Description
A comforting and delicious dish featuring tubular pasta filled with creamy ricotta and vibrant spinach, topped with rich marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 manicotti pasta tubes
- 15 oz ricotta cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach (or 1 cup frozen, thawed)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups marinara sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cook manicotti pasta according to package instructions until al dente in a pot of salted boiling water.
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add fresh spinach and cook until wilted.
- In a bowl, mix ricotta, sautéed spinach, half of the Parmesan, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Carefully fill each manicotti shell with the ricotta mixture using a piping bag or small spoon.
- Spread a layer of marinara sauce in a baking dish, arrange stuffed manicotti in a single layer, cover with more sauce, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving and garnish with fresh basil.
Notes
You can prepare this dish in advance and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Avoid overstuffing the manicotti to ensure they cook evenly.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: manicotti, spinach, ricotta, Italian, pasta, vegetarian, comfort food