Imagine coming home to this Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni…… a juicy spinach and ricotta filling inside cannelloni pasta tubes, topped with a simple, super tasty tomato basil sauce and melted cheese. One of my signature recipes!
Cannelloni is as hard to photograph as Lasagna. To me, I see a plate of squiggly, squishy, deformed, saucy, cheesy deliciousness. But looking at it objectively, it just looks messy, doesn’t it?? Nothing like the neat cannelloni you see on frozen meal packets and pasta packets.
I bet they cheat.
“They” being food stylists. 😂
There are two ways to make cannelloni – either stuffing tubes or 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 cannelloni’s end up bigger.
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: hands down, the fastest way to fill those tubes is with a piping bag. 7 seconds per tube x 20 tubes = 2.3 minutes. (Watch the video!)
I know 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 it’s worth taking the little extra effort to make a simple pasta sauce. “Simple” being the operative word here. It’s just garlic + onion + crushed tomato + water, simmer for a bit, then stir through fresh basil or dried herbs at the end.
As for the Spinach Ricotta Filling? I could eat it raw. I kid you not. Straight out of the bowl. It’s that good. 🙂 There’s no secret ingredient in it (unless you count the optional nutmeg which I add to all such fillings), it’s just about getting the ratios of the ingredients right.
Oh – forgot to mention! For sheer convenience and because I’m totally brain washed by the whole “snap frozen” thing, I use frozen spinach. Someone (OK, a machine) has already gone to the trouble of cooking and chopping up all that spinach for me, so all I need to do is defrost and press out most of the extraordinary amount of liquid (do you drink it?? I DO!! 😂).
But I’ve added some notes in the recipe for how to make it with fresh (which I rarely do).
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.
If you haven’t already figured it out, I make Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni a lot. I love it. 🙂 – Nagi x
Juicy, perfectly seasoned spinach and ricotta filling inside cannelloni pasta tubes, topped with a simple, tasty tomato sauce and melted cheese. I use dried tubes which are quick to fill using a piping bag (2.3 minutes!) or you can use fresh lasagna sheets (though they will end up thicker and larger, I prefer using the tubes). Great for freezing once cooked. Recipe VIDEO below.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
- 1 small onion , finely chopped
- 800 g / 28 oz crushed tomato
- 1 cup water (swirl in tomato can to clean out)
- Handful basil leaves , torn, or 1 tsp dried herbs (e.g. Italian mix, oregano, thyme, basil)
- 250 g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach , thawed (Note 1)
- 500 g / 1 lb ricotta , full fat please (Note 2)
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 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)
- Salt and pepper , to taste
- 18 - 22 dried cannelloni tubes (Note 3)
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella
- More basil , for garnish (optional)
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 2 - 3 minutes until translucent. Add tomato and water, stir then turn heat down to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through basil (or use dried herbs). Set aside.
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Place spinach in a colander and press out most of the liquid (don't need to thoroughly squeeze dry).
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Place Spinach in bowl with remaining Filling ingredients. Mix, taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste (different cheeses have different saltiness).
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Choose a baking pan which will comfortably fit about 20 cannelloni - mine is 21 x 26 cm / 8.5 x 10.5" (the base, edges are sloped outwards).
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Spread a bit of Sauce on the base.
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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!).
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Pipe the filling into the tubes. Place in baking dish.
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Pour over remaining Sauce, covering all the tubes. Cover with foil, then bake for 25 minutes.
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Remove foil, scatter over cheese. Return to oven for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
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Serve, garnished with extra basil if desired.
1. I use frozen spinach for the convenience and also because I'm a sucker for the whole "snap frozen" thing. To use fresh, use about 500g/1 lb sliced spinach leaves or baby spinach leaves, saute with a little oil to wilt down and remove excess liquid. Cool then proceed with recipe.
2. Low fat ricotta is harder and drier, so it's more difficult to pipe into the tubes plus once baked, is not as juicy and moist.
3. The cannelloni tubes I use are the dried ones sold in boxes at supermarkets and delis. They are about 11 cm / 4.5" long and 2.5cm / 1" wide. They do not need to be boiled before cooking in the oven.
