Manicotti: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
Roll-Ups of Comfort: Simple Ricotta & Spinach Manicotti
A cozy, pantry-friendly bake that gives you creamy, garlicky filling and a golden, bubbly top with minimal fuss.
Manicotti is one of those dishes that looks showy on the table but is purely practical at dinnertime — big bowls of saucy pasta, cheesy pull-aparts, and no one arguing over portions (only good-natured elbowing). This version leans on staples — ricotta, frozen spinach, parmesan and mozzarella — so you get rich, comforting flavor without a long ingredient list or a trip to specialty shops.
The filling is the star: ricotta folded with a beaten egg and grated parmesan becomes silky and keeps the rolls from falling apart, while wilted, well-drained frozen spinach adds a minerally, garlicky lift. A hit of dried oregano, salt and black pepper lets the simple dairy flavors shine; spoon the mixture into shells or use a zip-top bag as a makeshift piping bag to keep things tidy. Finish everything with a bright, jarred marinara and a scattering of shredded mozzarella for that irresistible golden top.
A couple of practical notes that save waste and time: cook the manicotti shells just to al dente, rinse to stop the cooking, and dry them on a towel so they don’t tear when you fill them. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the thawed spinach — watery filling is the biggest offender for a soggy bake. Bake in a lightly oiled 9x13 dish at 375°F until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 35 minutes; tent with foil if you need to prevent over-browning.
This is a hardworking family dinner: it stretches a little farther when you serve it with a green salad and crusty bread, it reheats beautifully, and you can assemble it ahead (or freeze unbaked) for nights when you want comfort with zero scramble. Budget-friendly, pantry-smart, and reliably comforting — the kind of meal people ask you to make again.
Ingredients
How to Make Manicotti
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti shells according to package directions until just al dente (usually 6–8 minutes); drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and lay shells on a clean towel to dry.
- While shells cook, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add thawed spinach and cook 2–3 minutes to drive off excess moisture; transfer spinach to a bowl, cool slightly, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands or a clean towel.
- In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, beaten egg, grated parmesan, drained spinach, dried oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using); stir until evenly mixed and season to taste.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking and to create a saucy base.
- Fill each manicotti shell with the ricotta mixture using a small spoon or a piping bag (cut a corner of a zip bag if needed); arrange filled shells in a single layer on the sauce in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup marinara over the arranged shells, sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are bubbling; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Card
Manicotti
Manicotti: a cozy home-cooked favorite with big flavor, practical prep, and servings worth fighting over—in a friendly way.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti shells according to package directions until just al dente (usually 6–8 minutes); drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and lay shells on a clean towel to dry.
- While shells cook, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant, then add thawed spinach and cook 2–3 minutes to drive off excess moisture; transfer spinach to a bowl, cool slightly, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands or a clean towel.
- In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta, beaten egg, grated parmesan, drained spinach, dried oregano, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (if using); stir until evenly mixed and season to taste.
- Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish to prevent sticking and to create a saucy base.
- Fill each manicotti shell with the ricotta mixture using a small spoon or a piping bag (cut a corner of a zip bag if needed); arrange filled shells in a single layer on the sauce in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining 1 cup marinara over the arranged shells, sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top, and cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake covered for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 8–10 minutes until cheese is melted and edges are bubbling; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 58
- Saturated Fat
- 10
- Sodium
- 1100
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 16
- Protein
- 35
- Fat
- 26
- Cholesterol
- 110
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 640
- Sugar
- 8