Italian crepe manicotti with Bechamel

April 16, 2025
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Italian crepe manicotti with Bechamel

These Italian crepe manicotti with bechamel sauce are made with homemade crepes, filled with a ricotta and spinach filling before being laid on a bed of marinara sauce. Then they are topped with a creamy bechamel sauce and freshly grated mozzarella before being baked to a golden deliciousness.

The crepe recipe is the one I always use they’re soft, light and so easy to work with . Not to mention how easy they are to make. Of course you can use store-bought manicotti shells in this recipe. but why would you when homemade crepes tastes so good and are so easy to make.

Tips for this Italian crepe manicotti with bechamel recipe

A few tips: Let your crepes cool before filling so they don’t tear. Don’t overstuff – just a few spoonful of filling is perfect. A little bechamel goes a long way, just enough to coat the manicotti and bubble up around the edges. You can assemble the whole dish a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge-just bring it to room temp before baking. It also freezes beautifully, so it’s great for making ahead when you’re feeding a crowd or the holidays.

If you’ve never made manicotti with crepes , give it a try and tag me when you do. I love to see your creations. And trust me, once you taste these Italian crepe manicotti you’ll never reach for the store-bought shells. ENJOY!!!!

Ingredients

12 crepes from my How to make homemade crepes

3 cups your favorite marinara or my easy marinara sauce

FOR THE FILLING:

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded mozzarella divided 1 cup for the filling and 1 cup to top the manicotti before baking.

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 cup blanched spinach or Swiss chard, squeezed dry and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a bowl mix together ricotta, parmesan cheese, 1 cup of the shredded mozzarellas, egg, spinach or chard. Season with salt and pepper to taste set aside

Ingredients: FOR the EASY BECHAMEL SAUCE

1/2 stick of butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups of whole milk
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat
Whisk in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes stirring . Gradually whisk in the milk a little at a time , stirring continually. Cook 5-6 minutes until the bechamel sauce is smooth and thickened. Season with salt and nutmeg.
Assemble the crepes : Preheat your oven to 375-degrees.
Place 1-2 generous Tablespoon of the ricotta, spinach filling in the center from end to end of the manicotti. Roll them up like a jelly roll. Repeat with remaining crepes.
In an oven proof lasagna pan add the 3 cups of my easy marinara sauce. Place the filled manicotti on top of the red sauce, top with the béchamel sauce. Add the remaining shredded mozzarella and bake covered for 30- 35 minutes . Remove the cover the last 15 minutes. ENJOY!!!!