Baked Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo is like Lasagna Rolls Ups and Cannelloni – but BETTER because it’s got brown crunchy bits. And crunchy bits are always the best!
Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo
I’m going to call it – this will be the best new thing you’ve made all year. The rich tomato sauce. The creamy spinach and ricotta filling spiked with parmesan and nutmeg. Golden brown bubbly cheese. And the brown crunchy bits, the crowning glory.
How inappropriate would it be to pick off all the crunchy bits before it gets to the table? 😂
What is Rotolo?
Rotolo is a traditional Italian dish that’s not widely known outside of Italy. The literal translation of “rotolo” is “scroll” or “coil”.
The authentic way of making rotolo involves a very large fresh pasta sheet that is spread with a filling then rolled up to form a roulade. It’s quite technical and fussy because you then need to wrap the roulade in a tea towel and poach it, then slice it to serve with a sauce.
For day to day cooking, I shelved this as a “too hard” recipe. But then I came across this baked version made by Jamie Oliver. The way he made it, it was basically cannelloni made with fresh lasagna sheets which is sliced then placed into the tomato sauce and baked.
It’s not purely authentic, but for ordinary people like me, it is much more practical. And so darn tasty! Those brown bits….those crunchy brown bits. They make this dish!
Basically, if you love Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni (or this pasta bake or lasagna, for that matter!) then you’re going to be mad over this Rotolo. Guaranteed.
Spinach Ricotta Rotolo Rilling
Rotolo comes with all sorts of stuffing options. Jamie Oliver’s recipe is made with squash and spinach, it’s also made with meat, and Spinach & Ricotta is a popular option which is what I’ve gone with.
Here’s what you need for the filling:
PS Let’s pretend I didn’t forget to put LASAGNA SHEETS in the above photo! Fresh best, but if you can only get dried, just boil to cook then use per recipe.
Want a meat filling?
Use the filling from this Spinach & Beef Cannelloni – scale up by 50% (ie use 750g/1.5lb beef, or use extra spinach), cool (will thicken) then roll!
Spinach Ricotta Rotolo Sauce
And here’s what you need for the sauce:
Tomato Passata is key for this sauce. Because it’s pureed tomato, it’s the ideal consistency to make a smooth tomato sauce for the Rotolo with just 5 minutes simmering. Using canned tomato would require at least 30 minutes simmering for the chunks to break down enough to make the desired consistency for the sauce.
How to make Baked Rotolo
And here’s how it’s made:
Make the sauce first;
Mix filling, roll up, cut into thirds;
Place in sauce, bake!
The smells coming out of your oven while it’s baking are pretty darn good.
But that moment when you pull it out of the oven and you stare at what you’ve just made, mesmerised by how magnificent it looks…. it’s worth making, just to see THIS in real life:
They’re quite sturdy little things, so you don’t need to dig in with a delicate touch. They hold together well (the lasagna sheets adhere as they cook) and they hold their form pretty well as you scoop them up. See? (And just WAIT until you see the video!)
Truthfully though, some will flop and sag, and fall on their side, and you probably will rip the side off some of the them as you scoop into the pan to plate them up.
And that’s completely on theme. There’s nothing elegant about this Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo. It’s rustic. The best sort of food – relaxed deliciousness!
Being that there’s a couple of bunches of spinach in this (ahem, in the form of frozen spinach!) and a big bottle of tomato passata, there’s actually a decent amount of vegetables in this dish. So I usually serve it just as is without any sides for a casual midweek meal.
But a fresh side salad would certainly elevate the meal – this Rocket Salad with Parmesan Shavings is very on theme (classic Italian) – and I am pretty sure nobody would say no to a side of Garlic Bread.
Now, go forth and impress the pants off your family and friends! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Baked Spinach and Ricotta Rotolo
Ingredients
- 8 – 10 fresh lasagne sheets (15 x 11 cm/6 x 4.5") (Note 1)
- 1 cup mozarella cheese , shredded
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling later)
Filling
- 500g / 1 lb frozen spinach (pre chopped) , thawed and excess water squeezed out (Note 2)
- 500 g / 1 lb ricotta cheese (NOT smooth, whipped or spreadable in tubs, Note 3)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese , shredded
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese , shredded
- 1 garlic clove , pressed using garlic crusher or finely grated
- 1/4 fresh nutmeg , grated (or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely diced (brown, yellow, white)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 700 g / 24 oz tomato passata (US: Tomato puree) (Note 5)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Handful basil leaves (optional)
Instructions
Tomato Sauce:
- Heat oil in a 25cm/10" ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. (Note 6)
- Add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds then add onion.
