Spinach Ricotta Manicotti Cannelloni

Spinach Ricotta Manicotti is pure comfort/indulgence food to be enjoyed for dinner any time of the week OR for special occasions! Pasta recipes are our family specialty… think Lasagna, Creamy Tomato Beef Ravioli, Tortellini Soup with Spinach, or a good Chicken Alfredo. Manicotti, however, is EASY! A family favourite and signature dish!

SPINACH AND RICOTTA CHEESE MANICOTTI

Looking for something special? Need ideas for your Christmas Eve, New Years, or a special weekend menu plan? Spinach Ricotta Manicotti is it. The perfect pasta recipe with a gourmet touch to serve to your guests! Preparing Manicotti may take time and involve a few steps, but it’s NOT hard! Especially with the tips I have for you here to make your lives a little easier. The bonus? Stuffed pasta is really worth that effort, because the flavour in the filling AND the sauce is just insane!

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MANICOTTI AND CANNELLONI

Manicotti is the Italian-American version of Cannelloni. Both are pasta tubes, but the difference between the two is fairly minimal:

Manicotti tubes are ridged, larger and slightly thicker Cannelloni tubes are smooth, a touch smaller and slightly thinner.

The spinach and ricotta filling in this recipe fills 12-14 manicotti tubes, or 18–22 cannelloni tubes. For your reference, I’ve included both methods in the recipe box below.

PREPARE MANICOTTI TUBES

After a few failed attempts over the years (imagine ripped over-boiled pasta shells, breaking dry shells, taking an hour to stuff them with a knife, etc), the best advise I can give you is NOT to pre-boil. Most of us are not completely sure how long to boil them for; or we get distracted and completely forget them; or we don’t realise they need to be cooled down fast to prevent them from over cooking and going soggy or limp. Because of those issues, we prefer to place them in a baking dish; pour salted boiling water over them; cover and let sit for 7-10 minutes. This is easier than boiling the pasta and only require that one step. There’s no need to cool them in an ice bath when they’re done. You’ll know when they are ready: they begin to soften but are still firm to the touch (not hard or dry). Then simply use a slotted spoon to place them on a large plate or baking sheet, ready to stuff them. Of course, if you’re using dry Cannelloni tubes like the ones available here in Australia, you can skip this step completely.

HOW TO STUFF MANICOTTI TUBES WITHOUT BREAKING

In my experience, the easiest and fastest way to stuff pasta tubes is to use a large strong zip-lock bag or a pastry bag without a tip. You’ll need to cut the zip-lock bag at one of the bottom corners to create a slightly smaller opening than the manicotti tube circumference. To prevent the mixture from spilling out from the top, insert the tip of your zip-lock bag a quarter of the way into the tube. To prevent the filling oozing out from the bottom, place the tube down onto a surface, fill the top as above, then turn it and fill the other other end in the same way.

SAUCE FOR MANICOTTI

Manicotti needs to be completely covered with sauce to ensure there’s enough liquid for them to cook in the oven. Our marinara sauce is a simple tomato filled with flavour and compliments our Spinach Ricotta Manicotti perfectly. Of course you can use bottled sauce to cut time, but make sure it’s a sauce you already know and love. To make our tomato sauce, all you need is onion, garlic, tomato sauce or Passata, tomato paste, seasonings + a little water to cook those tubes in. The water IS necessary and does not alter or dilute the flavours in the sauce.

CAN SPINACH RICOTTA MANICOTTI BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely! Spinach Ricotta Manicotti (OR Cannelloni) is a great make-ahead meal!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH STUFFED MANICOTTI

A Simple tomato salad compliments a heavy pasta dish like this, as does this Avocado Tomato Corn Salad. Throw some Soft Dinner Rolls or crusty bread on the dinner table and everyone is happy!