This authentic Italian manicotti recipe is one of the best out there! With manicotti shells made from crepes and a rich ricotta cheese filling, this comforting pasta dish is perfect for Sunday dinner or the holiday season.
Growing up, my husband's grandmother made the best manicotti with crepes instead of store bought pasta tubes. It makes the manicotti super delicate, with the perfect texture that creates a delicious, comforting dish the whole family will love.
Traditionally, authentic Italian manicotti is made with crepes, not pasta. They are filled with a ricotta cheese mixture and baked with a layer of sauce and cheese on top.
This authentic Italian manicotti recipe would be a great dish served with Italian seafood salad and struffoli on Christmas Eve or with Italian rice balls for Sunday family dinner.
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🍅 Ingredient notes
- Crepes - Instead of store bought manicotti tubes made from pasta, the shells are made from homemade crepes. Instead of making them homemade, pre-made crepes can sometimes be found in the grocery store. The filling recipe can also be used with store bought manicotti noodles.
- Cheese - The ricotta cheese filling is made with whole milk ricotta cheese and freshly grated parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. I recommend using full fat, freshly grated cheeses if possible. Low fat, part skim or pre-shredded cheeses can sometimes make the filling gritty or watery.
- Sauce - You can use my homemade Italian gravy recipe for the sauce for this recipe or store bought will also work just fine.
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Meat - Cooked ground beef or Italian sausage can be added to the cheese filling mixture for a heartier dish.
- Spinach - Add some chopped sautéed spinach to the cheese filling for a nice green color and extra veggies.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, combine all of the ingredients for the crepe mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the blender in the refrigerator to chill while the filling is made.
Next, combine the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses in a large bowl with the parsley, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined and place in the refrigerator to chill while the crepes are made.
Heat a greased griddle pan or crepe pan over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Pour approximately ¼ cup of the batter in the pan while swirling it around so the batter evenly coats the bottom in a thin layer.
Cook the batter for 30-60 seconds until it's no longer shiny and the edges pull away from the sides. Gently flip and cook for another 15-30 seconds until just set.
Repeat with the remaining batter until you have at least 6-8 crepes. Spread the bottom of a baking dish with 2 cups of sauce and then set it aside.
Spread approximately ⅓ cup of the ricotta filling down the center of each crepe. Roll them up and place them seam side down in the baking or casserole dish on top of the sauce.
Top the crepes with the cup of the remaining marinara sauce and then sprinkle with the pecorino romano cheese.
Bake the cheese manicotti in a 350˚ oven for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese and crepe edges are lightly browned.
If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.
⭐ Expert tips
- Strain the ricotta cheese wrapped up in a tea towel or cheesecloth over a bowl in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to overnight. This will make sure our filling is not runny.
- Make sure to scrape down the sides of the blender when making the crepe batter so that all of the ingredients are well combined.
- A flat griddle type pan or crepe pan will make it easiest to flip the crepes. At a minimum, use something that is non-stick so they are easier to flip.
- Depending on the size pan used, the batter will make approximately 12-14 crepes. Approximately 6-8 filled crepes will fit in each 9x13" baking dish.
- Cook the crepes in a thin layer until they are just set. It's ok if they are lightly browned, but if they start to get too brown, lower the heat.
- Use a rubber spatula to flip the crepes gently so they do not tear. If they tear, you can still use them, they just may be a bit harder to roll up with the filling.
- Spread the filling all the way down the center of the crepes before rolling them up so the filling is evenly distributed.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Manicotti in Italian literally mean "little sleeves". The pasta or crepes used to make manicotti look like little sleeves stuffed with ricotta cheese filling.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
- Crepes - The crepes can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Cool them completely and then store them on a plate wrapped in plastic wrap or in a ziptop bag until you are ready to fill the manicotti the next day.