- Cook onion until translucent and starting to turn golden, then passata, water, chilli flakes (if using), salt and pepper.
- Simmer for 5 minutes on medium low, then stir through basil. Should be quite thin – the lasagna sheets will absorb water while in the oven so sauce thickens alot in oven.
- Scoop out 1 cup of the Tomato Sauce which will be used to drizzle over the dish at the end. Keep sauce warm.
Filling & Assembling:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350CF (all oven types)
- Place Filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with wooden spoon.
- As per the photo & video, lay out the lasagne sheet with the shorter end in front of you.
- Place 1/3 cup (packed) of filling onto the lasagne sheet. Dab some water on the end furthest away from you (to seal the roll), then roll up starting from the end closest to you. Finish with the seal down.
- Cut rolls into 3 (so each piece is 3.5cm/1.5" wide). Place the rolls into the tomato sauce with the filling facing up.
- Repeat with remaining lasagna sheets until all the Filling is used up.
- Drizzle the reserved Tomato Sauce over (don't cover completely, leave some exposed).
- Cover loosely with foil, bake 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven, remove foil. Drizzle with oil, top with mozzarella.
- Bake 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden and you've got some crunchy golden bits on the edges. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
- need to be fresh sheets from the fridge section so they can be rolled up
- standard 375g/ 12oz packs from Australian grocery store is more than you need – you’ll have about 1/3 leftover (freeze and use in beef, chicken or vegetable lasagna)
- dried sheets – boil them per packet, drain then use.
- size – don’t worry if your lasagne sheets are not exactly the same size (they come in all different sizes). They can be any size as long as they can be cut to size so they are long enough to roll up, then can be cut into 3.5 – 4 cm / 1.5″ little logs.
- Paesanella brand is my favourite (vac packed baskets at Harris and delis);
- Don’t use spreadable / whipped or smooth ricotta, these are for spreading on things so they are fluffier and creamier;
- 🇦🇺 Australia, do NOT get Perfect Italiano in tubs from the fridge section! It is offensively bad – powdery and terrible;
- 250g/8oz cream cheese softened +250g/8oz cottage cheese*
- Greekish spin – 250g/8oz cream cheese softened + 150g/5oz feta (preferably Danish, the creamier rather than crumbly feta, if you can find it) + 100g/3oz cottage cheese* (or more feta)
Nutrition Information:
Originally published June 2014. Years overdue for a VIDEO to be added!
Life of Dozer
I’m sure you’d have a very different reaction if that were me and that bottle were real. 😂
Hi Nagi, I did not receive any cookbooks
best wishes,Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth, if you want to shoot me an email, I’ll send through the e-books to you. N x
Nagi, you are HILARIOUS!!! Still waiting for the (print) cookbook with your splendid recipes and priceless Dozer pics and captions! This recipe looks FABULOUS… Thank you SO much! You’re a day brightener of the first order.
Thanks so much – and a cookbook is on the cards for next year 🙂 N x
I make something similar using no-bake lasagne sheets that I soak in hot water to soften them. I lay mine seam side down in a Pyrex casserole dish and bake like manicotti. My filing is the same though!
Sounds fab Lisa! N x
Omg this looks amazing and omg hilarious pic of Dozer. What a sweet pet owner you are.
Thanks so much Macy 🙂 N x
Nagi, this looks amazing. I have a family full of meat eaters. Do you have a meat filling recipe that would work with this method?
Yes! The beef filling from the Beef Cannelloni, I have linked it in the recipe card as an alternative! N x
Thank you! Going to make this ASAP
Definitely going to try this. Unfortunately most of these ingredients will be a hard find for me here in the States, but I will not fret, I will find the best substitutes and make it anyway!
