Best Skinny Three Cheese Manicotti Recipes

MANICOTTI (THREE CHEESE, NO-BOIL PASTA RECIPE)

Steps:

• Place the steamed escarole, endive or spinach into a large bowl, then add the ricotta.
• Add the eggs, grated Parmesan or Pecorino, salt, and pepper and mix well.
• Next, toss in the shredded mozzarella. Mix well.
• You'll already have the tomato sauce from my linked recipe, but here's the trick to not boiling the pasta, adding water to the sauce. I say to use boiling water because I don't want you using hot water from the tap; it needs to be very hot. Put half of the sauce in a bowl (if it's about 1 cup of sauce, add just under 1 cup of very hot/almost boiling water. You can make this watery sauce as you need it so you don't end up watering down too much of the sauce.
• Spread a generous amount of the watery sauce in the bottom of the pan, then start filling the tubes with the filling. As I said above, you can choose to use a piping bag without a tip, but it's really easy to use a small spoon, too. Use both ends to fill the manicotti shells as it's quicker than trying to push the filling all the way to the opposite end.
• Once full, place in the pan. Be sure to place them generously spaced apart as they will grow and spread.
• Once all the manicotti are filled (you may need another small tray if all of the manicotti don't fit (don't attempt to squeeze them in). I put 4 in a separate little dish. Make sure to cover all of the manicotti.
• Add enough watery sauce so that it comes about halfway up the pasta shells. We need this much liquid since the pasta hasn't been boiled (and absorbed the water when cooking). Let the shells rest for about half an hour before baking.
• Cover and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the pasta is ready. You can remove the cover for the last 5 minutes if you like.
• Before serving, add some heated pasta sauce (the original batch, not watered down) to the manicotti. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and add a sprig of parsley for color, and enjoy!

HOMEMADE SPINACH MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Start by making the crespelles (see recipe link above)
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1-1/2 cups of the mozzarella, egg, spinach, parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• Fill each crespelle with 1/4 cup spinach filling and roll.
• In a large baking dish, (or two smaller dishes) pour 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place rolled manicotti seem side down onto baking dish. Top with 1 1/2 cups more sauce and remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake about about 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling, and the cheese is melted.
• *Use substitute for vegetarian parmesan.

SKINNY THREE-CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, for filling, coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, and garlic to hot skillet. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or just until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the eggs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Spoon filling into cooked manicotti shells.
• For sauce, place undrained tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Stir in roasted red peppers. Spread about 1/3 cup of the sauce into the bottoms of four 12- to 16-ounce ungreased individual baking dishes or a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti shells in individual baking dishes or large baking dish, overlapping shells slightly if necessary. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
• Bake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes for individual baking dishes or 35 to 40 minutes for large baking dish or until heated through. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

THREE CHEESE MANICOTTI II

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add manicotti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix 3 cups mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, egg, and basil. Stuff cooked manicotti with the mixture.
• Spread about 2 cups pasta sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the dish, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and continue baking 10 minutes, until mozzarella is melted and bubbly.

THREE-CHEESE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• For crepes:
• Whisk 1 cup water, flour, eggs and salt in medium bowl until well blended (batter should be thin). Add additional water if necessary. Heat heavy small skillet over low heat. Brush pan lightly with oil. Stir batter and ladle 3 to 4 tablespoons into corner of pan, tilting so batter just coats bottom. Cook crepe until bottom is set (do not brown), about 1 minute. Loosen edges with knife. Turn crepe and cook until second side is set (do not brown), about 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, stirring occasionally and brushing pan with oil as necessary. (Can be prepared ahead. Layer crepes between sheets of waxed paper and cool completely. Wrap tightly and refrigerate 3 days or freeze 1 month. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• For filling:
• Mix ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, Romano, egg and parsley in bowl. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce into large baking pan. Spoon 3 tablespoons filling down center of crepe. Fold both sides of crepe over filling. Arrange seam side down in baking pan. Repeat with remaining filling and enough crepes to finish. Pour remaining 3/4 cup sauce over. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.

CHEESY MANICOTTI CREPES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan; combine the first 11 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until sauce is reduced to 5 cups, stirring occasionally. , Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat eggs and water. Combine flour and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. , Heat 3/4 teaspoon oil in an 8-in. nonstick skillet. Stir crepe batter; pour a scant 3 tablespoons into center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, using remaining oil as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between., Spread about 1/4 cup filling down the center of each crepe; roll up and place 12 crepes in each of two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Spoon sauce over top. Cover and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160&d

THREE-CHEESE BROCCOLI MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, separate broccoli stems and florets. Cut florets in half and cut each stem into several pieces lengthwise.
• Place stems in the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add florets and cook until just barely tender, about 3 more minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon to transfer broccoli to a bowl of cold water, leaving the water boiling on the stove. Let broccoli sit until cool, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander and let sit until very well drained. Leave the bowl of cold water for the pasta.
• Meanwhile, add manicotti to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but slightly undercooked, 6 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to gently transfer manicotti into the bowl of cold water.
• Chop cooled, drained broccoli into small pieces. Transfer 3 cups chopped broccoli to a mixing bowl and reserve any extra for another use.
• Add garlic, ricotta, provolone, 1 ¼ cups Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs, salt, cayenne, pepper, and nutmeg to the broccoli. Mix with a spoon until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring tomato sauce and water to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Ladle ½ inch hot sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish or lasagna pan. Sprinkle in cooked Italian sausage.
• Transfer broccoli filling into a pastry bag. Cut off the tip slightly smaller than the opening of the manicotti. Gently pipe stuffing into 12 manicotti, being careful not to overstuff. Place stuffed manicotti in the sauce in the baking dish, angling as necessary to fit.
• Ladle in just enough sauce to barely cover the manicotti. Sprinkle ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano over top.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until hot and bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Serve two manicotti per bowl, garnished with more Parmigiano-Reggiano.