Spinach and ricotta cannelloni

For a night when you’ve got a little bit more time and fancy making something extra delicious, this is just the ticket: cannelloni pasta filled with spinach and ricotta, cooked on a base of herby tomato sauce and topped with a garlic and a herb white sauce – all baked until bubbling and gorgeous.
This recipe makes a large tray full – enough for six hungry people, or four very hungry people.
Here’s what to do…

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 1 heaped tsp dried oregano
• 800g (28 oz) (2 tins) tinned chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper

For the cannelloni filling

• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 30g (1 oz) butter
• 180g (6 oz) fresh spinach, washed drained and dried
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 500g (18 oz) ricotta
• 165g (5.8 oz) hard cheese, finely grated
• 200g (7 oz) dried cannelloni shells

For the white sauce topping:

• 300g (10.5 oz) cream cheese
• 15g (0.5 oz) fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 150ml whole milk
• 65g (2oz) hard cheese, finely grated
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

To make the tomato sauce

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and the onion and garlic until soft.

Add the oregano, chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 mins until thickened and reduced by about half. Set aside.

To make the cannelloni filling

In another pan, warm the oil and butter over a medium heat and add the spinach, then add to the pan with the nutmeg and the rest of garlic. Cook gently until completely wilted.

Leave to cool, drain off the excess water if necessary, then tip the spinach onto a board and finely chop.

In a bowl, mix the chopped spinach with the ricotta and hard cheese until fully combined.

Fill a piping bag with the mix and the snip off the end, then use to fill the cannelloni shells.

To make the white sauce topping

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, basil and milk together until smooth.

Mix in the hard cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper.

To assemble

Grease a large roasting tray, then pour the tomato sauce into the base, spreading evenly.

Lay the cannelloni on top in a single layer.

Pour the white sauce all over, aiming for an even coating that should just cover the pasta.

Bake at 200C/390F (180C/355F fan) for 20-30 minutes, depending on if you like your cannelloni saucy or firm.

Fancy trying it? Let me know if you do! Here’s the recipe in printable form.

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Spinach and ricotta cannelloni

Creamy, soft cannelloni bursting with cheesy flavour in a rich tomato sauce, a perfect dish to transport you to the heart of Italy.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Pasta meals

Servings: 6

Author: Emily Leary

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce

• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 white onion finely diced
• 1 heaped tsp dried oregano
• 800 g 28 oz (2 tins) tinned chopped tomatoes
• Salt and pepper

For the cannelloni filling

• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 30 g 1 oz butter
• 180 g 6 oz fresh spinach, washed drained and dried
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 500 g 18 oz ricotta
• 165 g 5.8 oz hard cheese, finely grated
• 200 g 7 oz dried cannelloni shells

For the white sauce topping

• 300 g 10.5 oz cream cheese
• 15 g 0.5 oz fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 150 ml whole milk
• 65 g 2oz hard cheese, finely grated
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

To make the tomato sauce

• Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and the onion and garlic until soft.
• Add the oregano. chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 mins until thickened and reduce by about half. Set aside.

To make the cannelloni filling

• In another pan, warm the oil and butter over a medium heat and add the spinach, then add to the pan with the nutmeg and the rest of garlic. Cook gently until completely wilted
• Leave to cool, drain off the excess water if necessary, then tip the spinach onto a board and finely chop.
• In a bowl, mix the chopped spinach with the ricotta, milk and hard cheese until fully combined.
• Fill a piping bag with the mix and then snip off the end, then use to fill the cannelloni shells.

To make the white sauce topping

• In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, basil and milk together until smooth.
• Mix in the hard cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper.

To assemble

• Grease a large roasting tray, then pour the tomato sauce into the base, spreading evenly.
• Lay the cannelloni on top in a single layer.
• Pour the white sauce all over, aiming for an even coating that should just cover the pasta.
• Bake at 200C/390F (180C/355F fan) for 20-30 minutes depending on if you like your cannelloni saucy or firm.

* Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.

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