Three Cheese Manicotti Crepe Recipe
You’ll love this homemade manicotti crepe recipe! Tender stuffed Italian crepes filled with light and fluffy whole milk ricotta, parmesan and fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh parsley and topped with a delicious homemade marinara sauce!
The beauty of this no boil manicotti recipe is that it’s an easy homemade manicotti crepe recipe that doesn’t require stuffing manicotti shells!
This is perfect for family gatherings or a “make ahead Christmas Eve dinner” – serve with a fresh green salad and you’re good to go!
The basic crepe recipe results in quickly cooked crepes, easy to fill with the ricotta cheese mixture and ready in minutes!
Why this recipe works
The manicotti crepe batter uses simple, every day ingredients: all-purpose flour, whole milk, lightly beaten eggs and a pinch of salt. It’s as easy as making pancakes!
They cook in about a minute each in a flat bottom, non stick skillet – this is much quicker and easier than traditional manicotti where you have to boil the manicotti shells then stuff them!
The result is tender deliciously cheesy Italian crepes any Italian mother would be proud!
No high-end utensils required – you can easily mix the cheese filling and batter by hand without having to use a food processor or hand mixer.
No stuffing pasta tubes!
Crepe batter ingredients
- A large or small nonstick skillet
- A little spray oil
- 1/4 cup measuring spoon with a pour spout
- All-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- Salt
Manicotti crepe filling ingredients
- Ricotta cheese – whole milk or skim milk (I recommend whole milk)
- Grated Romano cheese – or Parmesan cheese
- An 8 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella cheese – shredded
- Fresh parsley – curly or flat leaf Italian
- One large egg – lightly beaten
- Garlic powder or fresh minced garlic
- Salt
- 2 cups of red Italian sauce
How to make Manicotti crepes
These homemade Italian manicotti crepes taste best with a simple marinara sauce. You can make your own or use a high-quality jar of marinara. You’ll need about 16 ounces of sauce.
Yield
This recipe makes 10 – 12 5″inch crepes. You might have a little filling leftover, but if you’re making this for a large groups, double the batter and filling recipe.
Make the sauce first or use jarred pasta sauce
For a truly authentic Italian Manicotti crepe, homemade sauce is best, however, if you need a quick dinner, just use a high-quality jarred sauce
Make the filling next
In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated romano or parmesan cheese, grated mozzarella, one large lightly beaten egg, 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and a half teaspoon salt and a dash of ground black pepper; set aside at room temperature
Make the crepes
You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make these tender crepes! Each one takes about 1-minute to cook. These easy homemade manicotti crepes are ready in about 12 minutes!
Lightly beat eggs and combine flour, milk, eggs and salt into a medium bowl; combine well using a fork or whisk; allow batter to rest while you heat your “crepe pan” (which is a nonstick skillet)
Put the skillet on the stove on medium-high heat and allow it to warm; lightly spray a little oil into the pan for safe measure
Pour 1/4 cup batter into the center of skillet and gently lift the skillet and rotate it side to side until the batter forms about a 5″ inch circle
Return pan to heat and allow crepe batter to cook for 1 – 2 minutes; there is no need to flip crepe – just let it cook until it becomes opaque
Either use a spatula to remove it from the pan or, it will usually just slide right off
Transfer each one to a plate and repeat the process. Make sure you stack crepes on a flat surface
Recipe Tips
The first time you make italian homemade crepes, don’t freak out! After you make about two whole crepes, you’ll get the hang of it
Don’t worry if the edges of the manicotti crepe get a little brown at first; if this happens, turn down the heat on the stove to medium heat
Don’t use wax paper between the cooked crepes; they stick to it
When you cover the baking dish with foil, make sure it doesn’t touch the manicotti or the cheese topping will come off when you remove the foil
Assemble the manicotti crepe
Pour about 1/2 of the marinara or Italian sauce into the bottom of the pan – I use a 9 x 13 oven safe casserole dish
Place a crepe on a flat surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the ricotta filling onto the center of the crepe
Gently roll into a cylinder shape, leaving the ends open
Pour sauce in baking dish. Place ricotta filled crepe seam side down; repeat the process filling the center of each pancake; place them close to one another in the baking pan
Drizzle the remaining sauce over the rolled crepes
Sprinkle on a little shredded mozzarella cheese and a little more grated romano cheese (or parmesan cheese); cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven on the middle rack about 20 minutes
Remove from oven and allow to rest a few minutes so you can serve these beautiful manicotti crepes! I usually garnish with a little fresh chopped parsley or fresh basil and put a little of the homemade sauce on the side.
