Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Recipe

Name: Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Fresh Spinach, If using frozen spinach, use just over half of the quantity specified for fresh spinach, fully defrosted and squeezed dry; 250 g Ricotta; 1 Medium Egg, lightly beaten; 40 g Parmesan, finely grated; 0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg; Salt & Black Pepper; 1 tbsp Olive Oil; 2 Garlic Clove, minced; 400 g Passata; 1 tsp Dried Oregano; 1 tsp Caster Sugar; Salt & Black Pepper; 30 g Unsalted Butter; 30 g Plain Flour; 350 ml Whole Milk, warmed; 0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg; Salt & White Pepper; 14 Cannelloni Tubes; 30 g Parmesan, finely grated (for the top); Fresh Basil Leaves, to serve

Spinach and ricotta cannelloni is one of the great Italian comfort bakes - pasta tubes filled with a creamy, herb-flecked mixture of ricotta and wilted spinach, nestled in a rich tomato sauce, blanketed with béchamel, and baked until golden and bubbling. It's a dish that feels luxurious and indulgent but is built entirely from everyday supermarket ingredients, and it's one of the finest vegetarian pasta bakes you can make at home.

The filling comes together quickly - ricotta is one of the most forgiving cheeses to work with, needing nothing more than seasoning and herbs to make it exceptional - and the tomato sauce is a simple, quick passata-based version that takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. The béchamel, made in the same way as for lasagne, binds everything together and gives the top its characteristic golden crust.

This recipe uses dried cannelloni tubes, which are filled uncooked and soften in the oven from the moisture of the surrounding sauces - no pre-boiling required. All ingredients are available at any major UK supermarket. This is a brilliant batch cook that scales up easily for a dinner party, keeps well in the fridge for three days, and freezes beautifully both before and after baking.

Ingredients

For the filling

400 g Fresh Spinach , If using frozen spinach, use just over half of the quantity specified for fresh spinach, fully defrosted and squeezed dry
250 g Ricotta
1 Medium Egg , lightly beaten
40 g Parmesan , finely grated
0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Salt & Black Pepper

For the tomato sauce

1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Clove , minced
400 g Passata
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Caster Sugar
Salt & Black Pepper

For the béchamel

30 g Unsalted Butter
30 g Plain Flour
350 ml Whole Milk , warmed
0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Salt & White Pepper

For assembly

14 Cannelloni Tubes
30 g Parmesan , finely grated (for the top)
Fresh Basil Leaves , to serve (optional)

Method

If using fresh spinach, wilt it in a large dry frying pan over a high heat in batches for 2–3 mins until completely collapsed. Transfer to a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Once cool enough to handle, wrap in a clean tea towel and wring out any remaining moisture thoroughly. Roughly chop and set aside. If using frozen spinach, ensure it is completely defrosted and squeezed as dry as possible.

Tip: Thoroughly draining the spinach is the most important step in this recipe. Any excess moisture in the filling will make the cannelloni soggy and the sauce watery. Don't rush it - properly wrung spinach makes a significant difference to the finished dish.
In a large bowl, combine the drained spinach, ricotta, beaten egg, Parmesan, and nutmeg. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning - the filling should be well-seasoned as the pasta will absorb some of the flavour during baking.
Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 mins until fragrant but not coloured. Add the passata, oregano, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 8–10 mins until slightly thickened. Set aside.
Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 1–2 mins to cook out the raw flour taste. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the warm milk, a splash at a time, whisking out any lumps before adding more. Return to a medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon - about 5–6 mins. Season with nutmeg, salt, and white pepper.
Preheat your oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / Gas Mark 6. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the base of a deep 20x25cm baking dish.
Fill the cannelloni tubes with the ricotta and spinach mixture. The easiest method is to transfer the filling to a piping bag or a sturdy zip-lock bag with one corner snipped off, then pipe directly into each tube. Alternatively, use a teaspoon to fill them - it takes longer but works just as well. Arrange the filled tubes in a single layer over the tomato sauce, packing them snugly side by side.

