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Spinach Manicotti (or cannelloni) is stuffed with creamy ricotta, tender spinach, and topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese. This spinach manicotti recipe is pure comfort food that works for weeknight dinners or special gatherings. It’s the kind of cozy dish that brings everyone to the table.
While pasta favorites like Lasagna and Ravioli are always loved, ricotta manicotti is surprisingly easy to make at home. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have one of the best manicotti recipe ready to serve. It’s a family favorite that tastes just as good as restaurant-style Italian.
What Makes This Spinach Manicotti Work
This Spinach Manicotti recipe works because it balances creamy ricotta, fresh, spinach, and a rich marinara sauce for the perfect bite. The fillings stays soft and flavorful while the pasta shells hold everything together under a blanket of melted cheese. It’s indulgent without being overly complicated.
Unlike many pasta dishes, ricotta manicotti is simple enough to impress guests. Every step is straightforward, giving you one of the best manicotti recipe you’ll want to make again and again. It’s comfort food at its finest, straight from your oven to the table.
What Goes Into Spinach Manicotti
This spinach manicotti recipe layers pasta, creamy spinach ricotta, marinara, and melted cheese. It’s truly one of the best manicotti recipes to make at home.
- Manicotti Shells: The pasta tubes are the foundation of this dish, holding the creamy filling and soaking up all the sauce.
- Ricotta Cheese: The star of any good ricotta manicotti, ricotta brings a soft, rich creaminess to the filling.
- Spinach: Frozen spinach adds freshness, color, and a boost of nutrients that balance the richness of the cheese.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan: A blend of these cheeses melts beautifully, giving the manicotti a bubbly golden topping with irresistible flavor.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Spinach Manicotti
- Soften Shells: Cover manicotti with boiling salted water in a shallow dish. Cover and sit 7 to 10 minutes.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium high. Cook onion until translucent, then add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Simmer Marinara: Add passata, water, tomato paste, and basil and parsley or Italian seasoning. Boil, then simmer 10 minutes; season to taste.
- Prep Filling: Squeeze excess liquid from thawed spinach. Mix ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, garlic, seasoning, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Prep Pan and Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F 175°C. Spray a 9 by 13 inch dish and spread 1 cup marinara over the base.
- Pipe and Arrange: Transfer filling to a sturdy zip top or piping bag. Drain shells, pipe filling inside, and arrange in a single layer.
- Top and Bake Covered: Spoon remaining marinara over shells and add mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before serving (about 15 minutes). It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon
This spinach manicotti recipe is rich and satisfying, so pairing it with lighter chicken dishes makes a perfect balance. Try it alongside Creamy Chicken and Mushroom for a cozy, restaurant-style Italian meal.
For something with a citrusy kick, Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken is a beautiful match, while Creamy Tomato Chicken Drumstick doubles down on the comfort with bold, saucy flavors. Together, they turn manicotti night into a real feast.
Recipe FAQ’s
They’re very similar: manicotti shells are ridged pasta tubes while cannelloni are smooth, but both work perfectly in this dish.
Yes, just sauté fresh spinach until wilted, squeeze out excess water, and use in place of frozen.
Yes, ground beef, sausage, or even shredded chicken can be mixed with the ricotta for a heartier version.
Spinach Ricotta Manicotti
Ingredients
MANICOTTI OR CANNELLONI
- 14 uncooked manicotti shells (or 18 dried cannelloni tubes)
- Good pinch of salt
FILLING
- 8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
- 1 lb ricotta cheese
- 1 cup fresh shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz | 120 g)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
MARINARA SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or minced)
- 28 oz American tomato sauce, (Passata)
- 1 cup water (swirl in tomato bottle to wash excess out for the sauce)
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons each fresh chopped basil and parsley (or 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
TOPPING
- 1 cup fresh shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Instructions
MANICOTTI
- In a large shallow dish, cover manicotti shells with boiling water and season generously with salt. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and set aside to soften slightly (about 7-10 minutes while you prepare your sauce).
MARINARA SAUCE
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until transparent (about 3 minutes), then addd the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the tomato sauce (Passata), water, paste and herbs. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Use now, or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
FILLING
- Squeeze excess water from the thawed spinach.
- Combine filling ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
ASSEMBLE AND COOK
- Preheat oven to 350°F | 175°C.
- Spray the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch ovenproof baking dish with nonstick spray. Spread out about 2 ladles (or 1 cup) of the marinara sauce on the bottom of baking dish.
- Transfer filling mixture into a strong ziplock bag. Cut a hole in the bottom corner of the bag (see photos in post, or use a piping bag).
- Once manicotti tubes have softened slightly but are still firm to the touch, use a slotted spoon to transfer them from the boiling water to a plate. 'Pipe' filling into manicotti tubes and arrange them in a single layer over the sauce in the baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until pasta shells are cooked through.Serve immediately.
Notes
FOR CANNELLONI:
Use dried cannelloni tubes that do not need to be pre-boiled before cooking in the oven if you can. If you can’t find them, follow pre-cooking packet instructions for what you have on hand.-
Cover stuffed cannelloni tubes with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
-
Remove foil and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
LEFTOVERS
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Alternatively freeze for up to 2 months.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This manicotti was delicious. I used homemade ricotta.
Your recipes never fail!!!
This is an AWESOME recipe – it was delicious!! I used fresh spinach and added Italian sausage and a can of diced tomatoes to the sauce. The boiling water over the pasta worked GREAT. Thanks for this crowd pleaser!
I just made this recipe which I followed almost to a “T,” including pouring the boiling water on the manicotti shells and letting them sit for 7 minutes. The only change I made was to use fresh spinach instead of frozen, because fresh was all I had. I probably used a lot less than is squeezed into a frozen package, but it was fine. I chopped the spinach in the food processor and then mixed it in with the filling. The manicotti was absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us.
Can I use fresh spinach?
Just to clarify, It says you can freeze the cannelloni for 3 months, is that in the tray with the sauce bottom and topof the cannelloni, so all you have to do is place in the oven and cook.
I have tried numerous recipes from cafedelites and all are amazing, I have not had one bad meal yet, thank you so much for all your valuable information and outstanding receipes!!!