5 from 3 votes
Baked Three Cheese Manicotti with Kale
Make homemade cheese manicotti for a pasta dinner! Tubes of al dente pasta are filled with a three cheese and kale mixture and surrounded by vodka (or marinara) sauce. It's a hearty, comforting, meatless meal the entire family will love.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
4
servings
Calories:
576 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 10 manicotti shells
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅔ cup shallot finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups kale or spinach, finely chopped
- 15 ounces ricotta cheese whole milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/3 /3 cup parsley finely chopped, fresh
- 1/3 /3 cup basil chopped, fresh
- 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese divided, low-moisture, shredded
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste, fine sea salt
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1 egg lightly whisked
- 24 ounces vodka sauce I use Rao's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the manicotti shells for 2-3 minutes under the package instructions. Drain and let cool.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add garlic and kale, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until kale is wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta and softened cream cheese. I recommend cubing the cream cheese to make it easier to incorporate.
- Stir in the fresh parsley, basil, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Once it's slightly cooled, stir the kale mixture into the cheeses, too. Taste test and adjust salt or spice levels as needed. Then, stir in the whisked egg until incorporated.
- Optional: transfer cheese filling to a piping bag without a tip to easily fill the shells.
- Spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce along the bottom of the prepared 9x13 pan. Take a manicotti shell and fill with the cheese filling. Place the filled shell in the pan and continue filling all 10 shells.
- Spread the remaining sauce on top of the manicotti shells. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is slightly golden brown and melted.
- Serve with additional herbs or parmesan cheese as a garnish, and enjoy!
Cup of Yum
Notes
- *Shells: Boil a few extra manicotti shells in case some break; it's better to have more if you end up with extra filling too.
Nutrition Information
Calories
576kcal
(29%)
Carbohydrates
24g
(8%)
Protein
29g
(58%)
Fat
42g
(65%)
Saturated Fat
22g
(110%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
(18%)
Monounsaturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
157mg
(52%)
Sodium
1437mg
(60%)
Potassium
998mg
(21%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
11g
(22%)
Vitamin A
5846IU
(117%)
Vitamin C
54mg
(60%)
Calcium
606mg
(61%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 576
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 576kcal | 29% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 29g | 58% |
| Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 22g | 110% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 157mg | 52% |
| Sodium | 1437mg | 60% |
| Potassium | 998mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 5846IU | 117% |
| Vitamin C | 54mg | 60% |
| Calcium | 606mg | 61% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.