This spinach and ricotta cannelloni is pure comfort. A silky ricotta and spinach filling, a bright tomato basil sauce (homemade or a good quality store-bought one), and plenty of bubbling cheese all baked together into the coziest dish. It’s classic, flavorful, and one of those recipes that feels really special when it comes out of the oven.
Hi! I’m so excited to share this one. After perfecting the filling for my Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli, I knew it needed its own baked moment too. The filling blends into the creamiest texture, the sauce is simple but full of flavor, and once those two parts are ready, assembling the cannelloni is actually very calm and straightforward. You can even prep the sauce the day before if you want to get ahead.
Like my lasagne bolognese, this is a rustic, slightly messy kind of pasta bake and that’s exactly its charm! You can absolutely make fresh pasta tubes if you’re feeling extra, but honestly I prefer dried cannelloni here. They cook beautifully in the sauce with zero fuss and it keeps the process nice and relaxed.
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What is cannelloni?
Cannelloni are large pasta tubes designed to be stuffed with a filling, in this case, a creamy ricotta and spinach mixture, though they’re often filled with meat too. The tubes are laid in a baking dish, covered with tomato sauce and cheese, and baked until tender and bubbling. You don’t need to pre-cook dried cannelloni; they soften perfectly in the sauce as they bake. Think of it as the most comforting, slightly more elegant version of a pasta bake.
Main ingredients
Cannelloni pasta tubes - You can make your own or use fresh pasta sheets rolled up, but I prefer dried cannelloni tubes for ease
Spinach - I use frozen as it's just so much easier than fresh spinach in my opinion. Just make sure after you defrost it that all the excess liquid is squeezed out through a clean tea towel.
Whole milk ricotta cheese - There is no substitution. It's actually fun to make your own ricotta too!
Lemon - I love adding lemon juice just to add a bright and fresh flavor note. I also add the lemon zest.
Tomato sauce - You’ll need a batch of my simple homemade tomato basil sauce, or you can use your favorite good quality jarred tomato sauce if you’re short on time.
Parmesan cheese - Very finely grate it before blending with the rest of the ingredients. Substitute for pecorino or Grana Padano.
Mozzarella cheese - Use fresh balls and tear into chunks or grate a block.
Basil - Fresh basil leaves are used in the tomato sauce and are lovely to garnish on the finished dish too.
Tomato and Basil Sauce
This sauce is one of my staples, canned tomatoes simmered with garlic, olive oil, and plenty of fresh basil. Use the best quality tomatoes you can find (San Marzano if possible). If you prefer a shortcut, a smooth, good quality jarred passata or marinara works perfectly well too.
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How to make spinach ricotta cannelloni
Full ingredient list, thorough step-by-step instructions and a short video are in the recipe card below, this is just mainly for photo reference!
ONE: Make the tomato sauce and while it is simmering, blend all the filling ingredients in a food processor.
TWO: Fill the cannelloni tubes with the spinach and ricotta mixture, a piping bag is the easiest way but use teaspoons if you prefer.
THREE: In an oven proof dish that will fit about 12 tubes, pour 1 cup of tomato sauce into the bottom. Lay the filled tubes on top in a single layer.
FOUR: Pour the remaining sauce on top of the cannelloni.
FIVE: Evenly spread the grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese on the top.
SIX: Bake in the oven covered for 20 minutes then an additional 15 - 20 minutes uncovered until golden brown.
Expert tips for success
- Make the sauce ahead. You can prep the tomato basil sauce the day before to make assembly super relaxed. I leave out the butter, then reheat the sauce and add it in right before using.
- Get that spinach dry. Frozen spinach holds onto way more water than you think. After thawing, squeeze it in a clean tea towel until it feels almost crumbly. This keeps the filling thick and creamy.
- Use a piping bag for filling. This is my number one tip! A piping bag makes the filling process much faster, cleaner, and more accurate. You’ll also waste far less filling.
- Prep your space for assembly. Lay out the tubes, sauce, filling, and baking dish before you start. A tidy bench makes the whole process feel calm and helps the cannelloni come together quickly.
