Spinach and ricotta cannelloni, a classic, foolproof recipe and a family favourite. Cannelloni pasta tubes filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, baked in a super simple and delicious tomato sauce and topped with melting mozzarella cheese.
You cannot go wrong with this recipe...
Like other classic Italian recipes such as lasagne and beef ragu, spinach and ricotta cannelloni is one of those recipes I will always go back to. It's classic, comforting and surprisingly simple to make!
Since living in Italy I have seen so many cannelloni recipes. A more rustic and traditional way of making them is with fresh lasagna sheets (homemade). Dollop some of your filling, be it spinach and ricotta or ragu and roll it up to create the cannelloni.
The other option is to use pre-made cannelloni pasta tubes. I love using these because they are so easy to fill and ensure each tube is evenly filled, that way everyone gets an even portion. You should be able to buy cannelloni pasta tubes in most supermarkets, they're pretty common and they save so much time.
Tip: Use a piping bag or cut the corner off of a disposable freezer bag to fill your cannelloni easily.
How To Make Spinach And Ricotta Cannelloni - Step By Step
Finely chop a shallot and garlic and saute in a pan with a little olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato passata (pureed tomatoes) with some torn basil leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for around 5 minutes, set aside (photos 1 & 2).
Tip: Making a simple tomato sauce with shallot, garlic and basil will give this spinach and ricotta cannelloni an extra punch of flavour and it's so worth the extra 5 minute effort.
Add some washed raw, fresh spianch to a large pan and wilt on a medium heat. Tip: Add a splash of water (around 1 tbsp) to stop the spinach from burning and to help wilt it all. Leave to cool and then squeeze out as much water as possible (photos 3&4).
To make the spinach and ricotta filling, add the ricotta, parmesan, chopped spinach, egg, nutmeg and salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix everything together until creamy and thoroughly combined (photos 5&6).
To assemble the spinach and ricotta cannelloni, add a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce to the bottom of a large baking dish. Transfer the spinach and ricotta filling to a piping bag or a disposable freezer bag with the corner cut off and pipe the filling into the cannelloni pasta tubes. Add each filled cannelloni tube in an even layer in the baking dish (photos 7-9).
Top the cannelloni with the remaining tomato sauce then top with torn mozzarella and grated parmesan. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes then uncovered for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Tip: Make this in a disposable foil tray and freeze to make meal time throughout the week even easier. Enjoy a home cooked , delicious meal in a matter of minutes!
More Cannelloni Fillings To Try;
- Pesto provolone cannelloni (vegetarian)
- Italian beef ragu (replace the tomato sauce with bechamel sauce)
- Lentil ragu (vegetarian) replace the tomato sauce with bechamel as above.
- Tuscan sausage ragu
- Ricotta mixed with grated smoked scamorza cheese or smoked applewood cheese (this would also be good with spianch)
If you've tried this easy cannelloni recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1 shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 ½ cups (700g) passata/pureed tomatoes
- 1 small bunch basil
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
For the filling
- 12.3 oz (350g) ricotta cheese
- 8.8 oz (250g) raw fresh spinach
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon parmesan grated
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper
To assemble
- 12 cannelloni pasta tubes
- 4.4 oz (125g) ball of mozzarella
- Extra grating of parmesan
Instructions
To make the sauce
- Finely chop the shallot and garlic and saute in a pan with a little olive oil for around 1-2 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Add the tomato passata (pureed tomatoes) with some torn basil leaves, salt and pepper and simmer for around 5 minutes, set aside.
To make the filling
- Add the washed raw, fresh spianch to a large pan and wilt on a medium heat. Add a splash of water (around 1 tbsp) to stop the spinach from burning and to help wilt it all. Leave to cool or rinse under cold water then squeeze out as much water as possible and finely chop.
- To make the spinach and ricotta filling, add the ricotta, parmesan, chopped spinach, egg, nutmeg and salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl and mix everything together until creamy and thoroughly combined.
To assemble
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350F/gas mark 4.
- To assemble the spinach and ricotta cannelloni, add a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce to the bottom of a large baking dish. Transfer the spinach and ricotta filling to a piping bag or a disposable freezer bag with the corner cut off and pipe the filling into the cannelloni pasta tubes. Add each filled cannelloni tube in an even layer in the baking dish.
- Top the cannelloni with the remaining tomato sauce then top with torn mozzarella and grated parmesan. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes then uncovered for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Notes
To Freeze
Make as above in a foil disposable tray, cover and freeze. Thaw completely before baking in the oven.More Cannelloni Fillings To Try;
- Pesto provolone cannelloni (vegetarian)
- Italian beef ragu (replace the tomato sauce with bechamel sauce)
- Lentil ragu (vegetarian) replace the tomato sauce with bechamel as above.
