Imagine coming home to this Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni…… a juicy spinach and ricotta filling inside cannelloni pasta tubes, topped with a homemade tomato basil sauce and melted cheese. After you’ve made this, try Beef and Spinach Cannelloni. It’s so good!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
This is one of my go-to freezer meals I make to give to friends, and a great one to make for dinners to cater for both carnivores and vegetarians.
I make it often throughout most of the year, except perhaps at the very height of summer. Yes, I love cannelloni that much!
What is cannelloni??
Cannelloni is a tube shaped dry pasta about 7 cm / 3″ long and 2cm / 2/3″ wide. It is stuffed with filling, covered in a sauce and cheese then baked. It does not need to be cooked before filling, it softens when baked in the oven.
The most common variety is a spinach and ricotta filling topped with a tomato sauce which is the version I am sharing today.
What’s the difference between cannelloni and manicotti?
Manicotti is also a dry paste tube. It’s the Italian-American version of cannelloni. The difference is that manicotti is larger with ridges, whereas cannelloni is smooth.
The spinach and ricotta filling in this recipe fills 18 – 22 cannelloni tubes, or 10 – 12 manicotti tubes.
There are two ways to make cannelloni:
stuffing dry pasta tubes
rolling the filling up in fresh lasagna sheets
I like using the tubes – partly because they are more cost effective. And also because I like the size – a better filling to pasta/sauce/cheese ratio. Lasagna sheets are thicker and you need a double layer where the sheets overlap to seal in the filling and inevitably, the cannellonis end up bigger.
Easiest way to fill cannelloni tubes
And I know what many of you are thinking – stuffing the tubes is a pain.
After many years of using knives / thin spoons / combination of those + the end of wooden spoons and I finally accepted the inevitable fact:
The fastest way to fill the tubes is with a piping bag.
7 seconds per tube x 20 tubes = 2.3 minutes. (Watch the video!)
The Spinach and Ricotta Filling
The Spinach and Ricotta Filling is creamy, has the perfect spinach to ricotta ratio, and made extra tasty with the addition of parmesan and cheese. It’s so good, I can eat spoonfuls of it straight out of the bowl!
Here’s what’s in it:
Spinach – use frozen for convenience (thaw, remove excess water before using), or fresh if you’ve got an abundance of it;
Ricotta – be sure to use a food quality full fat, creamy one. (Tip: avoid Perfect Italiano tub, it’s quite powdery and unpleasant)
Shredded cheese – a flavoured one is best, like cheddar, tasty. Save the mozzarella for the topping.
Parmesan – don’t skip this! It adds extra savouriness and seasoning to the filling. Just store bought finely shredded or grated is fine, or grate your own.
Garlic – because it makes everything better
Egg – for binding (can be skipped)
Nutmeg – optional, but it’s a lovely touch. I use it in almost all my spinach ricotta fillings.
Salt and pepper
This is my standard recipe that is virtually identical (if not identical) to what I use for all things spinach and ricotta, from this Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake, to Puff Pasty Puffs, Rotolo (it’s like upright cannelloni – and it’s amazing!), to Spinach Ricotta Rolls.
Can you freeze spinach and ricotta filling?
YES, it’s perfectly fine to freeze. If using to stuff something, then thaw, give it a good mix then use per recipe. If it’s already prepared, like Cannelloni, it can even be cooked from frozen.
I freeze cannelloni more often than cooking it fresh!
Sauce for Cannelloni
Cannelloni has to be smothered generously with sauce to ensure there’s enough liquid for the dry pasta tubes to absorb and cook in the oven, and there is still sauce when serving it up. The most common sauce is a tomato pasta sauce which is what I use.
There are recipes “out there” that say to just use plain canned tomatoes or tomato passata for the topping (or bottled pasta sauce).
I really, REALLY think that if you’re making the effort to making cannelloni, it is a no brainer to make a tiny extra effort to make a simple pasta sauce. It is honestly so much better than using plain canned tomato or a store bought pasta sauce!
