This easy cheese manicotti recipe is the ultimate comfort food! With a homemade marinara and a deliciously cheesy filling, it’s always a hit!

cheese manicotti
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This cheese manicotti recipe is the kind of dinner that makes the whole house smell amazing. Pasta stuffed with creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan filling, tucked into a quick homemade marinara, and baked in a casserole dish or cast iron skillt until the cheese is bubbly and golden. It’s classic comfort food, and it’s way easier than it looks. You can easily swap in store-bought sauce for a simple shortcut, so this one is still easy enough for a weeknight. Even the leftovers are delicious!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • The sauce is homemade (and fast). It simmers in a skillet for about 15 minutes while you prep the pasta.
  • Filling the shells is easy. A zip-top bag makes it easy to pipe the filling in.
  • It works for company or meal prep. Assemble it up to a day ahead, or freeze it for later.
manicotti ingredients

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Manicotti shells: Use regular dried manicotti, not oven-ready. Most 8-ounce boxes have 12 to 14 shells, so you’ll have a couple of spares in case one breaks.
  • Whole-milk ricotta: It makes a creamier, richer filling than part-skim.
  • Cottage cheese: this is an easy way to add protein to the filling.
  • Mozzarella: Some goes inside and some goes on top. Shredding it yourself from a block helps it melt more smoothly.
  • Parmesan: This helps add a salty, umami flavor to the filling.
  • Marinara basics: Crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil, dried basil, and a little sugar to mellow out the acidity.

What’s the Best Cheese for Manicotti Filling?

A mix of cheeses is the classic for a reason. Ricotta makes it creamy, cottage cheese adds protein, mozzarella makes it melty and a little stretchy, and Parmesan adds that salty, savory flavor. If you want to take it up a notch, add some shredded provolone or fontina for a four-cheese version. And no, you don’t need an egg. Lots of recipes add one to firm up the ricotta, but the mozzarella and Parmesan hold the filling together just fine. Skipping it keeps the filling soft and creamy instead of dense.

What’s the Best Sauce for Cheese Manicotti?

A simple marinara is my pick. The filling is rich, so you want a bright, garlicky tomato sauce to balance it out. That’s why this recipe uses a quick homemade marinara, but a good jarred marinara works great too. Use about 24 ounces and pick one you’d happily eat with a spoon.

How to Make a Basic Marinara Sauce

Cook the garlic in olive oil in a large skillet.
Then add the tomatoes and seasonings and let it simmer.
Once the sauce is thickened, add to a cast iron skillet or casserole dish.

This sauce is so good and perfect if you’re on a budget, since canned tomatoes are relatively cheap. But if you’re in a hurry, just grab a jar of store-bought sauce! I love Rao’s tomato basil.

How to Make Cheese Manicotti

Boil the shells about 2 minutes less than the package says, then lay them out on a greased baking sheet so they don’t stick together.
Mix the filling, spoon it into a piping bag or zip-top bag.
Snip off a corner and pipe it into both ends of each shell.
Add the stuffed pasta to a baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
Bake until the cheese is bubbly and brown.

Tips for the Best Manicotti

  • Use a bag to fill the shells. A piping bag is the easiest way to fill the tubes. You don’t need a real piping bag. A Ziploc bag with the tip cut off works just fine!
  • Don’t fully cook the shells. Fully cooked shells tear when you fill them and turn mushy in the oven.
  • Don’t pile up the drained shells. Spread them out right away or they’ll stick together and may rip when separated.
  • Bake covered first. Foil traps the steam so the pasta finishes cooking. Uncover for the last 10 to 15 minutes so the cheese can brown.
  • Let it rest. Give it 5 to 10 minutes out of the oven so the filling sets.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Should you cook manicotti before stuffing it? Yes, for regular dried shells. Boil them for about 2 minutes less than the package directions (usually 5 to 6 minutes total) so they’re bendy but still firm. They finish cooking in the oven.
  • Can I put uncooked manicotti in the oven? Only if you’re using oven-ready shells, and you’ll need extra sauce and a longer bake. Timing varies a lot by brand, so par-cooking regular shells is the more reliable way to go.
  • Should manicotti be baked covered or uncovered? Both. Bake it covered for 25 minutes, then uncover it for the last 10 to 15 minutes so the cheese melts and gets golden.
  • How many manicotti per person? Plan on 2 shells per person with a salad or side, or 3 for bigger appetites. This recipe makes 12 manicotti, which serves 4 to 6.
  • Can I make manicotti ahead of time? Yes. Assemble it, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Let it sit out for 20 to 30 minutes before baking (this also helps keep a glass dish from cracking in a hot oven), and add 5 to 10 minutes to the covered baking time.
  • Can I freeze manicotti? Yes. Assemble it in a freezer-safe baking dish, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking.
  • How do I store and reheat leftovers? Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat single portions in the microwave, or cover the dish with foil and warm it in a 350°F oven. I like to add a little extra sauce when reheating so it doesn’t dry out.
cheese manicotti

What to Serve with Manicotti

Since manicotti is rich and cheesy, I like to pair it with something lighter. These 10 minute green beans are delicious with this. I also love pairing it with my air fryer broccolini or this warm kale salad.

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manicotti

Easy Cheese Manicotti

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  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

This easy cheese manicotti recipe is the ultimate comfort food! With a homemade marinara and a deliciously cheesy filling, it’s always a hit!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

For the Manicotti:

  • 8oz manicotti shells (about 12)
  • 1 cup (8oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup low fat cottage cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Make the Homemade Marinara

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic brown.

3. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and sugar.

4. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat if it starts to spatter.

5. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Prepare the Manicotti

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions, taking them out about 2 minutes before the recommended cooking time. The shells should bend easily but still be firm enough to handle.

3. Drain the shells carefully and lay them in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet or piece of parchment paper so they don’t stick together.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.

5. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or large zip-top bag. Snip off one corner of the bag.

6. Pipe the ricotta mixture into both ends of each manicotti shell, filling them evenly.

Assemble and Bake

1. Spread 2 cups of the marinara evenly over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish or a large cast iron skillet.

2. Arrange the filled manicotti in a single layer in the dish.

3. Spoon about 1 cup of the remaining marinara over and around the manicotti, leaving some of the pasta showing. Save any leftover sauce for serving.

4. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella evenly over the manicotti.

5. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

6. Bake for 25 minutes.

7. Remove the foil and keep baking for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.

9. Take the dish out of the oven and let the manicotti rest for 5-10 minutes.

10. Sprinkle the top with freshly grated Parmesan if you like.

Notes

    • Cook the manicotti just until pliable. Slightly undercooked shells are easier to fill and will finish cooking in the oven.

    • Pipe the filling from both ends of each manicotti shell so it fills evenly.

    • The layer of marinara on the bottom keeps the shells from sticking, so you don’t need to grease the baking dish.

    • Glass or ceramic baking dishes both work. Glass can take a few extra minutes to heat up, so go by the bubbling sauce and melted cheese rather than the timer alone.
    • Short on time? Swap 24 ounces of good-quality jarred marinara for the homemade sauce.