Cheesy Pesto Manicotti
User Reviews
4.8
15 reviews
Excellent
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Calories
766 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Italian
Cheesy Pesto Manicotti
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Cheesy pesto manicotti are stuffed with three cheeses, fresh pesto, and nestled in a bed of spicy arrabbiata sauce.
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Ingredients
Homemade Pesto, makes 1 cup (see note #1)
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Manicotti
- 8 ounces manicotti pasta
- 12 ounces skim ricotta cheese
- 1 1/4 cups low moisture skim shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese (do not use powdered parmesan)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (see note #2)
- 28 ounces arrabbiata red sauce (see note #3)
- Garnish: fresh basil
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Instructions
Homemade Pesto
- In a food processor add: fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, 3 garlic cloves, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Pulse until ingredients are chopped.
- With the food processor on low blend, slowly pour the olive oil through the pour spout into the chopped ingredients, until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (See note #4)
Cheesy Pesto Manicotti
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook manicotti pasta al dente according to package instruction. Do not overcook or they will fall apart when stuffing. Drain and set aside (you can add a touch of olive oil if they begin to stick to each other)
- In a large bowl add: 12oz ricotta cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 cup grated parmesan, 1 large egg, 3/4 cup of freshly made pesto, and 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes. Using a silicone spatula, mix all the ingredients until they are fully combined.
- In a baking dish, add 3/4 of the red sauce to the bottom of the dish and spread it out evenly, set aside. (See note #5)
- Using a gallon zip lock bag, spoon in the cheesy pesto mixture into the bag and push it all to one corner. Cut a hole in the bottom corner of the bag that will fit the inside circle of the manicotti. Grab an al dente cooked manicotti, insert the tip of the bag inside, squeeze until the manicotti is filled, then place the manicotti in the red sauce inside the baking dish. Repeat until all manicotti are filled.
- Once all the manicotti are filled, drizzle with the remaining 1/4 of the red sauce, the remaining 1/4 cup of the pesto. Top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and 3 tbsp of parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If you want the cheese more browned, broil for a few seconds keeping an eye not to burn it. Carefully remove from the oven, top with fresh basil, and serve.
Equipments used:
Notes
- You can substitute store bought pesto, you will need 1 cup of pesto for the recipe
- Omit the red pepper flakes if you do not like spicy
- You can substitute the arrabbiata sauce for your favorite red sauce if you do not like spicy
- If not using the homemade pesto right away, you can store in an airtight container for 2-3 days, pesto may darken while storing. Or you can freeze for later use in an ice cube tray.
- I recommend choosing a baking dish prior to cooking the manicotti, so you can see if they fit prior, you can also divide them into two dishes
- If you want to make ahead of time, stuff the manicotti with the cheesy pesto mixture and freeze prior to adding the red sauce. When ready to make, add to the red sauce and add an additional 10 minutes to the bake time, totaling 40 minutes bake time.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
766kcal
(38%)
Carbohydrates
67g
(22%)
Protein
37g
(74%)
Fat
39g
(60%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
6g
Monounsaturated Fat
16g
Trans Fat
0.01g
Cholesterol
115mg
(38%)
Sodium
2118mg
(88%)
Potassium
943mg
(27%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
12g
(24%)
Vitamin A
2535IU
(51%)
Vitamin C
18mg
(20%)
Calcium
676mg
(68%)
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 766 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 766kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 67g | 22% |
| Protein | 37g | 74% |
| Fat | 39g | 60% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 115mg | 38% |
| Sodium | 2118mg | 88% |
| Potassium | 943mg | 20% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 2535IU | 51% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 676mg | 68% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
15 reviews
Excellent
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