Spinach Manicotti
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Learn to make classic spinach manicotti with a rich, cheesy filling and delicious marinara sauce—perfect for a cozy family dinner or special occasion!
“Manicotti” means “little sleeve” in Italian, referring to the pasta’s cylindrical shape. It’s the perfect dish to prep ahead and pop in the oven when you’ve got company coming or just want a cozy family meal. I use a few tricks to elevate this recipe without any extra work—like adding extra cheeses to the filling for flavor and texture, and using a store-bought marinara sauce for a quick shortcut. The hardest part is squeezing the filling into the pasta, but don’t worry—I’ve got some tips to make that easier too.
Pair this manicotti recipe with a big Italian salad and garlic bread for a truly satisfying meal. And if you’re looking for more comforting Italian pasta dishes, don’t miss my lasagna, stuffed shells, and baked ziti!
“As always, the recipe was easy to follow. Perfect ratio of filling to sauce. The finished dish was comfort food elevated! Outstanding!”
Video Tutorial
What You’ll Need To Make Spinach Manicotti
- Manicotti shells: The pasta base of the dish. Be sure to undercook your manicotti so it’s still a little firm. This makes stuffing the shells easier, and they’ll soften further as they bake in the sauce.
- Eggs: Help bind the filling for a smooth, cohesive texture.
- Cheeses (Ricotta, Mascarpone/Cream Cheese, Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano): These cheeses are the base for the cheese filling. The mascarpone/cream cheese not only adds delicious flavor but also prevents the filling from becoming grainy, a common issue with pasta dishes made with ricotta cheese. (Don’t have Pecorino? Parmesan cheese can be substituted.)
- Frozen spinach: Thawed and squeezed dry, it adds flavor, color, and nutrition to the filling. Make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible to avoid a soggy filling.
- Fresh basil: A fragrant herb that brightens up the filling.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic depth to the filling.
- Dried oregano: Complements the Italian flavors of the dish.
- Marinara sauce: The base for the sauce. I use a good-quality jarred sauce, like Rao’s, to make the recipe easy, but you can use homemade tomato sauce if you have some on hand.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness to the marinara sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Parboil the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti noodles for 6 minutes (they should be only partially cooked). Drain and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ricotta, mascarpone cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the spinach, basil, garlic, oregano, and salt. Mix until evenly combined.
Transfer the cheese mixture to a pastry/piping bag or a large zip-lock bag. Twist and squeeze the bag so the filling gathers in one corner, then snip a ¾-inch opening. Pipe the filling into both ends of the pasta tubes, filling them completely.
Make the sauce: In a large bowl, combine the marinara sauce and heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Assemble and bake: Spread ¾ cup of the sauce into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed manicotti shells in a single layer over the sauce, then pour just enough sauce to cover the manicotti.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover the dish, then top the manicotti with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of Pecorino Romano cheeses.
Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. For a more golden finish, turn on the broiler and bake for a few more minutes, keeping a close eye on it.
Manicotti can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking, or frozen for up to 3 months.
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Spinach Manicotti
With a cheesy spinach filling and a rich marinara sauce, this manicotti is a surefire crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 14 manicotti shells (from an 8-oz box)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 (15-oz) container whole-milk ricotta cheese (1¾ cups)
- ⅓ cup mascarpone or cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups (8 oz) whole-milk mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1¼ cups (4.5 oz oz) grated Pecorino Romano, divided
- 1 (10-oz) box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling the pasta
- 2½ cups homemade or good-quality jarred marinara sauce, such as Rao's
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.
- Parboil the Manicotti Shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells for exactly 6 minutes (they will only be partially cooked). Drain well and rinse with cold water.
- Make the Filling: In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the ricotta, mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese), 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1 cup of the Pecorino Romano, the spinach, basil, garlic, oregano, and salt; mix until evenly combined. Transfer the filling to a pastry bag or large zip-lock bag. (If using a zip-lock bag, be sure the corners are square; the rounded-corner bags are difficult to use.) Twist and squeeze the bag so the filling is in one corner. With scissors, snip a ¾-inch opening in corner. Pipe the filling into both ends of the manicotti shells, filling until completely full.
- Make the Sauce: In a large bowl, stir together the marinara sauce and heavy cream.
- Assemble and Bake: Spread ¾ cup of the sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed manicotti shells, narrow side up, over the sauce. Pour just enough sauce to cover the manicotti (you'll have about ¾ cup leftover; save it for serving). Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and top the manicotti with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheeses Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. (To brown the cheese further, turn on the broiler and bake for a few more minutes, keeping a close eye, until the cheese is golden.) Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving. Warm the reserved sauce and pass at the table for anyone who would like extra.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dish can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days in advance, or frozen for up to 3 months. (If frozen, defrost in the refrigerator overnight before baking.)
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 manicotti
- Calories: 735
- Fat: 46 g
- Saturated fat: 28 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 8 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Sodium: 1,413 mg
- Cholesterol: 213 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Comments
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I should have known by just looking at the ingredient list that this would be an incredibly rich main dish, but I have never been disappointed by any other recipe I’ve made from this site. I intentionally upped the spinach in the filling trying to offset the richness, but it wasn’t enough. It is the only recipe here I will not have in my rotation.
Hi Jenn
We love your spinach cheese manicotti. I don’t have a full box of manicotti shells; can I use jumbo shells instead?
Thanks
Glad you like it! And yes, I think it’s fine to use the jumbo shells.
Hi Jen! Thanks for all of your great recipes. I love your cookbooks as well. I Plan to make this ahead for Christmas Eve. However, my husband will want some type of meat in it. What meat do you think would go best in this? Thanks so much!
Sarah
So glad you enjoy the recipes, Sarah! I’d probably add ground Italian sausage to the sauce – it will be delicious. Enjoy!
This is delicious! I would love to make Christmas Eve without the spinach. Any recommendations how to adjust the recipe to do that? Thank you!
Hi Taryn, I would just omit the spinach and up the amount of the other filling ingredients by about 25%. I’d love to know how it turns out!
Hi Jenn,
Could this be made with ground beef? I’m making two pans of this for a friend for a family meal where some like meat and others prefer spinach.
Thank You for another great recipe!
Sure, I think you could add ground beef to one batch. Just make sure to season it well when you brown it.
Can the spinach be omitted? (For my picky kid eaters 🙄) Would I need to add more of anything else? Thanks
Hi Heather, it’s fine to omit the spinach with no other modifications. Enjoy!
There are no “tricks”… but techniques : )
This looks so good! I use your recipes for most of my meals! I have a lot of fresh spinach on hand, will that work instead of the frozen?
Hi Grace, I’m flattered that you use a lot of my recipes! Fresh spinach is fine to use; just make sure to cook and squeeze out any liquid before incorporating it into the recipe. I’d estimate you’ll need 1 – 1.5 lbs. Please LMK how it turns out!