Classic Manicotti Recipe

If you were to type the word "manicotti" into Google Translate, the Italian to English translation would be something along the lines of "little sleeves." And, as it turns out, this literal translation is pretty fitting, and manicotti pasta really is composed of tiny little sleeves, tubes, or whatever you wish to call them. And, even better yet, these little sleeves become the perfect vehicle for a creamy, cheesy, and flavorful filling. In this recipe, the filling consists of ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and eggs. We love serving manicotti as a slightly elevated — and maybe just a bit more involved — way to serve all the flavors of lasagna. Meals like this feed a crowd and appeal to even the pickiest of eaters.

Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this delicious manicotti recipe. Carli notes that this "is the basic version of a manicotti recipe, but this could be easily adapted to alter flavors to your desire. Feel free to add in extras as you like." Read on to follow our step by step guide of how to make this manicotti recipe in less than one hour.

Now, let's get cooking. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the manicotti noodles and cook them according to package directions, which should take about 10 minutes. Once done boiling, carefully drain the pasta and set it aside to cool. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 F. Get a large 9x13-inch baking dish out and at the ready. You will eventually bake the manicotti in this dish. While you don't need to spray the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, we always find this a good idea to help with clean up.

Once you have the filling created and the noodles cooked, you will need to fill the manicotti noodles. The best way to do this is to place the filling into a large plastic bag. Make sure to squeeze all of the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Then you can snip off one of the bottom corners of the bag to create a piping bag. Now, pour half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Pipe the filling into the center of the noodles and place each noodle into the baking dish.

Now, it's time to bake. Place the baking dish in the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. During this time, the cheese will melt and the filling will cook through. Once the time is up, remove the baking dish from the oven and let it cool for at least 15 minutes. To serve, garnish with a bit more grated Parmesan cheese and even julienned basil leaves, if desired. Carli notes that "leftovers store best in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days." We hope you love this simple, cheesy, and delicious pasta dish!