- Tuscan sausage ragu
- Ricotta mixed with grated smoked scamorza cheese or smoked applewood cheese (this would also be good with spinach)
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Susy
Would chopped frozen spinach be good or would fresh spinach be better?
Emily
Yes, you can use chopped frozen spinach, it works just as well!
Kim
Hopefully this is not a dumb question- do you boil the canneloni noodles before filling them, or do they just cook in the oven?
Emily
No, I don't pre-boil them as they cook in the sauce in the oven. Check your packet instructions just in case 🙂
Ricardo D’Andrea
Can I use “ready for the oven” cannelloni tubes??? If so, should I change anything in terms of sauce qty and time???
Inside the rustic kitchen
Yes, those will work, no need to change anything!
Hayley Jane Gibbs
Made this for the first time a few weeks ago, it's absolutely delicious. Making it again tonight
Rose Darcy
Love it, very easy to follow receipt thank you, even my daughter loved it and she's a meaterian
Inside the rustic kitchen
So happy you enjoyed it!
Lauren
Yumm! Really tasty and easy to follow. Only thing I’d change next time is I’d cook the pasta for 40 minutes, rather than 30 as it was slightly too al dente for my liking. Overall 5 star! Thank you 🙂
Inside the rustic kitchen
So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Socrates
The flavours of this dish are simply amazing. I would give 6 stars if I could. A minor point but something I will try differently in future is to sprinkle grated mozzarella on top rather than torn mozzarella. I found the torn mozzarella did not melt evenly and I had to bake longer to let the cheese melt properly.
Inside the rustic kitchen
So happy you enjoyed it and thank you so much for the lovely comment. That's a great tip, you can definitely get an even coverage with grated mozzarella! Have a great weekend.
Errol Woodburn
I enjoyed making this but as a very amateur cook the twenty minutes preparation is way off the mark. The list of ingredients doesn't include an egg so that was a surprise. Anyway, it's in now so the proof of the pudding as they say.....
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hi Errol, oops sorry about the egg I've added that into the ingredients list now. I totally understand it may take longer to prep also so I've adjusted the timing to 35 minutes which should be more manageable for everyone. Hope you enjoyed it!
Tiffany Alexandria
This dish is sooo beautiful and I love how there are other fillings to try. I can have this all week every day!!!
Inside the rustic kitchen
I think I could too, soo yummy. Thanks Tiffany!
Marlee
Ok so I'm devising a plan involving me moving to Italy so you can make me food ;P seriously though! I love how simple and delicious this meal is!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hahaaa that would be fun! Thanks so much Marlee!
Amanda
This looks AMAZING Emily! Stunning photography (per usual). This recipe is a must try for me 🙂
Inside the rustic kitchen
Aw thank you so much Amanda!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
Mmmm. I love that you put spinach in the filling! I love cannelloni and love how easy it is to make. Can you believe that I never thought of using a pastry bag to pipe the filling in the pasta tubes? DOH! Great tip! I can't wait to try your recipe! It looks both delicious and pretty!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks so much Elaine, hope you enjoy!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
I love cannelloni and now that I know how that ricotta is lower fat, it's my favourite with pasta. Can't wait to try your version!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Hope you enjoy it 🙂
Laura
I love cannelloni and even if I make my own pasta I like to use the cannelloni already made. It is so much easier. This is a nice recipe, I never tried with tomato sauce, I usually make them white. I should try next time which might be tomorrow.
Inside the rustic kitchen
They are so much easier, aren't they? Thanks Laura!
Jessica Fasano Formicola
That golden melty cheese is everything. I want to dive in!
Inside the rustic kitchen
It's all about the cheese lol
Anna
this is making me drool so much! Perfect classic, ideal cosy meal for any day of the week!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Definitely, thanks Anna!
Pam Greer
The step by step instructions are perfect!! This is one of my favorite Italian dishes.!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks so much Pam, it's sooo good!
Alysas
I love how bubbly the cheese is in your pics and I love the other stuffing options you give -- looking forward to the Tuscan sausage ragu!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks Alysas, that's such a great filling with bechamel sauce on top, yum!
Geoff
Tried this one tonight, it was a hit with the whole family! I did 3 things differently but it made no difference; Firstly, I’ve never used a piping bag of any kind so I went with large shells. I boiled them Al dente to soften them for filling. Secondly, it was going to cost $9 for the fresh spinach so I got 2 boxes of frozen for about 90cents each instead (frozen silverbeet) It worked perfectly anyway! Thirdly, I didn’t use passata because I had 2 cans of lovely San Marzano tomatoes in the cupboard so I mashed them up in a bowl by hand. It was a more rustic texture which worked well too. This recipe is both flavoursome and delicate, a beautiful example of Italian home cooking! Thank you for the recipe!
Kate | Veggie Desserts
Canneloni is an amazing classic comfort food. Thanks for the step by step pix, you've made it look easy!
Inside the rustic kitchen
Thanks Kate, it really is so simple to put together!