Pesto Artichoke Stuffed Manicotti
Impress everyone with dinner tonight by serving Pesto Artichoke Stuffed Manicotti! Tender manicotti pasta is stuffed with a medley of artichokes, pesto, ricotta and mozzarella, then topped with bold vodka sauce. This is an easy dinner that’s as flavorful as it is presentable!
Stuffed Manicotti
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Stuffed pasta is always a good idea, right? It’s an even better idea when that pasta is stuffed with ingredients like cheese, pesto and artichokes!
As much as I love when manicotti is just stuffed with cheeses, it’s so much more flavorful with the additions of artichokes and pesto. Those green ingredients add a certain freshness to the dish that you may never knew you craved!
The filling to this recipe is really the star, however, you’ll fall just as in love with the bold vodka sauce that covers the dish. While you’re certainly welcome to use a store-bought vodka sauce, I highly recommend using my favorite Homemade Vodka Sauce recipe.
It’s pretty easy to make and it rich with flavor – honestly, it’s so much better than the store-bought stuff! However, even store-bought sauce tastes phenomenal on top of this pasta dinner.
And if you’re worried about this dish being too cumbersome for a weeknight dinner, fear not! This manicotti pasta dinner can be made in just about 45 minutes from start to finish!
Plus, the steps for assembling the stuffed manicotti are pretty simple too. All you need it a piping bag or zip-top baggie with the corner cut off, and you’re good to go!
How to Make Stuffed Manicotti
Baked pasta dishes are oh so simple! Just prep, assemble, and bake. It’s that easy… and cheesy!
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Boil the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti to al dente, approximately 7-8 minutes. Drain and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer so they do not stick together.
- Mix the filling. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, artichokes, basil pesto, egg, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Spread the sauce. In the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread half the sauce in an even layer to coat the dish.
- Pipe the filling. Transfer the cheese mixture to a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner cut off and pipe the cheese mixture into the manicotti to fill.
- Arrange. Arrange the manicotti in the bottom of the baking dish and cover with the remaining sauce.
- Add more cheese! Top with the remaining mozzarella, cover with foil and transfer to the oven.
- Bake. Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.
You can use store bought ricotta cheese but we LOVE this homemade ricotta and it’s so simple to make in no time at all.
My go-to baking dish set for all things casseroles, brownies, dips and more. I’ve been using these ceramic baking dishes for years. Oven to table to dishwasher!
How To Make It In Advance
If you’re planning on an important dinner, this is a great recipe to get a head start on. The manicotti can be assembled up to 2 days in advance. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Storage
Leftovers (if you have any – I never do) can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days covered tightly with plastic wrap or sealed in an airtight container.
Other Sauce To Use
While I think that it pairs perfectly with this dish, I realize that vodka sauce may not be for everyone. If you’re prefer to use another type of sauce, try Homemade Spaghetti Sauce or even a store-bought marinara.
More Easy Pasta Dinners
- Baked Rigatoni Bolognese
- Baked Chicken Florentine Pasta
- Easy Cheesy Tortellini Al Forno
- Crock Pot Baked Ziti
- The BEST EVER Baked Ziti
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Get the Recipe: Pesto Artichoke Stuffed Manicotti Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package manicotti
- 2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 2 cups shredded Mozzarella, divided
- 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts, frozen and thawed
- 3 tablespoons basil pesto
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 1/2 cups Vodka Sauce
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the manicotti to al dente, approximately 7-8 minutes. Drain and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer so they do not stick together.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, 1/2 cup mozzarella, artichokes, pesto, egg, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- In the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread half the sauce in an even layer to cat the dish.
- Transfer the cheese mixture to a piping bag or zip top bag with the corner cut off and pipe the cheese mixture into the manicotti to fill.
- Arrange the manicotti in the bottom of the baking dish and cover with the remaining sauce.
- Top with the remaining mozzarella, cover with foil and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and begins to brown.