Easy Manicotti Florentine

I doubled the recipe, added 2c. hamburger, 1Tbsp Italian seasonings, 1Tbsp minced garlic, and 1/2c. parmesan cheese. Then I used 2 jars of my favorite spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce. This perfectly made 4 pans of 7 shells each which I froze and baked at a later date.

I liked the taste. Not having to boil the manicotti shells was definitely a time-saver. In the list of ingredients the recipe calls for tomato sauce. In the recipe directions, however, it asks for spaghetti sauce. I used tomato sauce but I think that was an error: it should have been spaghetti sauce - the dish would have tasted even better.

i liked the fact you didnt have to boil the noodles first, i have an easy lagana recipe that i make because i hate working with wet noodles. however, made according to the directions this did come out very dry and bland. i will try it again but i will do it more like my lasagna recipe and add parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese and an egg to the "cheese" mixture. it also needs more water in the bottom of the pan i will put in 1 cup. and yes use your favorite spag. sauce, this recipe doesnt call for that much along the lines of itailian seasonings and the spag. sauce will help.

The reviews are right. This is a good recipe with help. I added garlic, eggs, mozzarella, and parmesan to the filling mixture and do use spaghetti sauce rather than tomato sauce. I also solved the problem of filling the shells by putting the filling mixture in a plastic zip-lock bag, cutting off the corner and squeezing the mixture into the shells. This worked like a dream! The shells were filled in no time. For you seasoned chefs, a pastry bag or cookie press would also work well. Once perfected, I will post my version.

The filling isn't enough for the whole 8 oz package of shells. I ended up doubling the filling, which was better anyway because what else would I do with the leftover half package of spinach ;-) I also used spaghetti sauce (Hunt's in a can) and used a ziploc baggie to fill the shells. Just put filling in the baggie, snip off tip and squeeze it into shells. Start to finish, this takes about 10 min prep time, maximum.

This recipe was fantastic. I served them at a dinner party and my guests loved them. Filling the Manicotti prior to cooking is brilliant and works to perfection when covered with foil.

These were fabulous! I made them last night and refrigerated them until today. I placed them on the counter (still foil covered) for about 4 hours today before baking. They taste great (noodles are a little more "done" than I'd prefer, probably from sitting prepared in sauce all night...still GREAT, I just prefer mine a little more al dente). I added 1 egg, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, a small handful of grated Italian cheese, parmesan, and crushed red pepper to the cheese/spinach mixture. I took the advice of others and piped into the manicotti using a ziploc w/the corner cut off. I also used an entire "big" jar of spaghetti sauce. Quick, easy, yummy...thanks for a great recipe!

Great recipe with a few modifications. I used canned spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce and added garlic salt, seasoning salt and parmesan to the cheese mixture. I had enough for 3 casseroles because it's only my husband and I. After baking for 45 min. I froze 2 dishes for later.

I started out stuffing the pasta with a teaspoon and quickly switched to a butterknife..worked a heckuva lot better. This went together VERY quickly..I love not having to cook the pasta! I added a little oregano and garlic to the cheese mixture along with about 1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese. I used LOTS of marinara sauce. My picky three year old LOVED it, my five year old begged for more and my husband thought I slaved!!!! 5 stars for that alone!

Very tasty! Made this with some of the add-ins suggested: garlic, basil, oregano etc, plus used Prego original spaghetti sauce. Stuffing these is very easy if you put mixture into a plastic bag and snip off the end, then you just squeeze it into the pasta (couldn't be easier!) I also did not pre-cook the manicotti, just added a bit of water to the sauce and let it sit for a bit before I baked it (thanks to another reviewer) A great dish to pre-make. I think I'll try to freeze-ahead some for unexpected company.

With help, good dish. I added garlic, 2 eggs, shredded carrots, and mozzerella and parmesan cheese to mixture. Used 1 jar spaghetti sauce. Smothered it in cheese, refrigerate for 2-3 hours, baked 45mnts-1 hour. Hits the spot on a cold rainy day.

Easy? Yes. Edible? Barely. No flavor. Pasta has a wierd, rubbery-mealy texture. If you like Manicotti, you should pass on this recipe. It's just bland and boring. Even if you perk up the sauce with some seasonings, the recipe loses it with the texture of the pasta. Sorry, but our family didn't care for this at all:(

This was great! I added 1/2 lb of ground beef, a diced onion and some minced garlic. Fantastic, my husband loved it!

My family loved this recipe. I did take some advice and add garlic, extra cheese, and spaghetti sauce. I've made it twice now and will continue making it on a regular basis.

Manicotti...so yummy. This recipe would be really good with any other kind of stuffed pasta (e.g. ravioli, agnolotti, etc.) This has easily become one of my favourites, definitely a repeat.

This is one of my vegetarian daughter's favorite dishes to order when eating out. So I decided to try this one for her and I'm so glad I did. I used fresh spinach and spaghetti sauce and added in some garlic powder and oregano. My daughter really enjoyed this. Thanks so much.

