Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni
Cozy, comforting cannelloni tubes stuffed with a creamy spinach and ricotta filling, baked to perfection under a blanket of marinara sauce and melted mozzarella.
Ingredients
- •12 dry cannelloni tubes
- •10 oz fresh spinach (280g), washed and roughly chopped
- •15 oz ricotta cheese (425g)
- •1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (100g)
- •1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (50g)
- •1 large egg
- •1/2 tsp salt
- •1/4 tsp black pepper
- •1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- •2 cups marinara sauce (500ml)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- 2
Place the chopped spinach in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes until wilted, then squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible using a clean kitchen towel.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the squeezed spinach, ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg, stirring until thoroughly mixed.
- 4
Transfer the spinach and ricotta filling into a large piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.
- 5
Spread half of the marinara sauce evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- 6
Carefully pipe the filling into each dry cannelloni tube, then arrange the stuffed tubes in a single layer inside the baking dish.
- 7
Pour the remaining marinara sauce evenly over the top of the cannelloni tubes, ensuring they are well covered so they soften properly while baking.
- 8
Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce.
- 9
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- 10
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden brown.
- 11
Let the cannelloni rest for 5 minutes before serving to help the filling set.
💡 Chef tips
- Make-ahead: You can assemble the dish a day in advance, cover tightly, and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to bake, adding 5 extra minutes to the covered baking time.
- No pre-boiling: Using dry cannelloni tubes saves time, but make sure they are completely covered with sauce so they soften in the oven.
- Freezing: This dish freezes wonderfully either before or after baking; just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished cannelloni features tender pasta tubes with a savory, herbaceous cheese filling, bubbling red sauce, and a golden, melty cheese crust.