Easy 3 Cheese Manicotti
There is something so comforting about a cheesy pasta dish. This simple cheese manicotti is made with a blend of ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan. Minimally spiced, and no need to boil the noodles first!
I think most of us can agree our meals have changed to more hearty comfort foods this time of year. Delicious casseroles, piping hot soups, and cheesy pasta dishes pair perfectly with the cooler temperatures that have been creeping in.
I first saw this recipe for cheese manicotti in a Taste of Home Magazine, but altered it a bit to suit my taste.
This easy no boil manicotti recipe is perfect for any night of the week. Filling the noodles right out of the box saves so much time and effort. You can use jarred marinara sauce or try this delicious homemade marinara sauce made from simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients You Will Need
- ricotta cheese
- onion
- egg
- dried basal
- salt and pepper
- mozzarella cheese
- parmesan cheese
- marinara sauce
- manicotti shells
How to make 3 Cheese Manicotti
In a medium mixing bowl mix combine ricotta, chopped onion, egg, salt, pepper and dried basal. Fold in 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Transfer 3/4 cup marinara sauce to casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom.
Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill dry manicotti shells with cheese filling and arrange over the sauce in casserole dish. Pour remaining marinara sauce over noodles to cover completely. Cover dish with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, until shells are tender.
Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with remaining parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Return to oven, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Pasta is always a huge hit at our house. I love this cheese manicotti because it is vegetarian friendly! I love it when I can prepare a meal that we can all enjoy without having to modify one serving. The combination of the slightly sweet basal, marinara and the rich cheese blend was a real hit.
Cooks tips:
- I used ridged manicotti shells as they really hang on to the sauce well.
- No need to buy no-boil noodles as regular manicotti noodles work just fine here.
- I used a heaping third cup of frozen chopped onion instead of chopping a small one, it cuts prep time by at least a few minutes and I always try to have some in the freezer for making weeknight meals
- I filled a large pastry bag with the cheese filling and piped it into each manicotti shell. Neat and easy
- Of the 8 oz (250 gram) package of shells, I was able to fill all but three which gave us 4 servings of 2 shells and 1 serving of 3 shells with plenty of sauce.
If you’re looking for a hearty pasta dish that is easy to prepare and your whole family will love, this three cheese manicotti recipe will be one you want to add to your menu plan!
If you are looking for a meat and cheese manicotti, look no further than this Chicken Spinach Manicotti! It’s a great way to use up left over chicken while satisfying the pasta and meat lovers in the family.
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3 Cheese Manicotti
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 large casserole dish
- 1 cheese grater
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce tub ricotta cheese
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon dried sweet basal
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 4 ½ cups marinara sauce
- 1 8 ounce package manicotti noodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a large casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, onion, egg, basal, salt and pepper. Fold in ½ cup mozzarella and ½ cup parmesan cheese.
- Transfer ¾ cup marinara sauce to the casserole dish, spreading to completely cover the bottom. Using a piping bag or small spoon, fill dry manicotti shells with filling (about 11 shells), arrange over marinara sauce. Pour remaining sauce over the noodles to cover completely. Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, until noodles are softened.
- Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Return to oven, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 more minutes, until cheese is fully melted. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.
This is making me drool! I need to go find some breakfast.
I made this for dinner last night. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing!