Cottage Cheese Manicotti

Cottage Cheese Manicotti is a high-protein twist on a classic Italian comfort food. It’s made with tender pasta stuffed with a silky cottage cheese filling, then baked in marinara sauce and topped with cheese. It’s an easy, high-protein dinner option that the whole family will love.

How to Blend the Cottage Cheese

The secret to the best cottage cheese manicotti is blending the cottage cheese before adding it to the filling. Blending full-fat cottage cheese creates a smooth, creamy texture that closely resembles ricotta cheese, helping it pipe easily into the pasta and bake up rich and velvety. As it cooks, the cottage cheese melts seamlessly into the other cheeses.

Pro tip: make two pans at a time, eat one right away and freeze one for later.

Looking for more easy, healthy dinner options? Cottage Cheese Vegetable Lasagna is a healthier twist on a classic comfort food, or try Baked Spaghetti Lasagna that has sneaky vegetables in the sauce.

Cottage Cheese Manicotti

Cottage Cheese Manicotti is a high-protein twist on a classic Italian comfort food.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chicken Meatballs

• 8 ounces manicotti
• 3 cups full fat small curd cottage cheese
• 1 large egg
• 3 cloves garlic grated
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese grated and divided
• 2 cups low moisture shredded mozzarella divided
• 24 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 cup finely chopped spinach optional

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Method

 

1. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cook the noodles in salted water according to package directions until just al dente (about 9 minutes for most brands). Drain and rinse under cool water. Arrange them in one layer on a plate or cutting board to prevent them from sticking together.
3. In a large bowl with an immersion blend, or in a high-speed regular blender, blend the cottage cheese until smooth and no lumps remain, similar to a thick sour cream.
4. Add the egg, garlic, salt and Italian seasoning and whisk to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup parmesan and 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Stir in the chopped spinach, if using. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and cut off about 1/2 -inch from the tip.
5. Spread a couple spoonfuls of the marinara in the bottom of the pan. Pipe the cheese filling into the cooked manicotti noodles from each side until they’re full. Arrange them in the prepared baking dish. You can lay them any way to get them to fit.
6. Cover with the remaining pasta sauce then finish with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup parmesan. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until it’s golden and bubbling.

Notes

Tips: You can use manicotti and jumbo shells interchangeably. Cook the shells according to the package and rinse. Fill the shells, then layer and bake as directed in the recipe.

Low fat cottage cheese can be used but produces a slightly thinner filling. If it feels too loose after blending, stir in an extra 1-2 tablespoons of Parmesan before piping.

Prepare and refrigerate one day ahead: Assemble the whole pan, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Pull it from the fridge while the oven preheats and add five minutes to the bake time.

To freeze before baking: Assemble, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.