This easy baked manicotti is made with three cheeses, jarred sauce, and no boiling! A cozy, semi-homemade pasta bake perfect for busy weeknights yet special enough for date nights or company.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce manicotti
- 16 ounce fresh mozzarella, shredded and divided
- 2 cups ricotta, well strained
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan
- 2 large eggs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 24 ounce tomato basil pasta sauce
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Open the box of manicotti and set aside the plastic trays—they’ll hold the shells before and after filling.8 ounce manicotti
- Set aside 1½ cups of shredded mozzarella for topping.16 ounce fresh mozzarella
- In a large bowl, mix ricotta, the remaining mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, and Italian seasoning until combined.2 cups ricotta, 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan, 2 large eggs, 2 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a zip-top baggie with the corner cut off. Pipe the cheese mixture into each manicotti shell, gently pushing the filling all the way through. Don’t worry about overfilling—just be careful not to break the pasta. Set the filled shells back into the plastic trays (from the box) to keep them in place before baking.
- In a saucepan, heat the pasta sauce and water over medium-high heat, stirring often, until it begins to boil.24 ounce tomato basil pasta sauce, ½ cup water
- Pour half the hot sauce mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange the filled manicotti in a single layer over the sauce, then pour the remaining sauce over the top, covering the noodles as much as possible.
- Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.
- Remove foil, sprinkle reserved mozzarella over the top, and broil for 2–3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
I use and love Rao’s sauce but you can use any kind of tomato sauce you’d like, including homemade sauce. You need 24 ounces or 3 cups of sauce.
Store covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or oven until hot in the center.
Nutrition
Calories: 625kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 1372mg | Potassium: 605mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1585IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 788mg | Iron: 3mg
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