Description
Honeycomb Pasta is a visually stunning and deliciously cheesy baked pasta dish that features manicotti noodles filled with a flavorful ricotta and mozzarella mixture, baked in marinara sauce and topped with fresh basil. This TikTok viral recipe is perfect for a cozy family meal or entertaining guests with its beautiful presentation and rich flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 16 oz manicotti pasta
Cheese Filling
- 8 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 15 oz Ricotta cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ shallot, minced (about 1 tbsp)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
Sauce & Garnish
- 2 cups marinara sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce)
- Fresh basil leaves (for garnish)
- Non-stick cooking spray (for greasing pan)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to prepare for baking your pasta dish.
- Prepare Cheese: Shred the mozzarella cheese and set aside ½ cup to use as a topping later.
- Cook Pasta: Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the manicotti pasta and boil for 5 minutes until partially cooked. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Slice each noodle in half to create even lengths, trimming if necessary to ensure the pasta ‘pie’ is level.
- Make Filling: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, parmesan, ½ cup shredded mozzarella, minced garlic, minced shallot, egg, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and red pepper flakes. Mix thoroughly to achieve a smooth filling.
- Prepare Filling for Piping: Transfer the cheese mixture into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off for easy filling.
- Grease Pan: Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Add Sauce Base: Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan to help keep the pasta moist.
- Assemble Pasta: Stand the cooked pasta noodles vertically in the pan, packed tightly to fill it completely.
- Fill Pasta: Pipe the cheese filling into each pasta noodle until filled to the top, creating the signature ‘honeycomb’ effect.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the pasta and sprinkle the reserved ½ cup mozzarella on top.
- Bake: Place the springform pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Remove Side of Pan: Carefully remove the side ring of the springform pan to reveal the honeycomb pasta cake.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve warm for best flavor and presentation.
Notes
- Make sure to cut the pasta noodles evenly for a stable and level bake.
- Using a piping bag helps fill the noodles neatly and efficiently.
- You can substitute the marinara sauce with any favorite pasta sauce.
- If you don’t have a springform pan, a similarly sized baking dish can be used but assembling the pasta pie may be more challenging.
- Allow the dish to cool slightly after baking before removing the springform pan side to maintain the shape.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven.
