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Manicotti (Gluten Free and Dairy Free too)

We've got Italian comfort food at its best with this stuffed Gluten Free Manicotti, filled with soft spinach and creamy dairy free ricotta filling in a pan of perfectly seasoned ground beef and marinara sauce. Top with fresh parsley and dairy free cheese for an incredible meal the whole family will love.

Gluten Free Manicotti is what dinner dreams are made of.

Rich, filling, cozy, and comfort food at it's best. You can't go wrong with Dairy Free Manicotti!

This gluten and dairy free meal is surprisingly super easy to make, yet it looks like you spent hours in the kitchen.

A large white baking dish filled with ground beef and marinara sauce then topped with round pasta shells filled with spinach, and a ricotta mixture. Then that's topped with more ground beef marinara sauce, dairy free cheese shreds, spinach, and fresh parsley

Do you miss ordering Manicotti off the dinner menu at fancy Italian restaurants?

We sure do.

Now we can safely enjoy this Gluten-Free Manicotti meal at home! And you can too.

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Why you need this Italian dinner recipe

  • Manicotti is filling and relatively easy to make
  • It's one of those comfort foods that everyone loves
  • It's exciting to have a dairy free, soy free, and gluten free version
  • This recipe is made with everyday gluten and dairy free ingredients that you may have on hand
A large white baking dish filled with ground beef and marinara sauce then topped with round pasta shells filled with spinach, and a ricotta mixture. Then that's topped with more ground beef marinara sauce, dairy free cheese shreds, spinach, and fresh parsley with a serving spatula lifting up two of the manicotti out of the pan.

Ingredients needed

Get more info on these ingredients in the recipe card towards the bottom of the post

  • grapeseed oil-- vegetable or olive oil works too
  • diced onion
  • garlic clove-- minced
  • ground beef-- Italian sausage or ground turkey works too. Meat is optional as most manicotti recipes do not call for meat. It's a favorite in our home so we add it in.
  • marinara sauce-- we use Rao's Marinara sauce
  • manicotti pasta noodles-- our go-to is Jovial Manicotti pasta. It can be purchased here.
  • dairy free ricotta-- you can use a homemade recipe, or our favorite is the creamy Kite Hill Ricotta found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store
  • large egg
  • fresh spinach-- you can omit this or add in even more
  • granulated sugar
  • ground parsley-- always double check your spices are gluten and dairy free
  • kosher salt
  • ground pepper
  • optional fresh Italian parsley-- for garnishing over the baked dish before serving
  • dairy free cheese-- use your favorite dairy free shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese to top this yummy manicotti. We haven't found a brand we are absolutely in love with yet for this recipe. We lightly topped our Manicotti in these pics with shredded Chao slices

Helpful Kitchen Tools

  • baking dish-- 9x9-inch baking dish works, but we love using our 12x9-inch Le Creuset baking dish best. 6 gluten free manicotti shells fit perfectly in this dish. When doubling this recipe, use a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • serving spatula-- we use this serving spatula in the kitchen at least once a week if not more
  • aluminum foil-- place foil over your dish before transferring it into the oven. It will keep the noodles from drying out during the bake time. This is an important step not to overlook.
  • parchment paper— perfect for lining the baking dish with before filling it with noodles and cheese. This will help make clean-up a breeze!
  • measuring cups and spoons— essential when measuring out your ingredients. Don't forget to grab these kitchen tools prior to starting your manicotti recipe.
A baking dish with filled gluten free manicotti shells.

How to Make Gluten Free Manicotti

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
  3. Add in the ground beef and brown.
  4. While the beef is cooking, prepare the manicotti noodles according to the package directions. Prepare noodles slightly undercooked.
  5. Drain noodles and wash under cold water. Transfer noodles to a plate and arrange noodles side by side without overlapping or touching each other. This will prevent them from sticking together and tearing.
  6. Once the meat has cooked all the way through and no longer pink, drain the fat, using a slotted spoon can be helpful. Stir in the marinara sauce, and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes while you prepare the ricotta. Stir occasionally.
  7. In a small mixing bowl combine the ricotta, egg, spinach, sugar, ground parsley, salt, and pepper. Optional: add in ¼ cup of your favorite dairy free parmesan or mozzarella cheese.
  8. Then transfer the mixture to a half gallon Ziploc bag. Cut a corner off and pipe the ricotta mixture into each end of the tender manicotti pasta shell.
  9. Reserve ½ cup of the marinara meat sauce for a topping, and place the remaining sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Then arrange each of the stuffed manicotti shells on top of the meat sauce.
  10. Next top with the remaining meat sauce over the noodles. Top with more dairy free cheese.
  11. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling on the sides.
  12. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes as you garnish with more dairy free cheese, fresh spinach and Italian parsley. Serve and enjoy.
A large white baking dish filled with ground beef and marinara sauce then topped with round pasta shells filled with spinach, and a ricotta mixture. Then that's topped with more ground beef marinara sauce,

Storage

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. We like to store our leftover manicott in an airtight container.

This does taste best right out of the oven.

The pasta sauce can be prepared ahead of time; we would not suggest freezing this dish as the pasta noodles become soggy.

Tips and Tricks

  • When doubling this gluten free manicott recipe, use a 9×13-inch baking dish instead of your smaller casserole dish.
  • Like a little heat? Add a dash of red pepper flakes in your meat sauce.
  • It's always a great option to add some more garlic powder to your filling and meat sauce.
  • Feel free to serve with extra dairy free cheese so people can sprinkle on a little cheese with each bite if desired.
  • Make your own homemade sauce with your favorite homemade marinara sauce.

Where do you buy gluten free manicotti pasta?

We use the Jovial Manicotti pasta shells. If they aren't available locally, you can purchase them here on Amazon.

These are produced in a dedicated gluten free facility and have a great taste and texture. You'll think you've ordered a dish from a high-end restaurant.

Do you cook manicotti shells before filling them

Yes. Only a few minutes in boiling water and these shells are ready to be filled.

We slightly undercook them. They're not only easier to fill without falling apart, but they'll also continue to cook and soften as they're baked.

An important manicotti food hack-- after you've removed the shells from the boiling water and rinsed them in cold water, place them in single file on a plate.

The manicotti tend to stick together as they dry and the rip when pulling them apart. This hack prevents that and makes it easier to fill them.

A large white baking dish filled with ground beef and marinara sauce then topped with round pasta shells filled with spinach, and a ricotta mixture. Then that's topped with more ground beef marinara sauce, dairy free cheese shreds, spinach, and fresh parsley

How do you fill manicotti noodles

There are two methods to fill your shells.

Our favorite is to use a Ziploc bag, piping bag, or pastry bag. 

Transfer the ricotta cheese mixture into the bag and cut the corner off.

Squeeze the mixture out of the piping bag into each end of the shell. This is the easier and less messy way to fill your shells.

Another way is to fill the shells with a small spoon.

 But we think the pastry bag or zip lock bag is by far the easiest way!

What do you serve with manicotti

There are so many different side dishes which flavor well with this dish. We enjoy a side salad with warm garlic breadsticks or sliced baguettes.

Our go-to breadsticks are from My Bread Gluten Free Bakery And we also toast these baguettes and dinner rolls from Udi's often.

And a side of steamed broccoli or green beans is another favorite.

Can this recipe be made ahead of time

Yes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours, then bake as directed.

We do not suggest freezing this dish as gluten free noodles can become soggy.

However, oftentimes, we make up batches of ground beef and marinara sauce and store them in the freezer. This helps to cut down on meal prep time.

more delicious pasta dinner recipes

  • lasagna soup-- this one-pot meal is so cozy and comforting. It has all the lasagna flavor without the fuss.
  • creamy ricotta stuffed shells-- enjoy big pasta shells stuffed with creamy ricotta. This is another Italian dish everyone loves.
  • easy skillet lasagna-- another one-pot meal. This is a fun and flavorful pasta recipe to make in the kitchen.
  • veggie pasta salad-- here's your go-to pasta salad recipe for your next BBQ or get together. It's loaded with all your favorites and a pasta noodle that doesn't get soggy.
A large white baking dish of homemade gluten free manicotti.

Lastly

This Manicotti recipe has flavored ground beef with a creamy spinach ricotta stuffed into tender manicotti shells covered with a delicious pasta sauce and baked to perfection.

You will find this classic recipe to be comfort food your family loves.

If you're loving the classic feel of this dinner recipe, you're going to love our cookbook The Classics!

Now available as a digital cookbook delivered straight to your inbox in minutes, or available as a paperback edition. The digital copy has 16 recipes, while the paperback has 20 recipes. If you're interested, check it out here.

A large white baking dish of homemade gluten free manicotti.

Gluten Free Manicotti (dairy free too)

Delicious gluten free manicotti is stuffed with your favorite spinach and dairy free ricotta cheese and other yummys to create a perfect dinner.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Eating Gluten and Dairy Free

Ingredients

Pasta Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil olive or vegetable oil work too
  • ½ onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ pound ground beef Italian sausage or ground turkey work, or you can omit
  • 14 ounces marinara sauce suggestion in post

Ricotta Filling Ingredients

  • 6 gluten free manicotti pasta noodles suggestion in post
  • 8 ounces dairy free ricotta suggestion in post
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup fresh spinach cut into thin pieces with kitchen shears
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ Tablespoon ground parsley
  • dash salt
  • dash ground pepper
  • ¼ cup optional-- add in your favorite dairy free shredded parmesan or mozzarella cheese to the ricotta filling.
  • optional garnish-- fresh Italian parsley, more dairy free cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
  • Add in the ground beef and brown.
  • While the beef is cooking, prepare the manicotti noodles according to the package. Prepare noodles slightly undercooked.
  • Drain noodles and wash under cold water. Transfer noodles to a plate and arrange noodles side by side without overlapping or touching each other. This will prevent them from sticking together and tearing.
  • Once the meat has cooked all the way through and no longer pink, drain the fat. Stir in the marinara sauce, and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes while you prepare the ricotta. Stir occasionally.
  • In a small mixing bowl combine the ricotta, egg, spinach, sugar, ground parsley, salt, and pepper. Optional: add in ¼ cup of your favorite dairy free parmesan or mozzarella cheese.
  • Then transfer the mixture to a half gallon Ziploc bag. Cut a corner off and pipe the ricotta mixture into each end of the tender manicotti pasta shell.
  • Reserve ½ c. of the marinara meat sauce for a topping, and place the remaining sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Then arrange each manicotti noodle on top of the meat sauce.
  • Next top with the remaining meat sauce over over the noodles. Top with more dairy free cheese.
  • Cover the dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling on the sides.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes as you garnish with more dairy free cheese, fresh spinach and Italian parsley. Serve and enjoy.
  • Cover and refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. This does taste best right out of the oven.
  • The pasta sauce can be prepared ahead of time; we would not suggest freezing this dish as the pasta noodles become soggy.

Nutritional Disclaimer

These Nutritional Facts are ESTIMATED. Your actual nutritional info with this recipe may vary depending on the brands you choose. “Eating Gluten and Dairy Free” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist. The provided nutritional info above is based on a generic calculator, if you want more accurate info, use your nutritional calculator of choice where you can choose brands and get more info that way.

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Recipe Rating




Liz

Monday 20th of June 2022

I have an egg allergy, can I omit the egg and have a similar result?

Jill

Wednesday 29th of June 2022

Yes, you can do that. The egg helps to hold it together better. Jill