- Filling - The filling can also be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Manicotti (Fridge) - The unbaked homemade manicotti can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the baking dish, wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Take the dish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking or you may need an extra 10-15 minutes of cook time. The baked manicotti can also be cooled completely and stored wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Reheat the pre-baked manicotti in the oven until heated through.
- Manicotti (Freezer) - Rolled manicotti with the filling can be placed on a sheet pan and frozen, then transferred to a ziptop bag for easy storage. The entire dish can also be assembled with the tomato sauce and stored wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil in the freezer. Manicotti will last up to 2 months. Frozen rolled manicotti or the entire dish should be defrosted in the refrigerator before cooking in the oven.
🍅 More Italian recipes
If you loved this authentic Italian manicotti recipe, check out these other Italian food recipes that I know you will love too!
📖 Recipe
Authentic Italian Manicotti Recipe
Ingredients
Crepe Batter
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- unsalted butter for greasing the pan
Manicotti
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups old school italian gravy or marinara sauce
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
Instructions
- First, combine the milk, eggs, flour and salt in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for another 10-15 seconds. Place in the refrigerator to chill while the filling is made.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, egg, salt and pepper. Mix together until everything is well combined and then place in the refrigerator to chill while the crepes are made.
- Heat a griddle pan or crepe pan over medium low on the stovetop until hot and then and grease lightly with the butter.
- Pour approximately ¼ cup of the chilled batter in the pan while swirling it around so the batter evenly coats it in a thin layer.
- Let the crepe cook for 30-60 seconds until it's no longer shiny and the edges start to pull away from the sides.
- Gently flip over and cook an additional 15-30 seconds until just set. Remove and place on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter until you have 6-8 crepes.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ and spread 2 cups of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.
- Spread approximately ⅓ cup of the filling mixture down the middle of each crepe and gently rolll them up.
- Place the filled crepes seam side down in the baking dish on top of the sauce and sprinkle with the pecorino romano cheese.
- Bake the manicotti in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese and crepe edges are lightly browned.
Notes
- Strain the ricotta cheese of the excess liquid for a thicker filling.
- Depending on the size of pan used, the batter will make approximately 6-8 crepes.
- Cook the crepes in a thin layer until they are just set. It's ok if they are lightly browned, but if they are start to get too brown, lower the heat.
- Use a rubber spatula to flip the crepes gently so they do not tear. If they tear, you can still use them, they just may be a bit harder to roll up with the filling.
Substitutions and Variations
- Crepes - Store bought crepes or manicotti pasta tubes may be used instead of the homemade crepes.
- Meat - Cooked ground beef or Italian sausage can be added to the cheese filling mixture for a heartier dish.
- Spinach - Add some chopped sautéed spinach to the cheese filling for a nice green color and extra veggies.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
- Crepes - Crepes can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Cool and store in an airtight container until they are ready to fill.
- Filling - The filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Manicotti (Fridge) - Unbaked manicotti can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the baking dish, wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Take the dish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking or extra 10-15 cook time may be needed. The baked manicotti can also be cooled completely and stored wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Reheat the pre-baked manicotti in the oven until heated through.
- Manicotti (Freezer) - Rolled and filled mancotti can be placed on a sheet pan and frozen, then transferred to a ziptop bag for easy storage. The entire dish can also be assembled and stored wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil in the freezer. Manicotti will last up to 2 months. Frozen manicotti should defrosted in the refrigerator before assembly or cooking.
Michael
Excellent easy practical recipe for authentic crepe manicotti. Works perfectly every time.
Amanda
Thanks Michael! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Kim
Hi there, loomat adding meat, you mentioned it can be added with the cheese, would this be ground meat? Would it need to be cooked and then cooled before adding to the cheese?
Amanda
Hey Kim! Yes, you can add ground meat, such as beef, pork or italian sausage. I would cook it and drain it of any leftover grease and then add it to the cheese mixture. It doesn't have to be completely cooled, but I would let it cool down a bit so it doesn't melt the cheese mixture and make it watery. Enjoy!