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Homemade Easy Spinach Manicotti Recipe (No Boil Noodles) photo

Easy Spinach Manicotti Recipe (No Boil Noodles)

A simple, cheesy spinach manicotti made with oven-ready noodles and a homemade tomato sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • 9" x 13" baking dish
  • Medium Saucepan
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Skillet or sauté pan
  • Wooden Spoon or Spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen towel
  • Foil

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1.5 tablespoons olive oil for sautéing
  • 28 ounce crushed tomatoes 1 can
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 5 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian spice mix
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste for sauce
  • 16 no-boil oven-ready lasagna noodles
  • 3 cups ricotta cheese low-fat is fine
  • 4 cups Italian blend cheese pre-packaged, shredded; reserve 1 cup for topping
  • OR - shredded cheeses 2 1/2 cups mozzarella + 1 1/2 cups provolone as alternative to Italian blend
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt for filling
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper for filling
  • 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed, finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and place a rack in the middle position.
  • Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian spice mix to the pan and cook 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute.
  • Pour in the crushed tomatoes, stir to combine, and simmer the sauce gently for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Prepare the filling: Reserve 1 cup of the shredded cheese for topping. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, remaining 3 cups shredded cheese, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the chopped spinach until evenly mixed.
  • Soak the no-boil lasagna noodles in hot water for about 5 minutes to soften, then drain and lay them on a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water.
  • Assemble the casserole: Spread half of the sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish.
  • Place about 1/4 cup of the cheese and spinach filling along the short edge of each noodle, then roll the noodle tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish over the sauce. Repeat with remaining noodles and filling.
  • Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled manicotti and cover the dish tightly with foil.
  • Bake covered for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of cheese evenly over the top, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted, about 5 more minutes.
  • Let the manicotti cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Oven-ready lasagna noodles are flat and do not require boiling.
  • Soaking the noodles briefly in hot water helps them roll more easily.
  • Reserve 1 cup of shredded cheese to top the casserole.
  • Use low-fat ricotta if desired without affecting the method.