Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (2024)

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Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (1)My friend, Jackie, shared this Amazing Manicotti Recipe with me back when we were both new brides. She was going to Cosmetology School and also worked at a grocery store as a checker. A woman who came through her line gave her this recipe. It was like a treasure to us Utah/Idaho girls who loved to cook and who had very little experience with authentic Italian food. It reminds me a little bit of the Amazing Stuffed Shells I make.

The woman told Jackie that no matter what she had to use Olive Oil in the recipe, and ”do not even make it if you weren’t going to use olive oil.” I don’t know about Jackie, but I had to go out and buy some. I had never even owned a bottle of Olive Oil before. My mom never used it, and I had no idea the magic it offered the world of food.

Looking back now, it totally cracks me up to think how foreign it felt to cook with olive oil. I’m so glad I was introduced to it. My life is so much better with Olive Oil in it. 🙂

The entire dish is so well-rounded, from the sauce to the Al Dente shells, to the perfect filling. It is a treat for the taste buds to be sure!I hope you love and treasure this Amazing Manicotti Recipe as much as Jackie and I do. It’s truly a keeper!

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Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (2)After living in New Jersey and being exposed to so many delicious authentic Italian recipes, (like this Amazing Sausage and Pepper’s recipe) I can say with confidence that this manicotti is the real deal! So authentic! When you feed it to people, they’re going to think you’re hiding a little Italian grandmother somewhere.

After making this way back when, I started using the same filling recipe to make lasagna or stuffed shells. It’s such a perfect texture, and with the cheeses blended together, the flavor is perfect. When I originally made the filling, sugar as one of the ingredients surprised me, but it really pulls it all togetherAmazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (3)

This recipe has three steps, so it’s a little more intense than most of the recipes I post. But…..they are easy steps. Trust me when I say it’s so worth it. I usually bust these out about 2-3 times a year. They’re perfect to make for company or when friends come to dinner. Sometimes I even make them on Valentine’s Day. Although, I have been known to make them on a regular Thursday or Tuesday every now and then.

One batch of this recipe makes 10-12 stuffed manicotti noodles. I usually double this recipe, and when we have company, I usually triple it. The leftovers, as is true with most Italian food, are even better the next day.

How to Make Amazing Manicotti

  • First, cook manicotti noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain noodles and set them on a plate or flat dish without overlapping or touching each other. This will help them from tearing or sticking together.
  • While noodles are cooking, begin making the sauce.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley. Sauté until garlic is golden and onion is transparent.
  • Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes until sauce is nicely thickened.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, dried parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  • When the sauce is done simmering, pour half of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 dish.
  • Next, fill each al dente noodle with filling. Use a spoon to evenly distribute filling into each side of the noodle.
  • Place each filled noodle in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
  • Then, pour the remaining sauce over the noodles.
  • Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
  • Remove foil.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes.
  • Serve and Enjoy!Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (4)
Tips for making the Amazing Manicotti Recipe
  • Use olive oil for the best flavoring.
  • Start sauce while noodles are cooking to cut down on the time it takes to make them.
  • After draining cooked noodles, place them on a plate or flat dish without overlapping or touching each other. It helps prevent the noodles from sticking together and/or tearing.
  • A great tip from a reader, Hannah, for filling the noodles: Put the filling mixture into a sandwich-sized baggie, cut off one side of the bottom tip, and squeeze the mixture into the cooked noodles. It’s like using a piping bag.

Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (5)

Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (6)

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5.0 from 9 reviews

Amazing Manicotti Recipe

Prep time

Cook time

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Authentic, delicious Al Dente noodles stuffed with three kinds of cheese smothered in homemade tomato sauce that will make your mouth water. This Manicotti is the real deal!