Make ahead and storage
You can assemble this dish in advance and store it (cooked or uncooked) covered with foil in the refrigerator for up to three days. When ready to bake, allow the manicotti to come to room temperature and then bake covered, in a 350°F oven, on the middle rack for about 20-25 minutes, or until the manicotti crepes are warm throughout.
Recipe FAQ
The best way to freeze manicotti crepes is to bake the manicotti first, then let it cool to room temperature. Then, cover the casserole dish with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of foil. When ready to reheat, remove plastic wrap, put the foil back on the top of the baking dish, and reheat in a 350°F oven until warm throughout.
I don’t recommend freezing unbaked manicotti because the texture of the ricotta cheese filling changes in the freezer due to the uncooked eggs.
To make the crepes in advance, cook them, then let them cool – put a piece of parchment paper between each crepe. Store flat in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3-7 days.
It only takes about a minute to cook-the color of the batter will turn slightly golden yellow. DO NOT FLIP IT!
Once you’ve mastered the easy technique of crepe making, you’ll see how fast this Manicotti crepe recipe comes together! No need to wait for special occasions!
Related recipes
Three Cheese Manicotti Crepe Recipe
Equipment
- Non stick skillet
- Spray Oil
- ¼ cup measuring spoon with a pour spout (to ladle the batter into the skillet)
Ingredients
Crepe Batter Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups milk, whole or 2%
- 3 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Crepe Filling Ingredients
- 2½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
- 8 ounce ball fresh mozarella cheese, grated
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (or 1½ tablespoons of dried parsley) I use curly parsley, but you can use flat leaf Italian parsley as well
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspooon salt
Marinara Sauce (optional)
- 2 cups Make this homemade San Marzano pasta sauce – or use 2 cups of high quality jarred pasta sauce
- 56 ounces crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Instructions
Make the Pasta Sauce
- If you're using jarred pasta sauce, skip this step2 cups Make this homemade San Marzano pasta sauce – or use 2 cups of high quality jarred pasta sauce
- In a large stockpot on medium heat, add oil and chopped onion; saute 5 minutes; add garlic and cook 2 minutes1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup chopped yellow or white onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add crushed tomatoes to the onion mixture; add tomato paste, dried Italian seasonings, salt and pepper to taste; bring to boil for 5 minutes; turn heat to simmer and cook on low for 30 minutes while you make the crepes and filling56 ounces crushed San Marzano tomatoes, 6 ounces tomato paste, 2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
Make the Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese, grated parmesan or romano cheese, shredded fresh mozarella cheese, a lightly beaten egg, finely minced parsley, garlic powder and salt; set aside2½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese, 1 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), ¼ cup fresh parsley (or 1½ tablespoons of dried parsley), ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 8 ounce ball fresh mozarella cheese, grated
Make the Crepes
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, lightly beaten eggs and salt; combine well1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ cups milk, whole or 2%, 3 large eggs (lightly beaten), ½ teaspoon table salt
- Heat a non stick skillet on medium heat; spray a light coating of oil
- Fill a ¼ cup measuring cup (with a pour spout) with the crepe batter
- Pour the batter into the center of the hot skillet; lift and rotate pan until the batter spread to form a 5"inch disc; cook for 1-2 minutes; do not flip crepe
- Use a dry spatula and gently lift the crepe from the pan onto a plate; repeat process until all crepes are formed
Assemble the Manicotti Crepes
- Pour 1 cup of the red sauce in a 9 x 13 baking dish and smear it around to cover the bottom of the pan
- Put 3 tablespoons of the ricotta filling down the center of a cooked crepe; gently roll one side of the crepe over the filling, forming a cylinder; leave the ends open; place the crepe seam side down in the baking dish; repeat until all crepes are formed; Put them close together
- Once all the crepes are in the pan, drizzle the remaining sauce over each crepe, garnish with a little extra grated parmesan or romano cheese and a little chopped parsley; cover with foil and bake at 350°F on the middle rack for about 25 minutes (SEE RECIPE NOTES)
Very different from the regular manicotti because of the delicious homemade crepes! You gotta try it!!
Thank you for your kind comment! I don’t know about you, but the crepe manicotti doesn’t seem as filling as the traditional pasta manicotti shells!