manicotti noodles according to direction on box.
• Cook sausage and drain fat.
• Combine sausage, cream cheese and mozzerella cheese, saving about 1/2 cup of mozzerella cheese to top dish.
• Stuff sausage mixture into noodles and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.
• Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

SPINACH CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute onion in oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Set aside. , In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cream cheese, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and pepper; beat until smooth. Stir in onion mixture and spinach. Stuff into the manicotti shells., Pour half of the spaghetti sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce., Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti in boiling water until done. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/2 cup Parmesan, eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Pour 1/2 cup sauce into an 11x17 inch baking dish. Fill each manicotti shell with 3 tablespoons cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce . Pour remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake 45 minutes, or until bubbly.

STUFFED PASTA MANICOTTI WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook manicotti as directed on package, omitting salt. Meanwhile, brown crumbled sausage in large skillet; drain. Remove from heat. Stir in reduced-fat cream cheese, ricotta, milk, Italian seasoning, parsley and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan.
• Drain manicotti; stuff with sausage mixture. Spread 1 cup pasta sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; top with manicotti and remaining sauce.
• Bake 30 min. or until heated through, topping with mozzarella and remaining Parmesan for the last 5 min.