Tip: Don't overfill the tubes - fill them to about three-quarters capacity so there's room for the filling to expand slightly as it heats. If you have leftover filling, dollop it between the tubes or spread it over the top under the béchamel.
Pour the béchamel evenly over the cannelloni, spreading it to the edges to cover the pasta completely - any exposed tube ends will dry out and harden during baking. Scatter over the remaining Parmesan.
Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 mins. Remove the foil and bake for a further 12–15 mins until the top is golden and bubbling and the pasta tubes feel tender when pierced with a skewer or sharp knife.

Tip: Testing with a skewer through the béchamel into a tube is the most reliable way to check the pasta is cooked - it should slide through with no resistance. If there's any firmness, cover and return to the oven for a further 10 mins.
Rest for 10 mins before serving - this allows the sauces to settle and makes portioning much cleaner. Scatter with fresh basil if using and serve with a green salad and garlic bread.

Alternatives & Variations

Use half-fat ricotta if available - reduces calories and saturated fat noticeably with minimal impact on the texture of the filling
Use semi-skimmed milk in the béchamel - cuts fat without significantly affecting the sauce
Reduce the Parmesan in the filling to 25g and on top to 20g - it's there for flavour and binding; a slightly smaller amount still works well
Increase the spinach quantity to 500g fresh - bulks out the filling with virtually zero extra calories and improves the nutritional profile significantly

Replace the ricotta with a vegan ricotta alternative (Violife produce one available at Tesco and Sainsbury's) or a well-seasoned blend of silken tofu and cashew cream. Swap the egg for 1 tbsp of cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp of water as a binder. Replace the Parmesan with a vegan hard cheese alternative or nutritional yeast (3 tbsp gives a good cheesy depth). Use plant-based milk in the béchamel and swap the butter for vegan block butter. The tomato sauce is already vegan. The result requires a little more seasoning care but is a genuinely good vegan cannelloni.

The cannelloni tubes and plain flour in the béchamel both contain gluten. Swap the cannelloni tubes for gluten free pasta tubes if available - specialist health food shops and online retailers stock these, though they're not widely available in standard UK supermarkets at the time of writing. As an alternative, use gluten free lasagne sheets rolled around the filling into tubes. Replace the plain flour in the béchamel with a gluten free flour blend (Doves Farm works well at the same quantities). All other ingredients are naturally gluten free.

FAQs

Around 1 hr 20 mins total - 35 mins of prep and 45 mins of baking. The prep involves making three components (filling, tomato sauce, béchamel), but they're all straightforward and can be done simultaneously with a little organisation.

Rated Intermediate. The individual steps are all manageable, but there are several components to prepare and the filling of the cannelloni tubes requires a little patience. Using a piping bag makes this significantly quicker and easier. The béchamel needs attention to avoid lumps, but otherwise the recipe is very forgiving.

Yes - it freezes very well either baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked, assemble fully, cover tightly with cling film and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 180°C fan, covered with foil, for 50–55 mins, then uncover for a further 15 mins until golden and bubbling. To freeze baked, cool completely, portion, and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Reheat covered at 170°C fan for 20–25 mins until piping hot.

Yes - assemble fully up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Add 10 mins to the covered baking time if cooking from cold. The tomato sauce and filling can also be made separately up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge, ready to assemble when needed.

No - this recipe uses dried cannelloni tubes that cook entirely in the oven from the moisture of the tomato sauce and béchamel. Ensure the tubes are fully covered with sauce and that there are no dry exposed ends, and they will cook through perfectly during baking. Test with a skewer before serving to confirm the pasta is tender.

A simple rocket salad with lemon and olive oil dressing cuts through the richness of the béchamel beautifully. Garlic bread for mopping up the tomato sauce is almost obligatory. A glass of dry Italian white wine - a Pinot Grigio or Soave - pairs particularly well with the ricotta and spinach filling.