I just have to say that this was a DELISHOUS meal! My husband is a big meat eater and did not even mention it not being in the meal. It is definitely on my shopping list :0) Even my little picky eating 2 year old liked it, and to throw the spinach in was just another great thing about it! Thanks for such a great meal! The ONLY thing that was kind of tough and not really at that was stuffing the shells...I found that using a butter knife worked the best!

This wasn't very good. Very bland. It needed a lot of doctoring just to be able to eat it.

This recipe is quite simple, and even the kidlets eat it right up. I use a full jar of sausage and onion spaghetti sauce in it. I have made it with browned TVP "sausage" on top with rave results from the family too. I added minced onion and a shredded carrot to the filling. My goal is to see how many veggies I can "sneak" into this recipe before the little ones catch on that it's relatively good for them. Now I look forward to doubling the batch and freezing a batch.

I love this recipe. I always add mozzarella into the stuffing. I love how you don't have to pre-cook the tubes either! This is so easy and when someone needs a dinner, I tend to make this because it is so easy to make a double batch!

This was an excellent crowd pleaser. My whole family loves it. It is very easy to prepare and the noodles are much easier to work with. Thank you Melissa!

Served this dish with stuffed mushrooms and foccacia for a dinner party and everyone loved it!! I followed the tip about adding oregano, garlic, and parmesan to the cheese mixture, and it was perfectly seasoned. Sure to become a fixture in our house!

AWESOME!!! I have made this several times when company comes over. It is such a timesaver not to boil the manicotti first. I usually make mine the night before and refridgerate it overnight so I can just pop it in the oven the next day. I have also added hamburger to the recipe (1 lb.) and it is just as good. I would highly recommend it!!

Just did a few things different more sauce and if ya use a butter knife to insert the stuffing into the shells it goes faster. turned out great and my husbands batchlor friend who eats over often had three helpings

delicious delicious delicious

We enjoyed this recipe. I needed to increase the amounts of cheese to fill all my noodles.

I love this recipe. It's very different from the usual cheese manicotti.

This recipe was delicious. I used spaghetti sauce, but there is still something missing. I think I will try shredding some chicken and adding that to the mix next time.

A M A Z I N G

I did as some users suggested and added garlic, eggs and parmesan. Some of the noodles were burned, could be my oven. The recipe was only ok for me.

Loved that I did not have to cook the noodles first. I used spaghetti sauce in my dish. It was a hit!

I baked the recipe according to the original directions - I give it 4 stars because it was edible & not a complete waste, but definitely not worth more than that. This was my first manicotti effort & I think I'll stick with all cheese filling next time. Just too much spinach flavor & not enough cheese - & I like my cheese!! Plus, the shells were crunchy on the ends, so definitely cover the ends well with sauce. Definitely easy to prepare - no mess filling the shells when you use a shrimp fork!

I made this and I was worried about using the uncooked shells because it was my first time making it. I added v8 instead of water to the sauce and put the filled shells in and baked it at 400 for 45 minutes and cut it down to 375 for the next 15 and it came out perfect, aldente' (however you spell that) and it was fabulous. Also I didn't add the spinach - I made a typical lasagna filing except I put in chopped sauteed mushrooms and onions and then I made the other half with a meat and rice filling (like you'd do with stuffed peppers) and it was a huge success. Good eats.

I would like to say that some people DO like their manicotti "bland" as tealv puts it. Not everyone can handle super spicey food. Spice it to your own taste! I just used a very spicy jar sauce over it instead of tomato sauce.

This turned out to be bland cooked in the oven. However, I tried it agian and cooked the stuffed mancicotti with the sauce first and once they were cooked I transfered them to another pan and layered with mozzarella and placed in the oven until cheese melted. It turned out much tastier and not as bland. Will cook again in the future. Also freezing the left over's comes in handy!

This was awesome! My husband thinks I'm a hero! We loved it! I think we'll add more tomato sauce next time for more to dip our breadsticks in!! We doubled it and we're having left overs again tomorrow...that is how much we loved it! We are EXCITED about leftovers!! Thanks, Melissa!!!

This is a good basic recipe. Like some other reviewers, I also made some additions. I added sauted onion, garlic, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and italian seasoning to the cheese mixture. Instead of tomato sauce I used a large jar of spaghetti sauce, and I didn't use any water. To avoid frustration when stuffing the shells, use a pasty bag.

I made a sneaky vegetarian version, but I'm glad I came across this one as it called for not cooking the shells first. I changed recipe by adding one package of meat substitute crumbles (family doesn't know I don't use real meat), garlic and onion powder, one egg, one tblspn italian seasoning, one jar of spaghetti sauce instead of tomato sauce. I didn't use spinach as my picky no-veggies eating husband wouldn't want it with something "green" mixed in.

A great basic recipe that is easy to adjust for picky eaters (ex: leave out the spinach). The tip re: adding water to the underlying sauce and covering the pan with foil have solved my "crispy top noodle" problem forever.

A big thank you to VBGrace and his/her review! I've made this recipe several times and always thought stuffing the shells was tedious until I read the suggestion to use a resealable plastic bag to pipe the filling into the shells. This is a real timesaver and if you measure the corner of the bag into the shells first (I discovered different brands are different sizes), you'll know exactly how much of the bag to snip off. I also alter the recipe a bit by adding 1 beaten egg, 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1/4 cup of parmesan and a touch of nutmeg. I always end up doubling the recipe for the filling because there is never enough to fill all the shells.

