A simplified version of traditional manicotti that is cooked perfectly every time. This dish features manicotti noodles filled with a creamy ricotta and spinach mixture, topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked until delightful.
1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2: Mix marinara sauce and broth until combined, set aside.
3: In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, basil, egg, salt, and pepper.
4: Transfer mixture into a piping bag or ziplock bag (with the corner cut off).
5: Spread half of the marinara/broth mixture into the greased baking dish. Fill each manicotti noodle with the ricotta mixture. Nestle filled noodles into the baking dish, then pour the remaining sauce/broth on top.
6: Top the noodles with the remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the noodles are just about cooked through.
7: Remove foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes until noodles are al dente. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until browned, if desired. Top with fresh basil or parsley and enjoy!
