This Spinach Manicotti Might Be the Ultimate Comfort Food

You’ll love this easy stuffed manicotti made with frozen spinach, ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella and real Grana Padano. Use a homemade marinara (or your favorite jarred sauce) for this hearty Italian spinach and cheese pasta bake.

Baked Spinach and Cheese Manicotti

INGREDIENTS:
INGREDIENTS:
US Customary – Metric
8-ounce package manicotti noodles
4 teaspoons olive oil divided
¾ teaspoon dried basil
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon Morton’s
10-ounce package of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry
½ cup roasted red bell pepper from a jar drained, patted dry and chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
½ cup grated grana padano or parmigiano reggiano
1 large egg
3 cups marinara sauce

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Cook the manicotti noodles for 2 minutes before “al dente” according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Drain the noodles and transfer them to a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil to coat, then set aside to cool.

Squeeze all of the liquid out of the spinach until it’s mostly dry. (You can do this with your clean hands, or my preferred method is to wrap it in a clean dish towel, secure the ends, twist and squeeze with a lot of pressure so the excess liquid leaks out.) Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until it softens and becomes fragrant.

Stir in the basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, salt and black pepper and cook for one minute until fragrant. Add the spinach and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1-2 minutes or until well mixed. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the chopped bell pepper to the spinach mixture and stir well to combine.
Add the ricotta, 1 cup of grated mozzarella and the Grana Padana cheeses to the spinach mixture. Make a well in the center of the cheese and add the egg. Whisk the egg and gradually incorporate the cheeses and spinach mixture until well blended.

Transfer the spinach mixture to a large disposable piping bag (or use a quart-sized zip-top storage bag and seal it). Snip the end off the bag to allow for a 1/2″ opening.

Spread 1 to 1½ cups of marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
Insert the end of the bag into a cooked manicotti noodle and squeeze the filling into the pasta. Transfer the pasta to the baking dish. Continue stuffing the manicotti with the ricotta and spinach mixture until all the noodles are filled and the casserole dish is full.

Spoon the remaining marinara over the pasta and top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve.