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0 from 15 votes

Cheesy Pesto Manicotti

Cheesy pesto manicotti are stuffed with three cheeses, fresh pesto, and nestled in a bed of spicy arrabbiata sauce.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Calories: 766 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

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

Instructions

Homemade Pesto
    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. 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
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. 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)
  3. 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.
  4. 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)
  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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

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

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

% 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.