This is an outstanding spinach and ricotta cannelloni recipe! Classic and fool-proof – packed with fresh spinach, parmesan cheese and a hint of lemon, topped with a rich, homemade tomato sauce and oozy mozzarella. You cannot go wrong with this recipe! It is quick, easy to make and perfect as a midweek meal.
Along with other classic Italian recipes like beef cheek ragu and baked meatballs, this spinach and ricotta cannelloni is always a crowd pleaser! Perfect for vegetarians or a meat free family meal, it is simple to make, comforting and utterly delicious!
First, cannelloni pasta tubes are filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta filling which is topped in a rich, homemade tomato sauce and covered with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese before being baked to perfection. It makes a family favourite recipe that everyone will love!
Keep a few serves in the freezer for a last-minute lunch or dinner. It also makes a great make ahead meal to gift to friends who have had a baby or just need some easy dinners, for whatever reason.
Serve with a tossed salad, this pumpkin and rocket salad or some herby garlic bread for the ultimate comfort dinner.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Simple and fresh – cannelloni, made with fresh ingredients and easy to follow instructions.
Freezer friendly – make a double batch and keep one in the freezer for busy weeknights. It’s also perfect for gifting to friends.
Flavour packed and comforting– spinach and ricotta pasta bake makes a delicious, restaurant quality dish that everyone will love!
What you’ll need
Ingredient notes
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. For full ingredient quantities and methods, see the detailed recipe card below.
Spinach – This recipe uses a combination of frozen and fresh baby spinach leaves. However, you can modify depending on your tastes and what is available to you. Allow the frozen spinach to thaw before using (to speed up the process, you can de-frost in the microwave). The excess water will need to be squeezed from the spinach before adding it to the filling, to prevent the mixture from becoming too wet.
Ricotta – use a good quality, full fat ricotta. Low fat is drier and the end result won’t be as creamy.
Mozzarella and parmesan cheese – parmesan cheese is used in the ricotta filling, for extra flavour. Then, a mix of mozzarella and parmesan are used to sprinkle and melt over the top of the cannelloni tubes and tomato sauce. I recommend using fresh cheese that you buy whole and grate yourself. This is because pre-grated, packaged shredded cheese is sometimes covered with a coating that will prevent it from melting properly.
Cannelloni tubes – you should be able to find cannelloni pasta tubes in most supermarkets. They can be found with other dried pastas and will save so much time! They are easy to fill (**tip, use a piping bag or cut a corner off a disposable bag to pipe into the tube easily and with minimal mess). The dried pasta tubes don’t need to be cooked first, they will soften as they bake while soaking in the delicious tomato sauce.
A more rustic way of making this dish is with fresh lasagne sheets, which can also be found in most supermarkets. If using fresh sheets, add the filling and roll them into tubes to close, placing the rolled pasta seam-side down on the baking tray.
Step by step photos
To make the filling;
Squeeze the thawed spinach in your hands to remove any excess water.
Add the filling ingredients into a large mixing bowl with a generous amount of salt and pepper and mix everything together until thoroughly combined.
To make the tomato sauce;
Cook the garlic and onion in a pan with some olive oil until fragrant. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
To fill the cannelloni;
The easiest way to fill the cannelloni tubes is with a piping bag or by cutting the corner off a disposable bag and piping it in.
To assemble;
Layer half of the tomato sauce in a large baking dish and arrange the cannelloni tubes in a single layer over the top. The pasta needs to be completely covered with the sauce to ensure it has enough liquid to absorb while cooking.
Add the remaining tomato sauce and top with the mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake as per the recipe card below. I cover the dish loosely with foil for 40 minutes, before removing it and allowing the cheese to become golden. This prevents the dish from drying out too much and the cheese from browning too quickly.
Handy tips
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and re-heat, covered, in the microwave.
Can you freeze this? Yes! Allow the pasta to cool and either serve it whole, or in individual serves in an airtight container for up to 3 months. It can either be re-heated in the oven or in the microwave.
You can also make this recipe using fresh lasagne sheets instead of cannelloni tubes. Place the filling inside and roll the pasta into tubes, placing them seam-side down in the baking dish.
This recipe makes a very generous amount, approximately eight serves. You can freeze some for later, or halve the recipe if you choose.
Related recipes
If you love this spinach ricotta pasta, try these other delicious and comforting pasta recipes!
- Spinach and ricotta gnocchi
- Sweet potato and halloumi pasta
- Creamy tomato pasta sauce
- Prawn and chorizo pasta
- Creamy chicken pasta
If you do try this recipe (below), I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment or review below, or send me a message. For more food inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Recipe Group.
