I love manicotti, but I don’t love filling those small tubes. It feels too fiddly for a weeknight when I’m ready to eat. Short lasagna noodles solve that problem — just mix the filling, lay it on a noodle, roll, and bake. Easy spinach manicotti is the perfect shortcut.
Hello, everyone!
With spring holidays like Easter approaching, I keep thinking about seasonal dishes and family favorites. An Italian-American pasta dish always fits the bill. Growing up, holidays often included meatballs, ravioli, braciole, or other hearty Italian-American recipes — sometimes several at once. Spinach manicotti feels right for a holiday table, but it’s equally welcome for any comforting dinner at home.
These cheesy, saucy baked rolls make a satisfying vegetarian main when paired with a crisp salad or a simple vegetable side. They also work as a crowd-pleasing side dish for larger meals. If you enjoy wine, a medium-bodied red complements the dish nicely, but the recipe stands on its own without any pairing required.
Many roll-up manicotti recipes suggest no-boil lasagna noodles. They can work, but I find them delicate and sometimes frustrating to roll. For me, par-cooking sturdy, short lasagna noodles is simpler and more reliable. A few minutes in boiling water and a light toss with olive oil prevents sticking and leaves noodles that are easy to roll without tearing.
I usually buy short, wide lasagna noodles — they’re roughly eight inches long and make the ideal size for rolling. The sturdy shape reduces handling stress and speeds assembly so you can get dinner in the oven faster.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out in the comments. Share any tweaks you make or questions you have about assembly, baking time, or ingredient substitutions.
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– Happy Eating, Annemarie
Easy Spinach Manicotti
Ingredients
- 6 cups marinara sauce
- 12 oz ricotta cheese (part-skim or whole)
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well squeezed
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided (about 1 1/2 cups for the filling, remaining for topping)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 16 short lasagna noodles (short, wide noodles work best)
- Olive oil, for tossing the cooked noodles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Warm the marinara sauce in a saucepan so it’s gently simmering when you assemble the casserole. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the noodles.
- In a food processor, puree the ricotta and the drained spinach until smooth (about 20 seconds). Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the grated Parmesan, 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella, the eggs, and the kosher salt to the ricotta-spinach mixture. Stir until well combined and set aside.
- Once the water is boiling, add the lasagna noodles and cook for about 5 minutes to par-cook them. Drain and toss the noodles lightly with olive oil so they don’t stick together.
- Spread about 1 cup of marinara sauce across the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish to create a base.
- Lay a noodle on a clean surface. Place roughly 1/4 cup of the filling near the end of the noodle closest to you, then roll the noodle away from you until sealed. Place each rolled noodle seam-side down in the prepared casserole. Continue until all noodles are filled and arranged in the dish.
- Pour 2 to 3 cups of marinara sauce over the rolled manicotti, making sure they are well covered. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top in an even layer.
- Cover the casserole tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese slightly.
- Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley if desired and offer extra grated Parmesan at the table.
Notes
- Marinara: Use your favorite jarred sauce for convenience or a homemade marinara if you prefer. Either works well for this dish.
- Noodles: Short, sturdy lasagna noodles are easiest to work with for rolling. You can try no-boil noodles if you soften them briefly in hot water and handle them gently, but many cooks prefer par-cooked regular noodles for durability during rolling.
- Make-ahead: Assemble the manicotti, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours before baking. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if the casserole is chilled.
- Variations: For extra flavor, stir a pinch of nutmeg into the ricotta mixture or add a handful of sautéed mushrooms or caramelized onions to the filling.