Just made this for dinner and used fresh cooked asparagus instead of spinach. Put the asparagus in the food processor and pureed them. Added some garlic, oregano, and mozzarella cheese to the filling. This family of 5 loved it. Only 3 left out of an entire box!!!

Great recipe, easy to prepare! I doubled it and used spaghetti sauce instead which added a nice flavour. The kids loved it!!!

I have to admit that this recipe would have gotten an easy 5 stars from me prior to tonight. However, tonight I made my second pan, which was prepared when I made my first pan a few weeks ago. I had chosen this recipe because it was supposed to freeze well. We loved our first pan which I cooked the same day I made it. Tonight's pan was not so great. The pasta tasted like it had been microwaved. The whole flavor and the way the ingredients blended was quite a disapointment. It was soooo good fresh though that I will definitely make it again, but we won't freeze it. I did add fresh garlic and dried oregano to my filling. Additionally, I really wanted the "florentine" feel so I doubled the spinach. Delicious made fresh!

the only reason i gave this recipe as many stars as i did is due to the other reviews being as helpful as they were. if i had made this dish as the recipe states, i know we would have been extremely disappointed. it was completely devoid of spices. no one i know likes their food that bland. i used everyone suggestions re: the egg & etc... & i put 1 fresh basil leaf inside ea manicotti shell & it turned out wonderful. use fresh herbs any chance you get, you wouldnt believe the taste difference from dried. i'll definitely make again during lent next yr (the only time i usually make meatless dishes). thanks again to everyone for all their helpful hints. i have learned to read them all b4 i even consider making a dish.

Delicious.

I made this recipe exactly as directed and it was wonderful and easy.

Loved it. I used extra (26 oz) spaghetti sauce - it was so much easier to stuff the manicotti w/out precooking. Husband loved it too.

MUCH easier than with pre-cooked noodles, but still messy to assemble! Still, a great recipie. I used jarred spaghetti sauce and added fresh, minced garlic, parmesan, chopped green onion, and some shredded chicken. Yummmmm!

Very delicious! A little frustrating stuffing the manicotti shells, and I used a whole box. But tastes great!!

This recipe was easy and tasty. I like my pasta stuffed a little more, so I will probably use less shells next time. Also, I may add a little more sauce. These are just personal preferences, though.

Filling the noodles wasn't as difficult or messy as I originally thought it would be. The spinach is a great healthy addition to this classic!

My family and I did like this, however it did need much more sauce than stated in the recipe. I would say 3 cups spaghetti sauce if you don't want any crispy spots on your noodles. The filling was tasty, I did add about 1/4 tsp garlic powder for flavoring and you could add whatever else suits your tastes. Didn't make enough for the whole box of manicotti but it was just right for my family of 4. Used part skim ricott, low fat cottage chz and LF mozzarella and w/ the spinach it's not too bad on the health factor either. Will make again but with more sauce.

I used the filling recipe and made canneloni with it instead, subbed in romano for the mozza, and added parm with less cottage cheese; it was great! used a home made tomato sauce and i will definitely make again!

Super Easy and mighty tastie. I love cheese and saucie pasta so i used more cheese and sauce then the recipe called for. My whole crew loved it will definately make again.

This was a real quick and easy recipie to make. Not the best recipie out there, but it wasn't bad. You definitly need to modify it to your liking.

Great recipe - whole family enjoyed this. My 5 year-old had two helpings. I especially liked not having to pre-cook the manicotti. I added fresh grated parmesan to the cheese mixture and doubled the mozzarella on top. Yum!

This recipe was a huge hit. I made some changes though, since one guest can't eat tomato. I made a cheese sauce to substitute for the tomato sauce. It had milk, cream, worcestershire sauce, and cheddar cheese in it. The taste was phenomenal, because you could really taste everything that was going on. I highly recommend that variation. Oh, and I did pre-cook the noodles and stuffed the noodles with some sauce as well. Broil for the last ten minutes instead of just cooking it.

Yum!

Next time I make this I am using half the spinach, and twice the cottage and ricotta cheese. My family did like it though.

This recipe was easy, but we didn't find it particularly appealing.

Very Good!! Definitely use a bag to stuff the shells, it is so easy!

WE make this all of the time, sometimes we change it up a bit like I adding italian susage but this recipe is great and very easy - I love that I don't have to cook the pasta!!

This is a tasty dish. We only used cottage cheese and it worked great. We used our homegrown heirloom tomatoes for the sauce which gave it a fresh tom taste.( they were frozen). We will make this again.

Easy to make, and very yummy. It was even really good as leftovers. The only problem I had with this recipe was stuffing the hard shells with the mixture. All my spoons were to big. It seems like maybe a baby spoon would be perfect. I used a pastry bag, and that worked out okay. Overall this is an outstanding recipe. I will make this many, many more times.

I made this for my boyfriend (and my entire family) for valentine's day --it was a big hit! Delicious and very easy (which was very important,since I'm not exactly what you might call a good cook ;o)