Baked Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
- 24-26 dried cannelloni tubes around 375 grams. Or, you can use fresh lasagne sheets instead.
For the filling
- 3 cups fresh ricotta full fat, approx 750 grams.
- 1 whole egg
- 5 egg yolks
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- ⅔ cup fresh parmesan cheese grated
- salt and pepper
- 1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups frozen spinach 250 grams. Thawed.
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves 120 grams. Roughly chopped.
- ½ tsp lemon zest finely grated
For the tomato sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes canned, 400 grams.
- 2 ½ cups passata one 700 or 750 gram jar
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup fresh basil chopped
- salt and pepper
For topping
- 2-3 cups fresh mozzarella grated
- ⅓ cup fresh parmesan cheese finely grated
To serve
- extra basil leaves torn
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180 °C (350 F).
For the spinach and ricotta filling
- Using your hands, squeeze and discard any excess water from the defrosted spinach.
- Place all of the filling ingredients along with the fresh and frozen spinach into a large mixing bowl with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix until creamy and completely combined. Set aside.
For the tomato sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, salt and pepper and stir until the softened and fragrant (around 2 minutes).
- Add the canned tomatoes, passata and basil and simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To assemble
- Add half of the tomato sauce to the bottom of a large, deep baking dish. (I used a 25 cm x 35 cm baking dish, but you can also use two smaller baking dishes and divide the sauce and pasta between both).
- Add the ricotta filling to a large piping bag (or cut a hole in the corner of a disposable bag) and pipe the filling into the cannelloni tubes.
- Place the tubes evenly along the bottom of the baking dish (over the tomato sauce) in a single layer.
- Top the cannelloni tubes with the remaining tomato sauce and ensure that they are completely covered.
- Top with the shredded parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and cover loosely with foil
- Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil cover and return the cannelloni to the oven to bake for a further 5-10 minutes, until the pasta has softened and the cheese has browned and become bubbly.
- Serve immediately and top with some more fresh basil. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used a 25 cm x 35 cm baking dish, but you can also use two smaller baking dishes and divide the sauce and pasta between both.
- Spinach – This recipe uses a combination of frozen and fresh baby spinach leaves. However, you can modify depending on your tastes and what is available to you. Allow the frozen spinach to thaw before using (to speed up the process, you can de-frost in the microwave). The excess water will need to be squeezed from the spinach before adding it to the filling, to prevent the mixture from becoming too wet.
- Ricotta – use a good quality, full fat ricotta. Low fat is drier and the end result won’t be as creamy.
- Mozzarella and parmesan cheese – parmesan cheese is used in the ricotta filling, for extra flavour. Then, a mix of mozzarella and parmesan are used to sprinkle and melt over the top of the cannelloni tubes and tomato sauce. I recommend using fresh cheese that you buy whole and grate yourself. This is because pre-grated, packaged shredded cheese is sometimes covered with a coating that will prevent it from melting properly.
- Cannelloni tubes – you should be able to find cannelloni pasta tubes in most supermarkets. They can be found with other dried pastas and will save so much time! They are easy to fill (**tip, use a piping bag or cut a corner off a disposable bag to pipe into the tube easily and with minimal mess). The dried pasta tubes don’t need to be cooked first, they will soften as they bake while soaking in the delicious tomato sauce. A more rustic way of making this dish is with fresh lasagne sheets, which can also be found in most supermarkets. If using fresh sheets, add the filling and roll them into tubes to close, placing the rolled pasta seam-side down on the baking tray.
- Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and re-heat, covered, in the microwave.
- Can you freeze this? Yes! Allow the pasta to cool and either serve it whole, or in individual serves in an airtight container for up to 3 months. It can either be re-heated in the oven or in the microwave.
- You can also make this recipe using fresh lasagne sheets instead of cannelloni tubes. Place the filling inside and roll the pasta into tubes, placing them seam-side down in the baking dish.
- This recipe makes a very generous amount, approximately six-eight serves (depending on whether you are serving alone or with salad/bread). You can freeze some for later, or halve the recipe if you choose.
Alexandra @ It's Not Complicated Recipes says
A delicious, warming comfort food! What a lovely recipe 🙂 The whole family will enjoy this one!
TheCookingCollective says
Thank you so much Alexandra! It is a wonderful comfort food in the colder weather 🙂
Marcellina says
I love spinach and ricotta cannelloni and yours look so good, Andrea! Thanks for the shout out! xx
TheCookingCollective says
Thank you so much Marcellina! It is one of my favourites. Thanks for sharing your lovely recipe too. They would pair perfectly together for a dinner party!