Restaurant-Style Three Cheese Manicotti
Our Three Cheese Manicotti is pure comfort food. Tender pasta tubes are stuffed with a filling of ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano. Bake with your favorite marinara sauce, then serve with fresh basil for an easy Sunday dinner the whole family will love. Make-ahead and freezer-friendly!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 610kcal
Ingredients
- 8 oz manicotti about 14 manicotti shells (1 package)
- 24 oz (2½ cups) ricotta cheese
- 12 oz (3 cups) mozzarella cheese shredded, divided
- ¾ cup Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cloves garlic grated or minced
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- 24 oz (3 cups) marinara sauce
Instructions
- Partially cook the manicotti. Preheat an oven to 350°F/175°C. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, then season generously with a few tablespoons of Kosher salt. Cook the manicotti until very al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain or transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
- Make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2½ cups ricotta, 2 cups shredded mozzarella, ½ cup Pecorino Romano (or grated Parmesan), 2 eggs, 2 grated garlic cloves. 2 Tbsp chopped basil, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, ¾ tsp Kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, and ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg. Stir until very well mixed.
- Prepare the manicotti. Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Next, fill the manicotti. Place the cheese mixture in a Ziploc bag, then cut off one corner. Like using a piping bag, squeeze the cheese filling into each shell. Alternatively, you can use a long, narrow spoon to fill each shell by hand. Arrange the stuffed manicotti in a single layer in the baking dish. Pour or spoon the remaining 2 cups marinara sauce on top.
- Bake, then serve. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup grated Pecorino evenly on top of sauce. Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is a light golden brown and the sauce is bubbly. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with additional fresh basil leaves!
Notes
- Make ahead: Filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Fully assembled manicotti can be refrigerated up to 2 days; bring to room temp 30 minutes before baking or add extra bake time.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days.
- Freeze assembled manicotti up to 2–3 months. Bake from frozen, adding extra time.
- Variation: For a non-vegetarian option, add crispy guanciale or pancetta to the filling.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 1455mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1562IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 696mg | Iron: 3mg
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