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    Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Manicotti Pasta Shells

    By Julia | Updated: Jun 10, 2018 | Published: Feb 17, 2013 | 30 Comments

    73.8K shares
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    Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Stuffed Manicotti - delicious Italian pasta shells stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach filling!  Italian style pasta that's easy to make at home.
    Stuffed manicotti pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling

     

    What is manicotti?

    Manicotti are very large past shells of tubular shape, with ridges on the outside.  Tubular pasta is hollow through the center, forming a tube.  Manicotti shells are usually stuffed with various fillings, such as ricotta cheese, cooked spinach, ground meat.

    I've always looked at those large pasta shells (manicotti) on store shelves with great longing, vividly imagining that stuffing any kind of cheese or vegetables into that large tube-like shape would undeniably result in something very delicious, pretty-looking and very Italian.

    Besides, my husband had a very nice Italian wine which we were anxious to pair with a good traditional Italian pasta dish. The stars seemed to be aligned for me to finally tackle the recipe for stuffed manicotti pasta shells. I decided to go the traditional route and stuff the shells with spinach and ricotta cheese filling, accompanied by a red tomato sauce.

    This spinach stuffed manicotti recipe is SO good, and the garlicky tomato sauce goes SO well with the ricotta, Parmesan, and spinach stuffed into these very large pasta shells. Did I forget to say that it is a very easy recipe? Please enjoy!

    Stuffed manicotti pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling

    How to make ricotta cheese and spinach filling

    • First, in a large skillet on stove top, cook spinach in a small amount of olive oil until wilted. Drain all liquids. Chop cooked spinach.
    • In a medium pan, mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and cooked spinach. Season with salt to taste.

    How to stuff manicotti pasta shells

    • Cook Manicotti pasta shells according to instructions, usually by boiling for 10 minutes. Drain, cool briefly and immediately fill pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling.

    Cook's tip

    • Don’t let the cooked manicotti shells sit unfilled for too long, because they will flatten, lose their shape and when you try to fill them, they will break.
    • Fill the pasta shells immediately after you have cooked the manicotti, drained them and briefly cooled them.
    • After you stuffed the manicotti shells, set them aside and keep them warm.

    Stuffed manicotti pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling

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    stuffed manicotti pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling in tomato sauce
    4.84 from 25 votes

    Stuffed Manicotti Pasta Shells with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Filling

    Spinach and ricotta cheese manicotti are surprisingly easy to make and taste so comforting!  These traditional Italian style manicotti pasta shells are stuffed with the delicious Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Filling and smothered in a garlic tomato sauce. 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories per serving 544 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 9 Manicotti pasta shells
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 8 oz spinach
    • 1 cup Parmesan shredded
    • 1 cup ricotta cheese
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 onion chopped
    • 5 garlic cloves chopped
    • 28 oz whole plum tomatoes (from the can)
    • 1 tablespoon basil
    • ½ cup red wine
    • salt and pepper
    • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (to serve)
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    Instructions 

    Make ricotta cheese and spinach filling:

    • Cook spinach in 1 tablespoon olive oil until wilted. Drain of all juices, and chop spinach.
    • In a medium pan, mix together ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and cooked spinach from step 1. Salt to taste.

    Stuff manicotti pasta shells with the spinach filling:

    • Cook Manicotti pasta shells according to instructions, usually by boiling for 10 minutes. Drain, cool briefly and immediately fill pasta shells with ricotta cheese and spinach filling. Don’t let the shells sit out unfilled for too long, because they will flatten, lose their shape and when you try to fill them, they will break. Start filling the shells immediately after draining them and briefly cooling. Set aside and keep them warm in a warm drawer.

    Make Tomato Sauce

    • Heat olive oil over medium heat, add onion, garlic and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and basil and wine and cook on low heat, covered, for about 40 minutes. Place the sauce in food processor and process until puree consistency. Return the sauce to the same pan, re-heat gently and add salt and pepper to taste.

    How to serve

    • Pour a small amount of tomato sauce in the middle of the individual plate. Place 2 or 3 spinach stuffed manicotti pasta shells on top of the sauce in middle of the plate, then pour more sauce on top and around pasta shells. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and cracked fresh pepper on top of red sauce.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Stuffed Manicotti Pasta Shells with Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Filling
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    544
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    27
    g
    42
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    11
    g
    69
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    52
    mg
    17
    %
    Sodium
     
    886
    mg
    39
    %
    Potassium
     
    950
    mg
    27
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    44
    g
    15
    %
    Fiber
     
    4
    g
    17
    %
    Sugar
     
    7
    g
    8
    %
    Protein
     
    26
    g
    52
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    6095
    IU
    122
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    37.6
    mg
    46
    %
    Calcium
     
    636
    mg
    64
    %
    Iron
     
    4.7
    mg
    26
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword spinach manicotti, stuffed manicotti, stuffed pasta shells
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    73.8K shares
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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Karoline Muckelvane

      June 05, 2025 at 4:13 am

      Love this recipe & family does too I cooked Italian crumbled sausage , drained & added to stuffing3 cheeses ricotta egg & utopian sesoning & parsly ,mozzarella , Parmesan; also covered in homade sauce,they loved it

      Reply
      • Julia

        June 12, 2025 at 8:23 pm

        Hi Karoline! Love how you made it your own with Italian sausage and all those delicious cheeses—thanks so much for sharing your twist and for the 5-star review!❤️

        Reply
    2. Trudy Kilpatrick

      August 09, 2021 at 6:49 pm

      Can I make the night before and cook it the next day?

      Reply
    3. Ron

      June 30, 2020 at 5:27 pm

      Can you use Holland house cooking wine, red? It's a cooking red wine you use to cook with, we don't have alcohol in the house due to me being clean and sober for five years, lol....

      Reply
      • Heather

        July 17, 2023 at 7:19 pm

        I know this is an old comment, but, for anyone else wondering, the answer is yes! I used Holland House and it turned out great!

        Reply
    4. Ann

      February 01, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Looks awesome, going to try it this week. Just wanted to let you know that your print version of the recipe is missing the 1 cup Parmesan shredded near the top of the recipe.

      Reply
    5. Janyce

      January 25, 2019 at 2:07 am

      So I'm confused. Most recipes tell you to bake in the oven after you fill the shells. According to this recipe you never cook or bake after you fill the shells.

      Reply
      • Julia

        January 31, 2019 at 8:26 pm

        You don't have to bake the shells in this recipe. But if you prefer, you can certainly add the sauce and the stuffed shells to a baking pan and reheat it in the oven!

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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