You can also make this using fresh lasagna sheets. Just roll Filling up inside, place in the baking pan seam side down. I prefer using dried tubes - refer in post for the reason why.
4. Best way to MAKE AHEAD: Cook covered per recipe without the cheese until the cannelloni is cooked (just jab it, you will easily be able to tell). Then leave it covered and cool and refrigerate. The sauce will dry out a bit so give it a little sprinkle of water (literally about 2 tbsp, dripped all over) plus a generous drizzle of olive oil, then cover with cheese, then bake for about 15 minutes at 160C/320F until it is reheated and the cheese is melted with some golden bits.
FREEZING: Cook per recipe, then let it cool, cover then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in the microwave or oven.
I do not recommend assembling then refrigerating before cooking, the pasta will likely bloat and leave you with a dry sauce.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings. 
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni recipe video! (Oh my Baby Hands…. these are the worst kind of recipe videos! 😂)
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??? 🙄
Hi Nagi,
I have enjoyed cooking and eating many (and I mean many!) recipes of yours. Tonight I will make your cannelloni- I don’t use dried cannelloni shells when I make cannelloni- I use fresh lasagne sheets and roll them up. So quick! BTW_ my family love your enchiladas and burritos!
Hey nagi, just read your cannelloni recipe and its very different from my own. For instance i use chicken(pre-poached and cubed small), mushrooms and bocconcini cheese as well as your ingredients. Im looking to find straight to oven pasta in edmonton alberta. Just thought id share. Thanks
Oh yum!I must confess I haven’t made a chicken cannelloni before, here in Australia, this one is the most popular! N x
It’s just called ” Oven Ready ” pasta and they have lasagna and cannelloni that you can use! Check superstore, walmart, iga, or safeway. Really any store should have oven ready.
Perfect recipe, thank you for sharing. I added capsicum and grated zucchini to the tomato sauce for the extra veggies. It was delicious!
I’m so pleased you enjoyed this Helen! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! N x ❤️
We made this for dinner tonight and all I can say is… YUM! I cannot fault.
Nagi, I stumbled across your page a little while ago and we have made a number of your wonderful recipes now… in fact, you’re quite the celebrity in our house! Whenever we attempt something new for dinner, my partner always asks “Is this one of Nagi’s recipes?”. Thank you for making me look like I can actually cook. Your recipes are always easy to follow… and so fun to read! Xx
Aww, you flatter me Chloe! But hey, I’m just the messenger, YOU’RE the one who made it!! N xx
Nagi,
Last night i tried your spinach &ricotta cannalonni. OMG!!! IT was dead set spot on. I added a few mushrooms in with it yummy, yummy, yummo! Looking forward to doing and looking at more of your recipes. ( you make it fun ) Thanks again.
Hi Nagi, I have been obsessing about this recipe because: no fresh lasagne, no pasta tubes that don’t require boiling before filling and cooking, aarrgghhh. How would egg roll wrappers work? They are sold fresh in almost all the grocery stores here in southwestern Missouri and the size seems to be pretty close to the cannelloni tubes you use. I did see cannelloni tubes, as well as manicotti tubes, but they both require pre-boiling, or so the packages say. Hellllppp, I want to make this recipe.
Thanks, Nagi, and as always, your recipes and beautiful pictures of the food bring much joy into my life. And Dozer, well, he lights up a page. Funny, from some angles he looks like a pup, but the picture you show of him standing next to you in a shop…that is a lot of dog.
YES YES YES to egg roll wrappers! What a brilliant idea 🙂 I use small size egg wrappers that we get here in Australia for ravioli so it’s proof of concept! The cannelloni probably be a bit more bumpy than what you see in the photos because your casing starts off soft. Roll ’em up like enchiladas! I would love to know how it comes out! N x PS Dozer … YES he is ALOT OF DOG!!!
My Mother is Coeliac and I’ve used gluten free crepes from the frozen section and they were awesome 😎
That is SUCH a good tip!
