Homemade Three Cheese Manicotti
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
25 mins
-
Cook Time
40 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
-
Servings
8
-
Calories
452 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Homemade Three Cheese Manicotti
Description
The dish starts with cooking manicotti shells until tender but still firm enough to hold shape during stuffing. The filling combines multiple cheeses with eggs and melted butter, seasoned with salt and pepper for balance. The shells are stuffed with this mixture, arranged in a baking dish lined with spaghetti sauce, and then covered with more sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese before baking.
During baking at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes, the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and melds with the manicotti, creating a moist and flavorful casserole. An optional low broil at the end can brown the top cheese layer for a golden finish. This preparation suits feeding a family or larger group, especially paired with a crunchy green salad and warm garlic bread for a full Italian-inspired meal.
The recipe suggests cooking extra shells as a backup to avoid issues with breakage during filling. This attention to practical preparation helps ensure enough manicotti shells for stuffing and serving.
Cook extra manicotti shells to account for any that break during filling.
Ingredients
- 14-16 manicotti pasta shells
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded, whole milk
- 1 cup cottage cheese 4% milkfat
- 4 large egg
- 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 jars spaghetti sauce 23 ounces each
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, for topping
Instructions
- Cook manicotti pasta shells according to package directions. Drain the pasta and allow to cool.
- In a bowl, mix together the cheeses, eggs, butter and seasonings. Set aside.
- Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
- Spread 1 jar of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the 9x13 pan.
- Stuff each cooked manicotti shell with cheese mixture and place the shells in the baking pan.
- Pour the second jar of spaghetti sauce overtop the manicotti shells and spread the sauce to cover the pasta.
- Sprinkle an additional 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top of the sauce.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- If you'd like the cheese to be brown, turn the oven to a low broil for 2-3 minutes, watching it carefully so that the manicotti does not burn.
- Serve warm alongside a salad and garlic bread.
Notes
- Cook extra manicotti shells to account for any that break during filling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 452 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 452kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 156mg | 52% |
| Sodium | 324mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 99mg | 2% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 560IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 0.5mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 338mg | 34% |
| Iron | 0.6mg | 3% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
You'll Also Love