- Scale for a crowd. This recipe doubles beautifully. Use one large baking dish or two smaller ones. If doubling, give it a few extra minutes in the oven so the center heats through.
Try my delicious Amatriciana sauce
This is a simple tomato sauce with guanciale and could also be used for this dish if you'd like a flavor boost!
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Fresh lasagne sheets work perfectly. Spoon the spinach mixture along one edge, roll them up, and place them seam side down into the baking dish. You could also use my homemade pasta dough recipe if you want to make them from scratch.
If you want to use fresh spinach instead of frozen, you’ll need quite a bit more. About 1.2–1.5 kg (2.6–3.3 lb) before cooking. Wilt it down, let it cool, and squeeze out every drop of liquid so the filling stays beautifully creamy.
No. The sauce provides plenty of moisture, and the tubes soften beautifully as they bake.
Yes. Assemble the dish as normal, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze. Thaw completely before baking. I prefer to add the cheese right before baking.
Store leftovers tightly covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I find microwaving gives the best reheat, the oven can dry it out a little.
For this amount I used a 11.5 x 8.5 inch dish so anything close to that is great.
Some other recipes to try
If you enjoyed this cannelloni, take a look at some of my other pasta favorites. From silky handmade pasta to rich, slow cooked sauces and quick weeknight staples, there’s a dish for every appetite.
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I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!
Recipe
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
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Equipment
- Piping bag (It really makes it easier to fill the tubes!)
- Dutch oven or heavy bottomed saucepan
- Baking dish (mine measures 11.5 x 8.5 inches)
Ingredients
- 12 cannelloni tubes
For the filling
- 300 grams frozen spinach defrosted
- 350 grams ricotta cheese
- 60 grams parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus the zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce
- 1 batch tomato and basil pasta sauce
For the topping
- 120 grams mozzarella cheese torn or grated
- 50 grams parmesan cheese finely grated
- fresh basil leaves to serve
Instructions
Make the tomato sauce and filling
- Make the tomato and basil sauce, recipe is linked above in ingredient list.
- Make sure you squeeze all the excess liquid out of the frozen spinach, I do this in a clean tea towel (one that I don't mind if it gets stained!)
- While the sauce is simmering make the filling by combining all the filling ingredients by hand or in a food processor. Season to taste, you do want it on the saltier side.
- Place it in a piping bag and put in the fridge until ready to use. You can absolutely use spoons to fill the tubes but a piping bag or a strong snap lock with the corner cut off is much cleaner.
Assembling and baking
- Preheat your oven to 350f (180c). Pick a baking dish that will fit the 12 tubes in with a bit of space to spare. Mine measures 11.5 x 8.5 inches but anything around that size will work.
- In your baking dish place a cup of the tomato sauce.
- Fill each tube with the filling, you should get 12. Place them in whatever pattern you like in the dish.
- Cover with the rest of the sauce and then the grated cheeses on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 - 20 mins until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes before scattering with fresh basil leaves and serve. Check out the photos in post above and video below.
Sameera says
Made this to stock my friend’s fridge postpartum. Wonderful recipe! So tasty and nourishing and easy. I was a lil skeptical of not having to boil the noodles but I should have known better than to doubt the queen! Everything came out beautifully al dente.
Emilie Pullar says
hahaha thank you Sameera! What a wonderful friend you must be, such a lovely gift 🙂
Arnies says
Delicious! Making it again tonight it was so good.
Emilie Pullar says
Sooooo glad you enjoyed it so much! Really appreciate you taking the time to comment 🙂
Jordyn Schemenauer says
Can you make the just the filling ahead of time & refrigerate until the day you fill the cannelloni tubes & bake? If so, how many days could it stay in the fridge safely?
Emilie Pullar says
Hi Jordyn, you could definitely make it ahead it would be fine in the fridge for 2 - 3 days 🙂
Rochelle says
Made this last night and was soooo yum!! The lemon in the filling makes it so light and fresh. Definitely going to be on regular rotation!
Emilie Pullar says
Yay so glad you enjoyed it Rochelle! Thank you so much for making 🙂