Best 4 Freeze Ahead Manicotti Recipes
Manicotti, a classic Italian dish, consists of large pasta tubes filled with a variety of delicious ingredients, such as ricotta cheese, spinach, sausage, or vegetables. It is then baked in a flavorful sauce, resulting in a hearty and comforting meal. This article offers a collection of freeze-ahead manicotti recipes that allow you to prepare this dish in advance, making it perfect for busy weeknights or special occasions. From traditional recipes using meat and cheese fillings to vegetarian options featuring roasted vegetables, there's a recipe here to suit every taste. Additionally, there are tips for freezing and reheating the manicotti, ensuring that it retains its freshness and flavor when you're ready to enjoy it.
Here are our top 4 tried and tested recipes!
EASY STUFFED MANICOTTI
This easy Manicotti recipe is stuffed with cheese and Italian herbs, covered in Marinara sauce and baked to perfection!
Provided by Ashley Fehr
Categories Dinner
Time 43m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add manicotti and boil for the 7-8 minutes, until almost tender*.
- Drain and rinse manicotti 2-3 times under cold water until cooled to room temperature.
- In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup Parmesan, egg, pesto, salt, and pepper.
- Place ricotta mixture in a large piping bag or large freezer bag and snip the end.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom.
- Fill each manicotti shell with ricotta cheese mixture and line up on top of the marinara sauce in the baking dish, dividing the ricotta evenly between the 12 manicotti.
- Top the filled manicotti with the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
- Lightly grease a piece of foil or lid and cover the baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until heated through and pasta is tender. Serve.
Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 2 manicotti, Calories 451 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 27 g, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 14 g, Cholesterol 104 mg, Sodium 1395 mg, Fiber 3 g, Sugar 6 g
MAKE-AHEAD MANICOTTI
I have used this basic principle and adapted it to make stuffed shells and lasagna. If making lasagna, I buy a second, smaller jar of spaghetti sauce. I always feel like I need a bit more. Merry Manicotti!
Provided by Sandir
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 1h30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- In a medium bowl, mix together ricotta cheese and eggs until blended. Stir in spinach, mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, sugar, salt and pepper. Stuff mixture into uncooked pasta shells.
- Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Arrange stuffed pasta shells in a single layer over the sauce. Pour the remainder of the sauce over the shells, cover dish, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake covered for 40 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, and bake for another 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 506.6 calories, Carbohydrate 55.8 g, Cholesterol 112.3 mg, Fat 19.1 g, Fiber 6.4 g, Protein 28.8 g, SaturatedFat 9.5 g, Sodium 1057.8 mg, Sugar 18.4 g
FREEZE AHEAD MANICOTTI
Really good served with a spinach salad. I usually make a few of these and lasagna's the same time and they are ready to pull out at any time. (It's just as easy to put a couple together at this point and have them ready.)
Provided by TishT
Categories Manicotti
Time 1h15m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Boil manicotti according to package directions, adding oil to water so they won't stick (actually we have had a discussion about this and I'm not sure that works, but I do it anyway!) Meanwhile, mix ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, parsley, and eggs.
- Drain manicotti; run cold water over it.
- Stuff each manicotti with cheese mixture.
- Place them in a 3 qt casserole after treating the dish with nonstick spray, and pour sauce around the manicotti.
- Cover dish with foil and freeze.
- When frozen you can pop it out of the container and put in a freezer bag if desired.
- To prepare for serving, thaw and preheat oven to 350F.
- Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more.
MAKE-AHEAD SPINACH MANICOTTI
When I invite people to dinner, many have started requesting this pasta bake ahead of time because it's that good. Plus, the manicotti is stuffed before it's cooked, making it even more convenient. -Christy Freeman, Central Point, Oregon
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h
Yield 7 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a large bowl, mix ricotta, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, parsley and seasonings. In another large bowl, mix spaghetti sauce and water; spread 1 cup into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Fill uncooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce mixture over top. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake, uncovered, 40-50 minutes or until manicotti is tender. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 363 calories, Fat 16g fat (8g saturated fat), Cholesterol 68mg cholesterol, Sodium 822mg sodium, Carbohydrate 35g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 22g protein.
Tips:
- Use a sturdy pasta shell. Manicotti shells can be delicate, so it's important to use a sturdy pasta that will hold up to being stuffed and baked.
- Cook the pasta shells al dente. This will prevent them from becoming too soft and mushy when they are baked.
- Don't overstuff the pasta shells. This will make them difficult to bake evenly and may cause them to burst.
- Use a flavorful filling. The filling is the star of the show in manicotti, so make sure it's packed with flavor.
- Top the manicotti with a creamy or cheesy sauce. This will help to keep the manicotti moist and delicious.
- Bake the manicotti until it is heated through. The internal temperature of the manicotti should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion:
Manicotti is a delicious and versatile dish that can be made ahead of time and frozen for later. With a little planning, you can have a delicious meal on the table in no time. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give manicotti a try. You won't be disappointed.
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