Homemade Italian Manicotti

This authentic Italian manicotti features tender homemade crepes filled with a rich three-cheese mixture and baked in marinara sauce until golden and bubbly. Skip the store-bought tubes and create restaurant-quality comfort food that'll have everyone asking for seconds!

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Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Manicotti

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 30

Servings:

Calories: 485kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Crepes:

1 cup flour
1 cup water
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil

For the Filling:

2 lbs ricotta cheese
4 ounces mozzarella cheese chopped or shredded
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 pinch salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

For Assembly:

Marinara sauce
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together all crepe ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a 6-inch skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with oil.
Holding the pan in one hand, spoon about 1/3 cup crepe batter and immediately rotate and tilt the pan to completely cover the bottom. Pour excess batter back into bowl.
Cook crepe for one minute until edges turn brown and lift away from pan. Flip with fingers and cook 30 seconds more until spotted brown.
Slide cooked crepe onto a plate and cover with wax paper. Repeat with remaining batter, stacking crepes with wax paper between each.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
For filling, stir all filling ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
Spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce into a 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
Place about 1/4 cup filling lengthwise down center of each crepe, roll up, and place seam side down in dish.
Continue with remaining crepes and filling, placing them close together in the dish.
Spoon remaining marinara sauce over manicotti and sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30-45 minutes until sauce is bubbling and manicotti are heated through. Serve hot.

Notes

Crepes can be made up to 2 days ahead - cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use

Let crepe batter rest for at least 30 minutes to guarantee smooth, tender crepes without lumps

Use a paper towel to lightly oil the pan between each crepe for consistent results

Don't overfill the crepes or they'll burst during baking - 1/4 cup filling is the perfect amount

Fresh ricotta cheese makes a noticeable difference in texture and flavor over generic brands

Substitute cottage cheese for half the ricotta for a lighter filling option

Add 1/2 cup cooked spinach or Italian sausage to the filling for variation

Nutrition