Easy Eggless Cheese Manicotti
This Easy Eggless Cheese Manicotti recipe is a delicious dinner that your family will love! It’s comfort food at its finest. Step-by-step process photos and extra tips included.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 583kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3- 4 cups (about 700 g–950 g) marinara sauce
- 3 cups (26 oz–750 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 10 oz (283 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 cups (228 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)
- 3/4 cup (90 g) Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 oz (14 tubes - about 250 g) cannelloni or manicotti shells
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
- Brush the baking dish with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Pour half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. TIP: Put tubes in a large bowl with some hot water while you make the filling. They're easy to stuff that way and will cook all the way thru in less time when you bake it.
- Place the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup pecorino or parmesan, flour, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix until well combined. TIP: Place the cheese mixture in a Ziploc bag and snip off the end. That makes the filling process so much easier.
- Fill each tube with the ricotta mixture. Arrange shells in baking dishes. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30–35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or basil. Serve.
Notes
Make-Ahead: To make in advance, simply assemble, cover with foil, and place in the refrigerator. The dish will keep in the fridge for about 2 days. When ready to bake, simply bake as instructed in the recipe.
Store: Store leftover shells in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Prepare the tubes according to the instructions. Place filled tubes in the pan but do not bake them. Wrap your pan in plastic wrap, removing as much air as possible between the shells and plastic. Cover the pan tightly in foil and freeze. Store frozen tubes for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat the manicotti, bake them at 350°F, covered with foil, for 45 - 60 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.
Reheat: Loosely cover with foil and cook in the oven at 350°F until warmed throughout. The foil helps to keep the manicotti from drying out.
Substitutions & Additions
- Meat: This recipe is vegetarian — there’s no meat in the filling or sauce — but you can easily add one pound of ground beef or Italian sausage. Cook the meat fully in a large skillet before adding it to your filling or sauce.
- Spice: Feel free to add some red pepper flakes to give the dish a little heat.
- Put tubes in a large bowl with some hot water while you make the filling. They're easy to stuff that way and will cook all the way thru in less time when you bake it.
- Place the cheese mixture in a Ziploc bag and snip off the end. That makes the filling process so much easier.
Nutrition
Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 1605mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Iron: 4mg