Stuffed pasta tubes, creamy cheese filling, and rich homemade tomato sauce — this Italian Manicotti recipe is a classic comfort food reinvented with fresh herbs and a touch of nutmeg. Perfect for family dinners or entertaining guests, it’s cheesy, hearty, and simply irresistible.
Servings: 4
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for mild heat)
Filling:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh spinach (or frozen, thawed and drained)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Pasta:
- 8 uncooked manicotti tubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for greasing
Garnish:
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra Parmesan for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic for 1 minute, then add diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, salt, pepper, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the filling: In a bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, chopped spinach, Parmesan, egg, parsley, garlic powder, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth.
- Carefully stuff each uncooked manicotti tube with the cheese-spinach mixture using a spoon or piping bag. Place stuffed tubes in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the tomato-pepper sauce evenly over the manicotti. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and sprinkle extra Parmesan before serving.