Option: Load up on extra spinach
You can double the spinach in this, if you want. It can take it, plus you will use up an entire box of cannelloni tubes. They come in boxes of 30 here in Australia, and it is kind of annoying to end up with 10 or so floating around in the pantry, which then motivates me to make another batch just to use them up, then I end up with more tubes leftover so I have to make another batch.
Serve Cannelloni with a simple garden salad tossed with Italian Dressing. For a blow-out Italian feast, add a side of Garlic Bread, or a quick Cheesy Garlic Bread! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
Sauce (you need LOTS!):
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 4 garlic clove , minced
- 1 bay leaf , fresh (sub dried)
- 1/2 tsp each dried thyme and oregano
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 800 g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (sub more stock)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 2/3 cup basil leaves , roughly torn (recommended but not critical)
Filling:
- 250 g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach , thawed (Note 1)
- 500 g / 1 lb ricotta , full fat please (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup parmesan , finely shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Colby, Cheddar, Tasty, Gruyere, Swiss)
- 1 egg
- 1 large garlic clove , minced
- Grated fresh nutmeg (just a sprinkling) or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
- 3/4 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Cannelloni
- 18 – 22 dried cannelloni tubes (250g pack) or 14 manicotti tubes (8.8 oz) (Note 3)
- 1/3 cup parmesan , finely shredded
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Mozzarella
- More basil and parmesan , for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Sauce:
- Sauté – Heat oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Add garlic, onion, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Reduce wine – Add wine, increase heat to high and let it simmer rapidly until mostly evaporated (about 2 minutes).
- Simmer – Add tomatoes, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir then simmer on medium low for 20 minutes.
- Blitz – Remove bay leaf then blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Simmer for 1 more minute then remove from the stove
- Basil – Stir in basil then cover to keep warm until required.
Filling:
- Squeeze spinach – Place spinach in a colander and press out most of the liquid (don't need to thoroughly squeeze dry).
- Mix filling – Place Spinach in bowl with remaining Filling ingredients. Mix, taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste (different cheeses have different saltiness).
Assemble & Bake:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
- Pan – Choose a baking pan which will comfortably fit about 20 cannelloni – mine is 21 x 26 cm / 8.5 x 10.5".
- Smear – Spread 1 cup of Sauce on the base (stops cannelloni from sliding around).
- Fill tubes – Transfer Filling to a piping bag with a large nozzle (that fits in the tubes), or use a strong ziplock bag. Or do this step using a knife (it's a bit tedious though!). Pipe the filling into the tubes.
- Assemble – Place cannelloni in baking dish. Pour over remaining Sauce, covering all the tubes.
- Bake covered (but naked) – Cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes.
- Cheese it! Remove foil, scatter over parmesan then mozzarella. Return to oven for 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Serve, garnished with extra parmesan and basil if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Remember how I shared his current favourite toy – this squeaking emoji? Did I mention his favourite place to gnaw away at it? Smack bang in the middle of the new day bed. He literally plonks himself in the middle.
And please… someone remind me why I got a DARK GREY one??? 🙄
You might have been thinking how exquisite Dozer would look with his blonde furs against a dark grey background. You most certainly planned it along those lines, didn’t you Nagi?
Truthfully? It was on sale and I was so excited by that, I didn’t even THINK about dog fur logistics! 🙈
Ok, this looks absolutely delicious! I just ate supper, but this makes me wish I had some of that cannelloni right now.
I use to have a wheaten color (sandy color) cairn terrier, and we lived in a house that had sandy colored carpet. He blended right in with the carpet. I called him the invisible dog when he was lying on the carpet. No worries about seeing dog hair! LOL. Well, at least you can see Dozer’s dog hair so you can be able to remove it all. He is just too cute!
