Manicotti al Horno
Baked manicotti is the ultimate Italian-American comfort dish: wide pasta tubes packed with a creamy, herb-flecked ricotta-and-mozzarella filling, blanketed in marinara, and baked until the top is bubbling and golden. Whole-milk ricotta and a quick homemade sauce keep the filling rich but never watery, while a foil-then-uncovered bake gives you tender pasta with a browned, cheesy crown. It's a make-ahead-friendly crowd-pleaser that comes together with pantry staples.
Par-boil 12 manicotti shells for about 7 minutes until pliable but still firm, then rinse under cold water so they stop cooking and don't tear. Stir 680 g whole-milk ricotta together with 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, one egg, chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg, then pipe the mixture into each tube from both ends using a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off. Spread a layer of marinara in a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) dish, nestle the filled tubes in a single layer, blanket with the rest of the sauce plus the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan, cover with foil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes; uncover and bake 15 minutes more until bubbling and lightly browned, then rest 10 minutes before serving.
- Cook the shells just to pliable (about 7 minutes) and rinse under cold water — overcooked tubes split when you try to fill them.
- Use whole-milk ricotta and drain it in a sieve if it looks watery; part-skim or undrained cheese makes the finished manicotti loose and soupy.
- Pipe the filling with a zip-top bag from both ends of each shell — it's far faster and cleaner than a spoon and keeps the pasta intact.
Equipment
- Large pot
- 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Piping bag or zip-top bag
- Aluminum foil
- Box grater
Ingredientes
Marinara Sauce
- 30 ml olive oil
- garlic cloves, minced
- 800 g crushed tomatoes
- 30 g tomato paste, optional, for body
- 1 g dried oregano
- 5 g fine sea salt
- 4 g sugar, optional, balances acidity
- fresh basil leaves, torn
Cheese Filling
- 680 g whole-milk ricotta, drained if watery
- 115 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, for the filling
- 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, or vegetarian hard cheese
- large egg, lightly beaten
- 8 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 5 g fresh basil, chopped
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g freshly ground black pepper
- freshly grated nutmeg, optional
Pasta & Topping
- 225 g dried manicotti shells
- 115 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded, for topping
- 15 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated, for topping
- fresh basil, for garnish, optional
Elaboración
- PASO01
Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the garlic for about 30 seconds, until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, and sugar. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in the torn basil and taste for seasoning.
- PASO02
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the manicotti and cook for about 7 minutes — they should be flexible but still firm, since they finish cooking in the oven. Drain gently and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, then lay the tubes in a single layer so they don't stick or tear.
- PASO03
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, ½ cup Parmesan, the beaten egg, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until smooth and well blended. If the ricotta looks very wet, drain it in a fine sieve first so the filling holds its shape.
- PASO04
Spoon the filling into a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with about 2 cm cut off one corner. Pipe the cheese mixture into each shell, working from both ends toward the middle so every tube is filled end to end.
- PASO05
Spread about a third of the marinara over the bottom of a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish. Arrange the filled manicotti in a single layer, then spoon the remaining sauce evenly over the top, making sure the exposed pasta ends are covered. Scatter with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- PASO06
Cover the dish tightly with foil, tenting it slightly so it doesn't touch the cheese, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
- PASO07
Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and lightly golden in spots.
- PASO08
Let the manicotti rest for 10 minutes so the filling sets and the sauce thickens for clean slices. Garnish with fresh basil and serve warm.
Make ahead
Assemble the dish completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking (add 10-15 minutes to the covered bake time since it starts cold). To freeze, assemble in a freezer-safe dish, wrap well, and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
Storage
Store leftover manicotti in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven or in the microwave, adding a spoonful of sauce or a splash of water to keep it moist. Baked manicotti also freezes well for up to 3 months.
Variations
Meat Lover's Manicotti
Brown 340 g (¾ lb) Italian sausage or ground beef, drain, and stir half into the marinara and half into the ricotta filling for a heartier version. Add 5-10 minutes to the covered bake time.
Spinach & Ricotta
Wilt 200 g (7 oz) fresh spinach, squeeze it very dry, chop, and fold it into the cheese filling. It adds color, earthiness, and a little extra body for a Florentine-style manicotti.
Gluten-Free
Swap in gluten-free manicotti or cannelloni shells and confirm the sauce and cheeses are certified gluten-free. Boil the gluten-free shells a minute or two less, as they soften quickly.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Preguntas frecuentes
Do I have to boil the manicotti shells first?
For most dried manicotti, yes — a short 7-minute par-boil makes the tubes flexible enough to fill without cracking and guarantees tender pasta after baking. If you buy no-boil or oven-ready manicotti you can skip it, but add extra sauce and a splash of water so the shells have enough moisture to hydrate in the oven.
What's the easiest way to stuff manicotti?
A piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner snipped off is by far the fastest way to fill manicotti. Pipe from both ends toward the center so each tube is packed evenly; a small spoon or the handle of a teaspoon works too, but it's slower and more likely to split the shells.
Can I make baked manicotti ahead of time?
Absolutely. Assemble the whole dish, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking — just add 10-15 minutes to the covered bake since it starts cold. You can also freeze assembled, unbaked manicotti for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Why did my manicotti turn out watery?
Watery manicotti almost always comes down to the ricotta. Use whole-milk ricotta and drain it in a sieve if it looks loose, and don't overcook the shells. Letting the baked dish rest 10 minutes also lets the filling set and the sauce thicken so it plates neatly.
What's the difference between manicotti and cannelloni?
They're close cousins. Manicotti are ridged pasta tubes that you par-boil and stuff, popular in Italian-American cooking, while cannelloni are usually smooth tubes or flat sheets rolled around the filling. You can use this same ricotta filling and marinara for either one.
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