Hi Michelle! I popped 2 alternatives for the filling in the recipe notes: 1) a tomato beef spinach filling 2) alternatives for ricotta (cream cheese, feta, cottage cheese) – N x
The original recipe asks for Feta cheese, which I find to be perfect. Why the change to Mozzarella?
Hi Bridget! That’s just Jamie Oliver’s version 🙂 I use Mozzarella because it’s Italian (feta is greek!) N x
Nagi – I strongly suggest you delete the part about Perfect Italiano product – it could be construed as libelous – just a suggestion – love your work [and Dozer]
This lawyer says opinion is protected speech!! And libel is nearly impossible to prove as a general matter. No need to delete.
Agh!! I didn’t even THINK about that, I’ve got opinions about certain brands littered all over this website!! Thank you to you BOTH for looking out for me! ❤️ N xx
Hi Nagi, I love the sound of this recipe…I am unable to find anything other than Perfect Italiano Ricotta here in NZ…what do you suggest I get if I can’t get the good Ricotta…can I use another type of cheese? Thanks. Eve
That’s so funny that you mention that, when I was in NZ with a bunch of girlfriends and we stayed at a hire house, I went to the shops intent on making a big fat vegetable lasagna and was so disappointed to only find Perfect Italiano! I popped a couple of alternatives in the recipe notes (combo of cream cheese, cottage cheese, feta) because I would use those over Perfect Italiano powdery ricotta any day. 🙂 N x
Eve, Countdown stock Bouton d’or ricotta, or you can get Zany Zeus products online – I totally recommend them!!
I have been doing this for years and always a winner with everyone! Sometimes I even add a shredded roast chicken to the mix. This recipe is fail proof and even better the day after. Yum!!!!!
Sounds perfect Andy! N x
What crunchy bits at the top???
I’m not telling anyone that they were there. Looks very tasty and we shall enjoy this one soon.
I’m trying to picture you on the floor with a bottle. What would Dozer think?
😂 shhh I wont tell anyone :). Nx
This look so good and fairly easy to make. I think I might even make this in my instant pot, similar to the way I’ve made lasagna
I hope you love it Julia! N x
Just looking at it, I fell in love with this recipe
I hope you try it Milk! N x
Totally delish and very awesome. Thanks always Nagi 🙂 A variation is ham and cheese in a cheesy sauce, and baked. :-)) Hugs for gorgeous Dozer
Yum! I can think of so many options here!! N x
I need this! Tragically (or perhaps fortunately) my silly family won’t eat it. Which means……. It will be all mine!!!!
I like the way you think Mel! Better make a double batch all for you – they’re missing out! N x
Hi Nagi, do you think this would work with zucchini rolls instead of lasagna sheets? 🙂
Hi Samantha, it will, however I would cut the water down in the sauce to 1 cup. When you’re cooking the zucchini will produce water. N x
Love the rotolo recipe and Dozer is adorable as always tks Nagi💕
You’re so welcome Gillian 🙂 N x
Half way through my production line of roll ups I was cursing making these but my gosh it was so worth it! I only had dry lasagne sheets (thanks iso) so had to par boil then roll which was a pain but so worth it. The crunchy bits!! It froze well for lunches too – just needed to add a little extra sauce with it.
Have also added some butternut purée on top the second time I made it as it needed eating – it was so yum!
Thanks for sharing Nagi x
It really is worth it Kylie!!! I’m so glad you loved it in the end! N x
Hi Nagi! I’m fairly new to your website and I just love all the recipes I’ve tried so far. Tonight I made this Rotolo and I didn’t have any success with the mixture being stiff enough to roll and cut. My mixture was much too sloppy although I did squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach like you said. I used “smooth ricotta” from a tub in the supermarket fridge section. Is this the wrong ricotta to use?? The mixture tasted amazing but didn’t look anything like yours. Any help here would be great as I would like to try it again. Thanks!
Hi Angela, sorry you had issues here!! The ricotta would have been your problem here – the tub ricotta is liquid and grainy (it has water added to it to make it smooth) whereas fresh is much better and is a dryer product. N x
Is this 1/4 tsp of nutmeg or 1/4 of a whole nutmeg?
Hi Bill, 1/4 tsp – N x