Baked Manicotti with Spinach and Three Cheeses
A no-boil baked manicotti: dry shells piped full of spinach, ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan, then covered in marinara thinned with a little water.The oven cooks the pasta under foil, so nothing tears while you fill it. Assembles a day ahead and freezes unbaked.
Ingredients
Spinach Ricotta Filling
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese drained if watery
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese divided
- 2 large eggs
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed very dry
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Shells and Sauce
- 12 manicotti shells uncooked, straight from the box
- 3 cups marinara sauce jarred or homemade
- 1/2 cup water the pasta drinks this while it bakes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for serving
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Baking Dish
- Mixing bowls
- Aluminum foil
- Piping Bag or Zip-top Bag
Instructions
Mix the Cheese Filling
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, the eggs, the squeezed-dry spinach, salt, nutmeg and black pepper until the color is even. Taste and adjust the salt.
Sauce the Dish
- Whisk the marinara and the water together in a bowl. The extra liquid is what cooks the dry shells, so do not leave it out. Spread half of the mixture across the bottom of the dish.
Fill and Layer the Shells
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a large zip-top bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe it into each dry shell from one end and then the other, meeting in the middle, filling them fully but gently.
- Lay the filled shells in a single layer over the sauce in the dish.
- Pour the remaining marinara mixture evenly over the top, making sure no pasta is left uncovered.
Bake and Rest
- Cover the dish tightly with foil, sprayed side down, and bake for 50 minutes.
- Remove the foil, scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan over the surface, and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbling at the edges.
- Rest the dish for 10 minutes so the filling sets, scatter the parsley over the top and serve.
Notes
Do not boil the shells. The half cup of water whisked into the marinara is what hydrates the dry pasta, and the foil is what keeps it there. Skip either one and the ends stay chalky.
Squeeze the spinach dry. Wring the thawed spinach in a clean towel until no more water comes out, then wring it again. Wet spinach is the main cause of a watery tray.
Make-ahead. Assemble the whole dish, cover it and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10 minutes to the covered bake if it goes in straight from the fridge.
Freezing. Freeze it assembled but unbaked, wrapped in plastic and then foil, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or bake from frozen at 375°F for 90 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered.
Storage. Leftovers keep 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered at 325°F with a spoonful of extra marinara added.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 1180mg | Potassium: 560mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4200IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 620mg | Iron: 3mg