Baked Manicotti

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The secret to getting this Sunday night dinner worthy baked manicotti on the table in just over an hour? Don’t boil the manicotti noodles before filling them! That’s right friends! You can prep this cheesy vegetarian dish in just 10 minutes!!

Why you’re going to love this recipe:

• It’s easy to make. No fancy kitchen gadgets or years of experience in the kitchen needed. This dish is simple and easy to prepare.
• The flavors are amazing. Have you added smoked cheese to a pasta dish before? It’s pretty much the best thing ever and my favorite way to add meaty flavor to a vegetarian dish.
• It takes less than hour from start to finish. The best part about this dish is that it screams Sunday night dinner but it’s only got 9 ingredients and takes little more than an hour to prepare.

How to make this recipe:

It takes just 9 simple ingredients to get this easy dinner on the table!

Add chopped spinach, ricotta, smoked mozzarella, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, a large pinch of pepper and a couple large pinches of salt to a large bowl.

Mix to combine.

Transfer to a piping bag (a gallon Ziploc baggy works well too).

Cut the tip off your piping bag about the width of the manicotti noodles.

Pipe the filling into one end of the noodle, then flip the noodle and fill the other side.

Nestle filled manicotti into the baking dish.

Then pour the remaining sauce in an even layer on top of the noodles.

Tear fresh mozzarella into bite size chunks and sprinkle in an even layer over top of the noodles.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 50-55 minutes, or until noodles are al dente.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and enjoy!

Tips for making this recipe:

• Take the extra 2 minutes to mince your own garlic. This is true for any recipe that calls for garlic. Always use fresh cloves of garlic that you have minced yourself. The jarred option might seem like a time-saver, but you will definitely be able to taste a difference!
• Don’t overstuff the noodles. There is literally just enough filling to fill all 12 of the noodles. If you overstuff them, chances are good you won’t have enough filling to fill all of them.
• Don’t worry if it looks like too much sauce. It will look like a lot of sauce at first, but trust me it’s not! The moisture from the sauce is what’s going to cook the noodles so the baked manicotti needs to be real saucy in the beginning. After almost an hour in the oven, a lot of the sauce will be absorbed into the pasta.

Other easy pasta dishes you’ll love:

• 30 Minute Baked Ravioli
• Garlic Butter Noodles
• Easy No Boil Lasagna
• One Pot Smoked Gouda & Sun Dried Tomato Pasta
• One Pot Mediterranean Linguine

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This recipe was originally shared in May 2018. It has been updated to include process shots, tips for making the dish perfectly and an improved recipe in February 2019.