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
- 2 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??? 🙄
Absolutely perfect – delicious sauce (and plenty of it) and perfect pasta.
My kids said this is the best I’ve ever made! I made a couple alterations but the sauce is perfect! Thank you!
What were the changes that were updated in November 2022? This recipe used to be a hit but my family doesn’t like this new version 🙁 My usual cannelloni loving kid won’t touch this now! What do I do to go back to the old version?
Can I leave out the spinach? And if i leave out the spinach do I need to add more cheese? And if so how much more cheese?
Massive hit. Requested again! Thank you. Your measurements and notes are so on point it makes me feel like a rockstar in the kitchen! Thanks again
Nagi, in your book it calls for a double batch of the “Saucy Tomato Sauce”, which is in total 4 cups of stock for 800g tomatoes. I’ve got a soup on my hands. What can I do?
I just spent an extra half-hour to reduce the sauce in a shallow pot. It was the tastiest tomato sauce I’ve ever made! I never used chardonnay in recipes before and I wouldn’t change a thing.
The cannellonies were just spectacularly tasty and so, so fun to make. One of the best things I’ve cooked!
Nagi you have left off the sugar from the ingredients list! We’ve added a pinch and tastes delicious
Hi recipe for the Spinach and ricotta canneloni states to add sugar but can’t see anywhere how much sugar – surely someone else has noticed this – I can’t see anyone question so on it though 🙂 thanks
Good god this was delicious Nagi! I made this recipe about a month ago and froze it for a day like today, that went pear shaped. I took it right from the freezer to the oven and baked it and it tasted like it had been made fresh only moments before. What a sensational recipe to have up your sleeve in the freezer! My husband and father adored it too. Definitely making this again ASAP. It certainly goes a long way too, it’s quite filling. Served with a simple salad and garlic bread it looks like you’ve slaved all day at the stove but is surprisingly easy to pull together. Thanks for making my dinner delicious yet again, I don’t know what I’d do without you! 💕
Hi Nagi, I made this for dinner tonight and we loved it. I know it’s an oldie but a goodie, and because it was on your website, I just had to try it. We grow a lot of veggies, including silver beet, so that is what I used. It was delicious. Thank you. Another successful recipe from your site.
This is the most delicious ricotta I have ever tried. I literally could not stop eating. The tip with the piping bag is so useful!
This is a family favourite and the reheated leftovers are even tastier. Thanks for the tip about the ricotta it makes all the difference.
I have made this recipe 3 times in a couple of months. My husband and I both love it as does our grandchildren. Here in wa
Great recipe. It is like I ate in Italy. I used all ingreditens like in the recipe except than 500 gr frozen spinach, 250 gr ricotta. Very delicious, thank you Nagi, warm regards from Türkiye 😉
I don’t see an instruction to cook store bought pasta which would be important to new cooks.
Just ran across your site looking for ricotta recipes, and so many of them look absolutely delicious…can’t wait to try them. You mentioned trying a variety of cheeses, and listed some like the cheddar…I will make with ricotta first as I’m hungry for ricotta, but was wondering if I’d use the same amount of the other cheese types of making a different flavor profile. Would appreciate your feedback so I don’t end up ruining the effort. So glad I found your recipes! Thanks.
Hello Nancy.. This type of pasta (cannelloni) doesn’t need to be cooked before the filling, it will cook with the sauce in the oven. She stated at the top if I’m not mistaken..
Those instructions would be included on the package of said store-bought pasta 🤔 How could she guess how all the different makes and brands should be cooked?
Question, how far in advance can I prepare and assemble the dish before baking? Is 2 days, 48hrs too long to sit in the fridge? I don’t really want to freeze it.
Great recipe. Dozer approved
Hi Nagi,
My son has an egg intolerance. Would you use an egg substitute or just omit entirely? I’m pregnant and craving cannelloni so I still want it to taste nice 😊
It can be omitted, is just has a binding agent.. She also put that at the top she said it could be omitted 😊
Hi Nagi! For some unknown reason, finding frozen spinach in Tassie is like trying to find hen’s teeth atm?! If I were to replace with fresh baby spinach, how would I go about using/ mixing it into the ricotta? Thanks, Nagi!
Hello.. At the top she also said you could use fresh baby spinach just cut it into very small pieces.. 😊
This recipe is awesome as per usual. Most spinach and ricotta cannelloni recipes ask for egg yolks only which is annoying with the egg whites left over. Using the whole eggs in this recipe worked well. I also added a good tablespoon or so of basil pesto into the filling mix. Was a winner. Thanks Nagi