Now that is a “glass is half full” way of looking at it!😂
My lovely gardener has just given me the most beautiful bunch of fresh spinach cut from his garden this morning, GUESS what we are having for dinner! YUM
You clearly have the best gardener EVER! 😂
This cannelloni recipe looks so fantastic and yummy! Cannot wait to make it soon!
Hope you do, it’s one of my all time favourites! N x
I have recently discovered your wonderful site with the soo soo easy delicious, foolproof recipes. I have recently retired and now have more time to cook and try new recipes. I will try this one with frozen spinach, I always use fresh. By the way a thousand thanks for your Easy Classic Baked cheesecake recipe. It was a huge success on Father’s Day.
Oooh! So glad you loved the cheesecake! N x
Are the pasta tubes you use regular ones , or tubes specifically made so you don’t have to cook them first?
Hi Mary! As far as I know, all cannelloni tubes do not need to be cooked first otherwise they would be VERY difficult to fill! 😂
We also add a touch of nutmeg — it really adds so much to the filling. I also do the same when I saute spinach and garlic. Piping in the filling sure does save a lot of time and trouble!! And you could never get me to admit that lasagna or cannelloni looks messy. It looks inviting and absolutely delicious. You’re Italian!! xoxo
One of my favourite foods of all time… seriously!
I just bought fresh nutmeg for the first time on the wknd (always had the powdered kind in my pantry) so I will use it in this recipe because it sounds like it’s one of those secret ingredients that enhances the flavour of everything. My niece just had a baby last night so I’m bringing this dish when I visit her and her husband and the baby for the first time. Her background is Italian so she’ll love it. Thanks for another great recipe and I just adore Dozer – what a great life he has.
Awwww you are so sweet Janet! ❤️
Hahaha! Life would be so much easier if we got our carpeting, area rugs, pillows, sheets, and furniture the same color as our pet! LOL.
My whole house would be BEIGE!!!
OMG! I’m dying! Girl, looks amazing and I can just smell it now!
Totally LMAO reading about Dozer! Love it! I’ve got a question. The cheeses you mention in the recipe, does that mean to pick one? I love mozarella and gruyere! Same for top?
Am so making this!
YES! Any of those cheese are great, this recipe doesn’t need a specific type, go with your faves! N x
Oh this is one of my favorites, I agree taking just a little extra time to make the sauce will make a huge difference. I pipe my filling in with a piping bag too. It is so much easier. Sometimes I use my cake decorating bags and sometimes I just grab a large ziplock bag and cut a hole in the corner to make a “make-shift” piping bag.
YES to the ziplock bag! That’s what I used to do! 😂
Hi Nagi! The ricotta/spinach mixture is the same as the one I use as a layer in my lasagna! And yes, the nutmeg too.
Cooked pasta is so much more difficult to stuff so I really like not having to precook the pasta.
I kid you not, I was tossing up whether to do this or the lasagna!!! 😂
Totally making this for dinner on Thursday, pasta night! Love, love that you give make-ahead instructions. I’m always on the lookout for meals to make ahead and freeze for emergencies, or to give away when friends are in need. Or I make a double batch – one to eat and one to freeze
Pasta nights! 😂 I love it! N x
Why is Dozer looking like he disapproves of you taking pictures of him 😀
I interrupted his play time on MY daybed? 🤔
Great recipe, one of my all-time favourites and yes to nutmeg with cheese and/or spinach.
Same here! I could have cannelloni every day, I just love love LOVE it. N x
OMG, I’m the first.
MOTH & I are at cairns airport waiting for flight to Brisvegas.
this is a vege meal so he only has asked what Dozer is up to.
Nagi give yourself an uppercut, that was a really dumb decision, grey lounge, blonde/red shedding hair.
Forgot that rabbit stuff he says, its vegetarian, not interested BUT he wont have a clue when I serve it up to him.
Brittish paints….. keep on keeping on Nagi.
Just a veggie meal??! 😂 This is vegetarian for carnivores! how could he not love this!!! Re; lounge…. I know I know, WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!