Hi Nagi,
Love your recipes and enjoy watching the videos before I start. It is a great help.
Could you please explain how to make ahead of time, the Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni.
Thank you
Hi Deb! I’m so pleased you find the videos useful! Please see Note 4 for make ahead directions! N x
Absolutely divine! I made a double recipe for the freezer. Froze it without cooking in foil trays, defrosted it and then popped it in the oven for an hour. Worked perfectly. As I said absolutely divine!
Perfect recipe. Easy and very tasty.
Thank you
I added harissa (tunisian hit sauce) to the tomate sauce. Sooo goood
My poor husband couldn’t find Cannelloni noodles at any of the stores we shop at. He got Manicotti noodles that look pretty similar; crinkly instead of smooth. I used a piping bag with no tip, and my 3 year old LOVED helping me squeeze it. It went fast even with her help! After 25 minutes, the Manicotti were still pretty firm. Uh oh! I put them back in for 15 more minutes, and they felt much better! Another win! I make one of your recipes about once a week!
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!! Thank you so much for sharing that story! N xx
Just wanted to say thank you. I made this for dinner tonight and my 2 year old daughter loved it. This is a real result for me because it’s very hard to get her to eat vegetables but she was wolfing down the spinach filling. Great recipe!
That’s so great to hear Samina! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
If I make this two days in advance do I just follow the instructions in note 4? I want to make it for boxing day this year. Looks yummy..
Hi Bee! Yep that’s exactly right, I would just keep it in the fridge for 2 days 🙂
I have successfully tried all many of your recipes, you’re now my go to recipe site! I wanted to tell you that I made the “moist Apple Cake” 3x now, and the last time I made it with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour and it was delicious!!!! it’s been a hit every time, as well as the salmon parmesean bake, the one pan fish in cream sauce, the salmon with peppers, the flourless chocolate cake, and so it goes! Thank you for great recipes that even a novice cook can make successfully!
Oh wow, what a lovely message to receive Anne! I’m so pleased you’re enjoying my recipes, thank you!
Another restaurant quality meal! Thank you x
Hi Nagi, tried the cannelloni last evening. It turned out to be super yummmm!!! My hubby loved it and all thanks to you for such delicious recipe.. I am vegetarian (no egg, no meat, no fish, no oyster sauce etc) so I didn’t add egg. And it tasted heavenly.. Thanks a ton.. looking forward to many more recipes. – Shraddha
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Shraddha, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Well, I could not find the kind of pasta you don’t have to cook prior. I’m not sure if I should precook, then try to stuff, or can you stuff them first without cooking them? I guess I’ll do some research.
Hi Laura! Do you live in Australia?? If so, any of the dried cannelloni sold in the dried pasta aisle is all you need 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
I live in Canada. Is it just regular Cannelloni that you use in the recipe? Our boxes instruct preboiling. Perhaps they cook with the moisture of the other ingredients in your recipe? I’ m cooking them for my son’s 18th birthday so I don’t want to mess them up! But if I can get away with using dry pasta my life would be so much easier!
Hi Tracey! How odd that yours need pre boiling! Ours are hard and dried, like normal pasta, but do not require pre boiling as they cooking using the moisture of the sauce 🙂 To ensure it works out though I think it’s best to follow the box instructions, sorry to say! N x
I live in Canada and bought a brand called Italpasta. The box says oven ready cannelloni. This is my first time making this recipe. I’ll be making it for dinner tonight.
Amazing! Just another of your recipes which has turned out to be a success! Thankyou Nagi you are the source of all of my meal inspo xxx
Fantastic to hear Laura!! Thank you for letting me know! N x PS “Inspo!” Soooo Aussie 🇦🇺, I love it! 😂
Made this tonight. The filling was amazing. I too ate it out of the bowl! I doubled it and made one to eat and one to freeze. In my haste (we were hungry haha) I forgot one tin of tomatoes so it was a little drier than I would normally like, so next time I’ll have to be more careful! Will make again.
Ha! I love hearing that you ate the filling out of the bowl too!!! 😂