Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni are pasta tubes stuffed with a creamy spinach-and-ricotta filling, layered in tomato sauce, topped with melted mozzarella, and baked until bubbly. This vegetarian version is comforting, satiating, and, with one simple piping trick, much less fussy to assemble than it looks. It is also one of the best dishes to batch-cook, since it reheats beautifully for lunches all week.
Why this one earned a spot in my rotation
I’m a big fan of Italian cuisine, and not just the pizza and the pasta, because Italian food is so much more than that. I was craving something satiating and comforting, yet a bit fresh at the same time, so I combined some fresh spinach picked from my garden with full-fat ricotta, one of the staple cheeses in Italian cooking. It sits somewhere between a baked lasagna and a stuffed-pasta project, but with a twist I will explain below.
The ingredients that make the filling
The filling is short and honest. Full-fat ricotta is the base, and I reach for full-fat on purpose because it stays creamy and rich after baking instead of drying out. Fresh spinach goes in raw and wilts down in the oven, so 300 g looks like a mountain in the bowl but cooks down to just the right amount. One egg binds everything so the mixture holds its shape once it is piped and baked, and a few garlic cloves plus dry basil and oregano carry the flavor. On top, grated mozzarella melts into that classic golden crust.
For the sauce, I keep it simple: a bottle of tomato sauce loosened with water and seasoned with dry basil, salt, and pepper. That splash of water matters more than it seems, and I will come back to it in the baking section.
My no-mess trick for filling the tubes
To make the process easier, here is what I did: I prepared the creamy mixture in a food processor until smooth, then I filled a ziplock bag with it. I sealed the bag, cut off one corner, and used it as a quick, improvised piping bag to fill the cannelloni. It was really easy. To transfer the filling without a mess, I stood the ziplock bag upright inside my blender container with the margins rolled over the outside, then poured the mixture straight in.
In the past I used to fill the tubes with a spoon and, trust me, that took me ten times longer and it was kind of annoying too. The piping-bag method is the single change that turns this from a tedious job into a quick one.
Layering and baking it so the pasta cooks through
Start by spreading one-third of the sauce evenly across the bottom of the pan, then lay the filled tubes horizontally in rows on top. I fit about two rows of ten tubes in a 30×25 cm ceramic pan lined with parchment. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top so every tube is coated, scatter the mozzarella, cover with foil, and bake at 180C/350F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Here is why the steps work the way they do. Most dried cannelloni go into the oven uncooked, so they rely on moisture from the sauce to soften. Loosening the tomato sauce with water and making sure the tubes are fully covered gives them the liquid they need, and the foil traps steam so they cook evenly instead of turning chewy at the ends. If you want that browned mozzarella top, lift the foil for the last few minutes.
A meal-prep favorite that reheats well
I think this is absolutely amazing for meal prep. Bake the whole tray in a ceramic dish and you will have enough portions to last a couple of days. Cannelloni are delicious reheated, so you can pack a portion in a Tupperware container and take it to work with no drama. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge, and reheat in the oven or microwave until piping hot in the center. If you like planning your week around dishes like this, my free vegetarian family meal plan is a handy starting point.
Easy swaps and a vegan version
Want a vegan take? Skip the egg, use a plant-based ricotta, and finish with a batch of stretchy vegan mozzarella or another one of my vegan cheese recipes on top. If you prefer a saltier, tangier filling, my spinach and feta stuffed cannelloni is the version to try instead. And if you are a fan of the ricotta-and-greens combo in general, these ricotta-stuffed eggplant rolls use the same comforting idea.
What to serve alongside
Because the cannelloni are rich and cheesy, I like to balance the plate with something fresh and green. A simple spinach salad keeps it light, and if you are feeding a crowd you can round out the table with more from my Italian-style pasta dishes.
Okay, I’m convinced you’re already eager to try this vegetarian spinach and ricotta cannelloni, so I’ll stop with the introductions. If you give it a go, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below telling me how the piping-bag trick worked for you and whether you took a portion to work like I do. I’m always curious to read your feedback!
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Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Ingredients
For the spinach and ricotta cannelloni filling:
- 500 g 2 cups ricotta, full fat
- 300 g 10 cups fresh spinach
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp dry basil
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- approx. 800ml 27 oz tomato sauce – I used a bottle
- 250 ml 1 cup water
- 2 tsp dry basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Cannelloni:
- approx. 20 cannelloni tubes
- 230 g 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- To prepare the filling, simply add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- I used a ceramic baking pan that's around 30x25cm in size. Cover your baking pan with some parchment paper.
- Mix the tomato sauce with the water, herbs, and spices. Spread 1/3 of the sauce at the bottom, evenly.
- Transfer the filling to a large ziplock bag. Seal it and make a small cut on one corner. You will use this as a piping bag.
- To transfer the filling easily, I placed the ziplock bag inside my blender recipient, margins rolled on the outside, so it can stand upright, and then simply poured the filling from the food processor in it.
- Pipe the filling in the tubes and place them horizontally in the pan. I made two rows of about 10 tubes each.
- Pour over the remaining sauce and sprinkle the grated mozzarella, then cover with a foil.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The dried tubes go into the oven raw and cook through as they bake. The key is to loosen the tomato sauce with water and make sure every tube is fully coated, then cover the pan with foil so the trapped steam softens the pasta evenly.
Blend the filling until smooth, spoon it into a ziplock bag, seal it, and snip off one corner to make an improvised piping bag. Pipe the filling straight into each tube. It is far faster and less messy than using a spoon.
As written it is vegetarian. The filling uses full-fat ricotta and one egg as a binder, and the top is finished with grated mozzarella. To make it vegan, skip the egg, use a plant-based ricotta, and swap in a vegan mozzarella.
Full-fat ricotta stays creamy and rich after baking, while lower-fat versions can turn grainy or dry out in the oven. The extra fat is what gives the filling that smooth, comforting texture.
Yes, it is excellent for meal prep. Bake the whole tray, then keep portions covered in the fridge for a couple of days. It reheats beautifully in the oven or microwave, so it travels well in a lunch container.
Bake at 180C/350F for 25 to 30 minutes with the pan covered in foil. For a browned, bubbly mozzarella top, lift the foil for the last few minutes of baking.
made these for meal prep and they were perfect for the next days for both me and my boyfriend. absolutely delicious!