Spinach and cheese manicotti is a classic meatless baked pasta: tender manicotti tubes stuffed with a creamy filling of ricotta, spinach, mozzarella and Parmesan, tucked into marinara sauce and baked until the cheese on top melts. It is rich without being heavy, and it looks like much more work than it is. Serve it for Sunday dinner, a meatless Friday or a holiday meal alongside the roast.
How to make spinach and cheese manicotti: Cook manicotti shells al dente and cook and drain the spinach. Mix the spinach with ricotta, a beaten egg, mozzarella, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stuff the shells. Spread 1 cup of marinara in a baking dish, arrange the shells on top, cover with the remaining sauce and mozzarella, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Three cheeses. Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan in every bite.
- Meatless. A filling dinner with no meat to brown.
- Jarred marinara. The sauce is already made.
- Company-worthy. A pan of stuffed pasta always looks special.
- Good leftovers. It reheats well and freezes well.
Ingredient Notes
Manicotti shells. One 8-ounce box, cooked al dente so the tubes stay firm enough to fill.
Marinara sauce. Twenty-four ounces. One cup goes under the shells and the remainder goes on top.
Spinach. Ten ounces, frozen or fresh, cooked and drained well.
Ricotta cheese. Fifteen ounces. It is the creamy base of the filling.
Egg. One large egg, beaten. It binds the filling so it stays in the shells.
Mozzarella cheese. One and a half cups, shredded. One cup goes into the filling and 1/2 cup goes on top.
Parmesan cheese. Half a cup, shredded.
Salt and black pepper. To taste.
Ingredients
- 1 box manicotti shells (8 ounces)
- 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 10 ounces spinach, frozen or fresh, cooked and drained
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Make Spinach and Cheese Manicotti
1. Cook the shells and spinach. Cook the manicotti shells al dente and cook the spinach, each according to its package directions. Drain the spinach.
2. Mix the filling. Combine the spinach, ricotta, beaten egg, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stuff the manicotti. Fill each cooked manicotti shell with the spinach and cheese mixture.
4. Add the bottom sauce. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.
5. Assemble. Arrange the stuffed shells over the sauce. Spoon on the remaining marinara and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
6. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Check the center with a food thermometer. As a casserole, it should reach 165°F before serving.
7. Serve. Serve hot.
Do You Need to Boil Manicotti Shells?
For this dish, yes. The shells are boiled until al dente before they are stuffed. The amount of sauce and the baking time are set for pasta that is already cooked, so do not skip the pot of water.
Al dente is the key word. Shells cooked until fully soft tear when you try to fill them. Shells with a little firmness left hold their shape, and they finish softening in the sauce in the oven.
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Boil | Cook the shells al dente, by the package directions | Firm tubes are easier to fill and do not split |
| Cool | Drain and lay the shells flat in a single layer | They do not stick together or tear |
| Drain the spinach | Press out as much water as you can | A wet filling turns runny in the oven |
| Fill | Pipe the filling in from a bag | Faster and neater than a spoon |
The piping bag is an optional trick, and a good one. Spoon the filling into a piping bag, or a zip-top bag with one corner cut off, and squeeze it into each shell from both ends. It takes a fraction of the time of a spoon.
Tips for Success
How dry should the spinach be?
As dry as you can get it. Squeeze it in your hands or press it in a sieve. Extra moisture can make the filling too wet.
Why put sauce under the shells?
The cup of marinara on the bottom keeps the pasta from sticking to the dish and helps it stay tender.
Should the shells be covered with sauce?
Yes. Spoon the remaining marinara over the top so no pasta is left bare. Uncovered edges dry out and turn hard.
How do I know it is done?
After 30 minutes at 350°F, the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted. A food thermometer in the center should read 165°F.
What if a shell tears?
Fill it anyway and place it seam side down in the sauce. Once it is baked, no one will know.
How Long Does It Take?
About 55 minutes: 15 minutes of prep and about 40 minutes of cooking, which includes boiling the pasta and 30 minutes in the oven.
What Protein Goes With Manicotti?
This is a meatless main dish, so it pairs with almost anything. Grilled chicken, Italian sausage or meatballs are all natural partners. It is also filling enough to serve with only a salad and bread.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Reheat until the center reaches 165°F, with a spoonful of extra sauce if the pasta looks dry.
What to Serve With It
A green salad is the classic side. Try spinach salad with warm bacon dressing, and add cheese puff squares or spinach puffs with cream cheese as a starter. For more stuffed and cheesy pasta, make 3-cheese sausage lasagna roll-ups or the 4-ingredient slow cooker manicotti. And for another spinach dinner, there is creamy spinach and mushroom gnocchi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to boil manicotti shells?
Yes, for this dish. Cook them al dente before stuffing.
What can I cook with spinach and ricotta?
Stuffed manicotti is a classic. The same two ingredients, with mozzarella, Parmesan and an egg, make the filling here.
What protein should I serve with manicotti?
Grilled chicken, Italian sausage or meatballs all go well with it.
How many manicotti does it make?
Ten.
Final Notes
I stand the filled piping bag in a tall glass between shells, which keeps the filling from oozing onto the counter. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Spinach and Cheese Manicotti
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Ingredients
- 1 box manicotti shells 8 ounces, cooked al dente
- 24 ounces marinara sauce 1 cup beneath the shells and the remainder on top
- 10 ounces spinach frozen or fresh, cooked and drained
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 egg large, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded; 1 cup for the filling and 1/2 cup for the topping
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the manicotti shells al dente and cook the spinach, each according to its package directions. Drain the spinach.
- Combine the spinach, ricotta, beaten egg, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Fill each cooked manicotti shell with the spinach and cheese mixture.
- Spread 1 cup marinara sauce evenly in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Arrange the stuffed shells over the sauce. Spoon on the remaining marinara and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Check the center with a food thermometer. As a casserole, it should reach 165°F before serving.
- Serve hot.
