Let’s be honest: the idea of making homemade cannelloni can feel a bit intimidating. All that pasta rolling, filling, and intricate layering… it’s enough to make you reach for the freezer aisle. But what if I told you that you could make a stunning, restaurant worthy spinach and ricotta cannelloni with just a handful of simple ingredients and about 30 minutes of hands on time? This recipe is here to prove that elegant comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated.
We’re talking about tender pasta tubes stuffed with a bright, lemony spinach and ricotta filling, nestled in a rich tomato sauce, and smothered in a creamy Parmesan bechamel that bakes up golden and bubbling. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a special occasion but is surprisingly straightforward to assemble. Perfect for a cozy family Sunday supper or for impressing guests without the stress. Let’s get cooking!
Why You’ll Love This Cannelloni Recipe
- Deceptively Simple: While it looks impressive, the steps are all easy. The most “advanced” technique is making a simple roux for the cheese sauce.
- Make Ahead & Freezer Magic: You can assemble the entire dish hours or even a day ahead. It also freezes beautifully for a future instant gourmet dinner.
- Perfect for Feeding a Crowd: This is a fantastic dish for family gatherings or dinner parties. It’s hearty, universally loved, and bakes hands off while you enjoy your company.
- Endlessly Adaptable: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce, swap half the spinach for sautéed mushrooms, or add a handful of cooked Italian sausage to the filling.
- The Ultimate Leftovers: Honestly, it might taste even better the next day after the flavors have had more time to meld.
Let’s Make Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
This recipe breaks down into three simple parts: the bright filling, the quick sauces, and the easy assembly. You can tackle them one at a time without feeling overwhelmed.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Spinach & Ricotta Filling:
- 1 lb (500g) fresh spinach
- 1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese (whole milk is best for flavor)
- Zest and juice of ½ a lemon
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves, roughly torn or chopped
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 dried cannelloni tubes (see note for fresh pasta sheet alternative)
For the Simple Tomato Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 (14.5 oz / 400g) cans chopped tomatoes
For the Easy Cheese Sauce (Béchamel):
- 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (25g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (250ml) whole milk, warmed
- ¼ cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
- A generous pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
Step by Step Instructions
1Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a large colander in your sink.
2Wilt the Spinach: Place the fresh spinach in the colander. Carefully pour a kettle of boiling water over the spinach to wilt it instantly. Let it cool and drain completely; this is key! Once cool enough to handle, use your hands to squeeze out as much water as humanly possible. Roughly chop the squeezed spinach and place it in a large mixing bowl.
3Make the Quick Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for just 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned. Pour in the two cans of chopped tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and set aside.
4Make the Simple Cheese Sauce: In a separate medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste; this is your roux.
Very gradually whisk in the warm milk, ensuring the mixture is smooth before adding more. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remove from heat and whisk in the ¼ cup of Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5Make the Vibrant Filling: To the bowl with the squeezed, chopped spinach, add the ricotta, lemon zest, lemon juice, torn basil, ¼ cup of Parmesan, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
6Assemble the Dish: Spread half of the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 inch (or similar) baking dish.
Fill the tubes: The easiest way is to spoon the filling into a large zip top bag, snip off one corner, and pipe it into each cannelloni tube. You can also carefully spoon it in. Arrange the filled tubes in a single layer over the tomato sauce.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce evenly over the tubes. Then, carefully pour the cheese sauce over the top, covering everything. Use a spatula to spread it evenly if needed.
7Bake to Perfection: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
8Rest and Serve: Let the cannelloni rest for 5-10 minutes after baking. This allows it to set slightly, making it much easier to serve beautiful, intact portions. Garnish with extra basil if desired.
Pro Tips for Success & Variations
- Squeeze that Spinach DRY: This is the #1 tip to avoid a watery filling. Take your time and really press out all the liquid.
- No Cannelloni Tubes? No Problem! Use fresh lasagna sheets. Spread about 2 tablespoons of filling along one short end and roll it up into a tube. Place seam side down in the dish.
- Piping Bag Hack: A large zip top bag with the corner snipped off is the cleanest, easiest way to fill the tubes without frustration.
- Make it Ahead: Assemble the entire dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the bake time if it goes in cold.
- Freezing Instructions: Assemble the unbaked dish, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
This Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni is proof that the most satisfying meals are often built on simple, quality ingredients and a little bit of love. I hope it becomes a cherished, comforting classic in your home.
Super Simple Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
- For the Filling:
- 1 lb 500g fresh spinach
- 1 cup 250g ricotta cheese
- Zest & juice of ½ lemon
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves torn
- ¼ cup 25g grated Parmesan
- 12 dried cannelloni tubes
- Salt and pepper
- For the Tomato Sauce:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 14.5 oz cans chopped tomatoes
- For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp 30g butter
- 3 tbsp 25g all purpose flour
- 1 cup 250ml whole milk
- ¼ cup 25g grated Parmesan
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pour boiling water over spinach in a colander to wilt. Cool, squeeze dry, chop.
- Tomato Sauce: Cook garlic in oil 1-2 mins. Add tomatoes, simmer, then set aside.
- Cheese Sauce: Melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 2 mins. Gradually whisk in milk until thickened. Off heat, stir in Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, pepper.
- Filling: Mix squeezed spinach with ricotta, lemon zest/juice, basil, ¼ cup Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble: Spread half the tomato sauce in a 9x13 dish. Pipe or spoon filling into cannelloni tubes; arrange in dish. Top with remaining tomato sauce, then cheese sauce.
- Bake: Bake 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling. Rest 5-10 mins before serving.
Notes
- Spinach: Squeeze out ALL excess water to prevent a soggy filling.
- No Tubes? Use fresh lasagna sheets: spread with filling, roll up, place seam side down.
- Make Ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hrs before baking.
