Both manicotti and stuffed shells are classic Italian-American dishes that are loved for their cheesy, savory fillings wrapped up in tender pasta. While they are similar in concept, there are some key differences between manicotti and stuffed shells in terms of their shape, filling, and preparation.
The Pasta Used for Manicotti vs Stuffed Shells
The main difference between manicotti and stuffed shells is the actual pasta used. Manicotti uses a long, cylindrical pasta tube that resembles a crepe or a crêpe. The pasta dough is thin and wide enough to be stuffed with filling. Meanwhile, stuffed shells use jumbo pasta shells that are shaped like semicircular cups or boats.
Both pastas are usually around 3-4 inches long. However, manicotti tubes have a much wider diameter, closer to 1-2 inches across. Jumbo stuffed shells are more narrow, with a diameter of only about 1 inch or less. The large shells are meant to hold a spoonful of filling, while the manicotti tubes envelop a longer column of filling.
While the classic choice is manicotti tubes or jumbo shells, in theory, you could stuff any hollow pasta shape to make a stuffed pasta dish. Some other options include cannelloni tubes, lasagne sheets rolled up, conchiglie (shells), lumache (snail-shaped), and tortiglioni or tortelloni tubes. The key aspects are that the pasta is large enough to be stuffed but small enough to eat in a bite or two.
Traditional Fillings for Manicotti and Stuffed Shells
In terms of the filling, manicotti and stuffed shells traditionally contain a cheese mixture with some combination of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, and/or mascarpone. Some classic stuffed shell fillings include:
- Ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan
- Ricotta, mascarpone and spinach
- Ricotta, mozzarella, salami, and herbs
Manicotti is often filled with a blend of ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. Some other popular manicotti fillings are:
- Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, and parsley
- Ricotta, mascarpone, and prosciutto
- Spinach and four cheese blend
The filling for both manicotti or stuffed shells can also contain cooked ground meat like beef, pork, chicken, turkey, or sausage to make it hearty. Vegetarian options include sauteed mushrooms, vegetables, or spinach. The cheese and other ingredients are mixed together lightly, but the filling should still be thick enough to hold its shape when stuffed into the pasta.
Key Differences in Traditional Fillings
There are a few key differences that are often seen in the fillings for manicotti vs stuffed shells:
- Manicotti fillings use more cheese and eggs since the long tubes can hold more volume.
- Stuffed shells fillings may have a higher ratio of ricotta cheese for lighter filling.
- Meat is more commonly used in stuffed shell fillings while manicotti is often all cheese.
- Shells fillings have chunkier vegetables or meats while manicotti fillings are smooth.
However, there are no hard rules so you could use the same filling mixture for both manicotti and stuffed shells if desired. The filling recipe just may need to be adjusted to the correct consistency and volume for the different pastas.
Preparation Methods for Manicotti and Stuffed Shells
Preparing manicotti vs stuffed shells starts the same way – by cooking the pasta al dente while also preparing the filling. However, the assembly method differs:
Manicotti Assembly:
- Lay out the manicotti tubes flat and spoon the filling down the center of each one.
- Place the stuffed manicotti seam side down in a baking pan that has been coated in sauce.
- Cover with more sauce and cheese then bake until hot and bubbly.
Stuffed Shells Assembly:
- Spoon a small amount of filling into each jumbo shell.
- Arrange the stuffed shells seam side up in a baking pan coated with sauce.
- Ladle more sauce over the top and bake until heated through.
The trickiest part for both dishes is evenly filling the pasta without overstuffing it or making it too sparse. Underfilling allows the pasta to collapse while overstuffing causes the filling to leak out. Practicing your scooping technique helps achieve well-filled pastas.
Key Preparation Differences
There are some key preparation differences between the two stuffed pastas:
- Manicotti is easier to fill using a piping bag or spoon to distribute the cheese mixture down the tube.
- Stuffed shells are filled individually using a teaspoon to dollop filling into each shell.
- Manicotti is oven-baked in the sauce upside down to seal the filling inside.
- Stuffed shells are baked right side up to help the filling set without falling out.
The baking time is similar, around 25-45 minutes at 350°F until hot and bubbly. The cheese filling should be fully melted and cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving manicotti or stuffed shells, they pair well with similar accompaniments:
- Marinara or meat sauce
- Alfredo, pesto, vodka, or tomato cream sauce
- Fresh chopped basil, parsley, or Italian parsley
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
- Garlic bread or breadsticks
- Fresh green salad
Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days and reheated in the microwave or oven until hot. The pasta may become a little mushy but will still taste great.
Key Similarities and Differences
To summarize, here are the key similarities and differences between manicotti and stuffed shells:
Similarities
- Hollow pasta stuffed with flavorful cheese filling
- Often feature a ricotta-based filling
- Baked with sauce until hot and melty
- Comforting, delicious Italian-American dish
Differences
| Manicotti | Stuffed Shells |
|---|---|
| Long, thin pasta tubes 3-4 inches long | Jumbo pasta shells about 3 inches long |
| Wider diameter around 1-2 inches | Narrower diameter around 1 inch |
| Smoother, cheese-based filling | Chunkier filling with vegetables, meat, etc. |
| Filled using a piping bag or spoon | Filled individually with a teaspoon |
| Baked upside down | Baked right side up |
Conclusion
Manicotti and stuffed shells share a foundation of cheesy stuffed pasta, but have some differences when it comes to ingredients, shaping, and baking. Manicotti uses long, thin pasta tubes with a smooth cheese filling while stuffed shells use small, cup-like shells filled with a chunkier mix. Both make for hearty, comforting Italian dishes perfect for feeding a crowd. The most important thing is to use high quality, fresh ingredients and a flavorful sauce to let the pasta and filling shine.