Italian-American · main

Baked Manicotti

Baked Manicotti reads umami 6.2, richness 5.4 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Italian-American main, about 1 hr 11 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.2 · Richness 5.4 · Salinity 4.8 · Allium 3.5 · Herbaceous 2.6 · Sweetness 2.4 · Funk & Ferment 2.3 · Nutty 2.3 · Sourness 1.9 · Warm Spice 1.7 · Heat 1.6 · Bitterness 1.2 · Fruity 1.0 · Floral 1.0 · Earthy 0.9 · Citrus 0.8

What's in it (13)

Time & effort: about 1 hr 11 min (1 hr 1 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 330 kcal, 13.3 g protein, 10.7 g fat, 44.5 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Cook the manicotti until al dente with a firm bite, about 2 minutes less than the package directs, 7-8 minutes. Drain and spread the tubes in a single layer on an oiled sheet pan to cool (this keeps them from sticking or tearing when you stuff them).
  2. Heat the oven to 375F. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat; add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Pour in the marinara sauce, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 8-10 minutes.
  3. In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, parsley, nutmeg, and black pepper until smooth and evenly combined. Season with a pinch more salt to taste.
  4. Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  5. Spoon or pipe the ricotta filling into each cooled manicotti tube, working from both ends with a small spoon or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, until each tube is generously and evenly packed.
  6. Arrange the stuffed tubes in a single layer over the sauce in the dish. Pour the remaining marinara evenly over the top, making sure every tube is coated so none dry out in the oven.
  7. Scatter the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan over the top. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
  8. Bake covered until the sauce is bubbling at the edges and the manicotti are heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese is melted and golden in spots, 12-15 minutes more.
  9. Let the manicotti rest 10 minutes before serving so the filling sets and the sauce doesn't run.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.