Description
This Spinach Ricotta Cannelloni recipe combines tender pasta tubes filled with a rich mixture of ricotta, spinach, and parmesan, all baked in a flavorful homemade tomato and herb sauce. Perfect as a comforting vegetarian main dish, it features layers of cheesy goodness and fresh basil, delivering a luscious Italian classic that’s great for family dinners or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf, fresh (or dried)
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 800 g / 28 oz canned crushed tomato
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock/broth, low sodium
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine (or more stock as substitute)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 2/3 cup basil leaves, roughly torn
Filling Ingredients
- 250 g / 8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 500 g / 1 lb ricotta, full fat
- 1/3 cup parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 cup shredded cheese (Mozzarella, Colby, Cheddar, Tasty, Gruyere, Swiss mix)
- 1 egg
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- Grated fresh nutmeg (a sprinkling) or 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder, optional
- 3/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Assembly Toppings
- 18 – 22 dried cannelloni tubes (250g pack) or 14 manicotti tubes (8.8 oz)
- 1/3 cup parmesan, finely shredded
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Mozzarella
- Extra basil and parmesan for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Heat olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion, minced garlic, fresh bay leaf, dried thyme, and oregano. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
- Reduce Wine: Pour in the white wine and increase the heat to high. Let it simmer rapidly for about 2 minutes or until most of the wine has evaporated, concentrating the sauce’s flavors.
- Simmer the Sauce: Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable or chicken stock, sugar, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir everything together and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the sauce simmer gently for 20 minutes to blend all the flavors.
- Blend the Sauce: Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Using a stick blender, blend the sauce until smooth. Put the sauce back on low heat and simmer for an additional minute. Then remove the sauce from heat and stir in the roughly torn basil leaves. Cover the pot to keep warm until needed.
- Prepare the Filling: Place the thawed spinach in a colander and press gently to remove excess liquid without drying it completely. Transfer the spinach to a mixing bowl and combine with ricotta, shredded parmesan, shredded cheese, egg, minced garlic, nutmeg (if using), salt, and black pepper. Mix well and taste, adjusting seasoning if necessary.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Set the oven to 180°C (350°F), 160°C fan. Select a baking dish that comfortably fits around 20 cannelloni tubes, approximately 21 x 26 cm (8.5 x 10.5 inches).
- Assemble Baking Dish: Spread 1 cup of the warm tomato sauce evenly over the base of the baking dish to prevent the tubes from sliding during baking.
- Fill the Cannelloni Tubes: Transfer the ricotta-spinach filling to a piping bag fitted with a large nozzle or use a strong ziplock bag with a corner cut off. Pipe the filling carefully into each dried cannelloni tube. If you don’t have piping equipment, you can fill them with a knife, though it’s more tedious.
- Arrange and Cover: Place the filled cannelloni tubes snugly in the baking dish. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce ensuring all tubes are covered.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, allowing the pasta to cook and flavors to meld.
- Add Cheese Topping: Remove the foil carefully. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheese evenly.
- Finish Baking: Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and golden.
- Serve: Garnish with extra fresh basil leaves and more parmesan if desired. Serve hot and enjoy this hearty and creamy vegetarian dish.
Notes
- Thaw the frozen spinach thoroughly and squeeze out excess water to prevent watery filling.
- Use full-fat ricotta for a creamy, rich texture in the filling.
- Dried cannelloni or manicotti tubes can be used; fresh pasta tubes work as well but may require different cooking times.
- If you prefer not to use wine in the sauce, substitute with an equal amount of stock.
- Adjust the seasoning of the filling according to the saltiness of your cheese varieties.
- Leftover cannelloni can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Cannelloni, Spinach ricotta, Vegetarian pasta, Italian baked pasta, Homemade tomato sauce, Cheese stuffed pasta
