The Best Manicotti Recipe is the Real Deal!
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 of 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! Â
Pasta! It’s what’s for Dinner.
- Angel Hair Pasta with Garlic Parmesan
- The Best Italian Meatballs
- Five Minute Pesto Alfredo Sauce with Chicken
- Alfredo Pesto Sauce with Chicken and Tomatoes
- Beef and Peppers with Egg Noodles
- Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
After living in New Jersey and being exposed to so many delicious authentic Italian recipes–like this Amazing Sausage and Peppers 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 When I originally made the filling, sugar as one of the ingredients surprised me, but it really pulls it all together.
This recipe has three steps, so it’s a little more intense than most 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. As is true with most Italian food, the leftovers 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 into 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!
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.
Chef’s Tools for Making Manicotti:
If you love Manicotti, you'll love these...
- 10-12 manicotti noodles, cooked al dente
- FOR THE SAUCE
- 6 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 large clove garlic, finely minced or put through a 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
- 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. Sauté the onion, garlic, and parsley 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 sauce is done simmering, pour half of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 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!
More Amazing Recipes You've Gotta Try!
Super easy and delicious! I put the ricotta and mozzarella mix into a sandwich sized baggie and cut off one side of the bottom tip and squeeze the mix into the cooked noodles like a piping bag and it was super easy!
Awesome! Great idea! I’m glad you loved the recipe.
Such a good recipe! I like making the homemade spaghetti sauce with tomorrow from my garden! #augustgiveaway
Yum! Nothing better than sauce from homegrown tomatoes! So glad you like the manicotti!
Can you use dried minced onions instead?
Yes, if you re-hydrate them first. I would also add a little extra.
Amazing!! Everyone in my family especially loved how sweet and delicious the cheese filling is!
Yay! I love hearing that and I agree 100%! One of my favorite recipes!
I love the authentic taste of this recipe!!! Soooo good!
Thank you!
I love this recipe! Everything tastes so fresh and authentic. It takes a lot of time, but it’s worth it! And I love to think that olive oil was so foreign to us back in the day. Ha ha ha!
I am so glad you gave me this recipe. It is the bomb! And yes, it’s hilarious to think that I had never cooked with olive oil before.
Can you make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can cover it and keep it in the fridge for two days before baking if desired.
I made the recipe exactly as written. It came out fantastic!! The only suggestion I have is when making the filling, double the ingredients. The original version only filled 6 manicotti shells.
Hi Steve! I am so glad you like the recipe! It is one of our favorites!
Making for dinner, haven’t read all comments but I don’t cook pasta first, much easier to fill and with 40+ baking time pasta will cook in oven. Sauce is delicious never thought to put chunky tomatoes in sauce very good! Definitely a keeper. Made full batch and going to freeze some. I also added Italian sausage to sauce. Thank you for recipe!
LOVE the idea to not bake the pasta! Definitely trying that next time. I do that with a simple lasagna recipe, but never thought to do it with manicotti. Thank you!
Couldn’t find my standby recipe.. Found this one! Glad I did, it turned out well. My adult son whom I made it for.. said it was delicious.. Your directions were good and easy to follow.. It really made alot, next time I will try and half the recipe.. Also I just slit my noodle lengthwise down one side, and filled it with a spoon , then roll it back up..Then put the slit side.. bottom down in the pan…When its served no one knows the difference, and it saves lots of mess and frustration with plastic bags..Thanks again
Eva, Oh my goodness, you are a genius! I am definitely going to do your slit it down the middle trick next time. So glad you found the recipe and liked it!
I made this for my Grandson!!! He’s the typical 13 year old picky eater!!! He loved it!!! My husband asked if I would make this again soon!!!
I’ll definitely be keeping this recipe!!!
Absolutely delicious. Makes a ton so plan for company- they will love it.
Thanks, Debbie! So glad you loved it.