Manicotti Recipe Recipe
You will love how easy this manicotti recipe is! This no-boil recipe uses a creamy, zesty broccoli filling, a quick tomato sauce, and burrata cheese baked in the oven until golden and bubbling. A delicious, comforting vegetarian dinner!
How to Make the Best Manicotti Recipe
This broccoli manicotti with burrata is the ultimate vegetarian comfort food. The no-boil method makes it surprisingly easy to prepare—no need to fuss with cooking and draining delicate pasta shells. Simply fill the uncooked manicotti with a creamy, lemon-zested broccoli and ricotta filling, nestle them into a quick homemade tomato sauce, and let the oven do the rest.
What sets this manicotti apart is the combination of bright, fresh flavors in the filling. The lemon zest and fresh basil cut through the richness of the ricotta, while a touch of nutmeg adds warmth. The tomato sauce is blended smooth with sauteed onions and garlic, creating a silky base that the pasta soaks up as it bakes to tender perfection.
The optional burrata on top is truly a game-changer—as it melts, it creates pockets of incredible creaminess throughout the dish. Serve this straight from the oven, garnished with fresh basil ribbons, and you’ll have a dinner that feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in your own kitchen.
Manicotti Recipe
You will love how easy this manicotti recipe is! This no-boil recipe uses a creamy, zesty broccoli filling, a quick tomato sauce, and burrata cheese baked in the oven until golden and bubbling. A delicious, comforting vegetarian dinner!
Ingredients
Broccoli
Tomato Sauce
Ricotta Filling
Assembly
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Steam broccoli florets until just barely tender (not too soft!), then cool and chop.
- At the same time, in a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute onion 3-4 minutes, stirring. Add garlic, lower heat to medium and saute until golden and tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Place half of the sauteed onions/garlic mixture in a blender (for the sauce) and the other half in a medium bowl (for the filling).
Make the Sauce
- Add the canned tomatoes (and their juices) to the blender with half of the sauteed onions, water, salt, maple syrup, Italian seasoning, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, set aside.
Make the Filling
- Chop up the steamed broccoli and add it to the bowl with the onions. Add the ricotta, egg, basil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir with a fork. Add the cheeses. Taste for salt and pepper, adding more if you like. Place the broccoli filling in a large piping bag or large zip lock bag with the corner cut off.
Assemble and Bake
- Coat the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with olive oil. Pour half the tomato sauce to cover the bottom (about 1 3/4 cups).
- Using the piping bag, generously fill 12 uncooked, dry, manicotti shells (getting filling all the way to the middle) and nestle in the sauce. Dot the edges of the manicotti with the extra filling.
- Cover with the remaining sauce. It will seem a little runny but the uncooked manicotti will soak up much of the moisture. Dot with any remaining filling if you like. Top with optional Burrata Cheese. Cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 50 minutes at 400F. Uncover, test that manicotti is tender (check with a sharp knife) then bake 10 more minutes, or until beautifully golden.
- Garnish with basil ribbons and serve.
Notes
- The no-boil method makes this recipe much easier - the dry manicotti shells absorb the sauce while baking.
- For a vegan version, use tofu ricotta and vegan cheese alternatives.
- The burrata is optional but adds incredible creaminess when it melts into the dish.