Author: Julie Kroff

Recipe type: Pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

  • 10-12 manicotti noodles, cooked al dente
  • FOR THE SAUCE
  • 6 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 large clove garlic, finely minced or put through press
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • dash of pepper
  • FILLING
  • 15 oz container Ricotta Cheese
  • ¼ pound Mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp pepper
  • More Parmesan Cheese for topping

Instructions

  1. First, cook manicotti noodles al dente according to package directions. Drain noodles and set them on a plate or flat dish without overlapping or touching each other. This will help them from tearing or sticking together.
  2. While noodles are cooking, begin making the sauce.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion, garlic, and parsley until garlic is golden and onion is transparent.
  4. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered for 25-30 minutes until sauce is nicely thickened.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, dried parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
  6. When sauce is done simmering, pour half of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 dish.
  7. Next, fill each al dente noodle with filling. Use a spoon to evenly distribute filling into each side of the noodle.
  8. Place each filled noodle in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
  9. Then, pour the remaining sauce over the noodles.
  10. Cover dish with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
  11. Remove foil.
  12. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes.
  13. Serve and Enjoy!

Have you tried these yet?

Classic Meatloaf Recipe…just like mom used to make.No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake {9×13 size}Pesto Parmesan Pork Chops

Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (14)

Amazing Manicotti Recipe - Real Life Dinner (2024)

FAQs

What's good to serve with manicotti? ›

Pair this manicotti with one of these top-rated side dish recipes:
  • Classic Restaurant Caesar Salad.
  • French Baguettes.
  • Arugula-Fennel Salad.
  • Jimbo's Garlic Knots.
  • Butter-Roasted Cauliflower.
Feb 2, 2023

Does manicotti need to be cooked before stuffing? ›

However, with a stuffed pasta like manicotti you have to do things differently. Never, never, never precook your manicotti noodles ahead of time.” Since then, Pat and I have both tried stuffing the uncooked manicotti noodles and are very pleased with the results.

How many manicotti per person? ›

figure on serving two to three manicotti per person. They are light but very filling especially when served in a meat sauce vs a marinara sauce.

What's manicotti Sopranos? ›

Manigot. For manicotti, which are large ridged pasta tubes that are stuffed, usually with ricotta. The finished dish is also called manicotti. Mutzadell or just mutz. Mozzarella.

Do they serve manicotti in Italy? ›

The thin crepes required for what in the United States is known as manicotti must even be made differently, in crepe pans (rather similar to the pans used to make tortillas). In Italy, manicotti would not be served as a pasta dish but as a crepe dish, or a crespelle.

Should you cover manicotti when baking? ›

All 16 noodles should easily fit in the 9X13-inch dish. Spread the remaining sauce evenly over the noodles so they are completely covered. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake until the manicotti is bubbling, about 40 minutes.

What is the best way to fill manicotti shells? ›

How to Fill Shells Without Breaking Them. I recommend using a long narrow spoon to stuff the manicotti to prevent breaks. If you can, use a pastry bag fitted with a large tip to easily pipe the filling. A gallon resealable plastic bag with a small portion of the edge cut off also works well.

Should you boil manicotti noodles first? ›

You can make excellent manicotti without boiling a single noodle, it's true.

Can I freeze homemade manicotti? ›

I often make a double batch and freeze one pan for later. That way I have a delicious dinner at my fingertips for busy days or unexpected guests. The day before I want to serve the manicotti, I take it out of the freezer and thaw it in the fridge.

What is a Moozadell slang? ›

The episode's title is a play on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Tell-Tale Heart." Moozadell is rough Italian-American slang for mozzarella cheese (from the Southern pronunciation muzzarell') but can also be used as a derogatory name for an Italian man, according to Michael Imperioli.

What was Tony Sopranos favorite meal? ›

However, there is no specific dish that can be attributed to him as his favorite food. Throughout the series, Tony is shown enjoying various Italian-American dishes such as spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, baked ziti, and veal parmesan, among others. He also enjoys fast food, especially hamburgers and onion rings.

What do you eat with stuffed pasta shells? ›

I often serve these stuffed shells with my Homemade Caesar Salad, but my Arugula Salad, Beet Salad, or Simple Green Salad would also pair well with this recipe. And when it comes to bread, you really can't go wrong! Stick with a crusty loaf, or make rosemary focaccia, garlic knots, or dinner rolls. Enjoy!

What wine goes well with manicotti? ›

Classic wines fit this bill. For whites that will pair well with this pasta, Soave, Friulano, Pinot Grigio come to mind in the white category. For the reds, Montepulciano, Chianti and Barbera top the list. All of these wines have mouthwatering acidity, which helps cut through the richness of the ricotta.

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