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Easy Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Recipe

ByLumina Liu August 10, 2025

You know the type — where the pasta arrives looking picture-perfect, each tube meticulously filled and arranged like little soldiers in formation, swimming in a sauce so glossy it could double as a mirror.

The idea of making this spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe at home seemed about as realistic as teaching my cat to fold fitted sheets (which, let’s be honest, would probably be more successful than my own attempts).

Then came the winter I got snowed in for three days with nothing but a well-stocked pantry and an inexplicable craving for something that would hug me from the inside out.

My usual go-to comfort foods — the mac and cheese, the grilled cheese and tomato soup duo, even my emergency chocolate chip cookies — just weren’t cutting it.

I needed something substantial, something that would make my tiny apartment smell like an Italian grandmother’s kitchen, something that would take enough time and attention that I’d forget about the fact that I hadn’t seen the sun in 48 hours.

That’s when I remembered the cannelloni recipe I’d bookmarked months earlier, the one I’d been too intimidated to try because it looked “complicated.”

Spoiler alert: it’s not nearly as scary as it looks, and the payoff — oh, the payoff — is absolutely worth every minute of standing in your kitchen, hands covered in ricotta, wondering if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew.

The Story Behind This Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Recipe

Cannelloni, which literally translates to “large reeds” in Italian, has been warming hearts and filling bellies across Italy for generations.

Unlike its more famous cousin lasagna, cannelloni requires a bit more finesse — each tube needs to be individually filled, creating these perfect little parcels of creamy, cheesy goodness.

The spinach and ricotta combination is perhaps the most beloved filling, and for good reason: it’s the kind of pairing that just makes sense, like peanut butter and jelly or me and my pajamas on Sunday mornings.

What I love most about this particular spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe is how it manages to be both impressive and approachable.

Yes, there are multiple components — the tomato sauce, the creamy mascarpone sauce, the filling itself — but none of them are particularly difficult on their own.

It’s like conducting a small orchestra where everyone knows their part; you just need to keep the timing straight.

The result is a dish that looks like you’ve been studying Italian cooking for years, when really you’ve just been following a well-written recipe and trusting the process.

Sometimes that’s all it takes to create something truly special.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Perfect Cannelloni

Before we dive into the cooking process, let’s talk about what makes this spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe sing.

Quality ingredients matter here — not because you need to spend a fortune, but because each component plays a starring role.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped (yes, eight — we’re not messing around)
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 (400g) cans chopped tomatoes
• Bunch of fresh basil leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Filling:

• 1kg fresh spinach (or 500g frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
• 3 tubs ricotta cheese
• 100g grated Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mascarpone Sauce:

• 2 tubs mascarpone cheese
• 3 tablespoons milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

For Assembly:

• 1 package cannelloni tubes (usually about 20 tubes)
• 85g grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 balls mozzarella, sliced

A word about the spinach: if you’re using fresh (which I highly recommend), you’ll need what feels like an absurd amount.

Don’t panic when you see a kilogram of spinach at the store — it wilts down to practically nothing, like my confidence when I try to parallel park.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Now comes the fun part — actually making this magnificent spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe.

I’m going to walk you through each step with the kind of detail that would make my college chemistry professor proud, because nothing ruins a good dish faster than vague instructions that leave you guessing.

Making the Tomato Sauce

Start with the tomato sauce because it needs time to develop its flavors, and because getting it out of the way first makes everything else feel more manageable. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.

Add those 8 cloves of chopped garlic and fry for exactly 1 minute — you want them fragrant but not brown, because burnt garlic has a way of taking over a dish like an overeager dinner party guest.

Add the 3 tablespoons of caster sugar and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. This might seem like an odd combination, but trust me — the sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes while the vinegar adds a subtle brightness that keeps the sauce from being one-dimensional.

Pour in your three cans of chopped tomatoes, season generously with salt and pepper, and let everything simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

You’ll know the sauce is ready when it’s thick enough that a wooden spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear trail for a second or two before the sauce fills it in. Stir in the fresh basil leaves at the very end — they should wilt and release their aroma immediately.

Divide this gorgeous, chunky sauce between 2 shallow ovenproof dishes and set aside.

Preparing the Mascarpone Sauce

This is perhaps the easiest part of the entire spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe, which is saying something because none of this is particularly difficult. In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone with 3 tablespoons of milk until smooth.

The milk helps loosen the mascarpone so it spreads easily over the cannelloni without tearing the pasta. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

That’s it. Sometimes the simplest things are the most perfect.

Creating the Spinach and Ricotta Filling

Here’s where things get a little messy, but in the best possible way. Place your 1kg of fresh spinach in a large colander in the sink.

Boil a kettle of water and pour it slowly over the spinach, using tongs or a large spoon to turn the leaves so they all get hit with the hot water. You might need to do this in batches if your colander isn’t enormous — mine certainly isn’t, and I’ve learned not to try to cram everything in at once because it never works out the way I imagine it will.

Once the spinach has cooled enough to handle (and I mean actually cool enough — don’t be a hero here), squeeze out as much water as humanly possible. I like to grab handfuls and squeeze them like I’m wringing out a washcloth.

Then squeeze again. The amount of water that comes out of spinach is truly remarkable and slightly disturbing, like discovering your favorite celebrity has terrible political opinions.

Roughly chop the squeezed spinach and mix it in a large bowl with the 3 tubs of ricotta, 100g of grated Parmesan, and a generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Season well with salt and pepper — taste it and adjust as needed.

The mixture should be creamy, flavorful, and hold together nicely when scooped.

Filling and Assembling the Cannelloni

Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Now comes the part that used to intimidate me most: filling those cannelloni tubes.

I used to think this required some kind of special pastry chef skills, but it turns out a piping bag or even a plastic food bag with the corner snipped off works perfectly.

Fill your bag or piping bag with the spinach and ricotta mixture, then gently squeeze the filling into each cannelloni tube. Don’t overstuff them — you want the filling to go all the way through, but you don’t want it exploding out the ends like an overpacked suitcase.

Lay the filled tubes side by side on top of your prepared tomato sauce, nestling them in like you’re tucking them into bed.

Spoon the mascarpone sauce evenly over the cannelloni, then top with the remaining 85g of grated Parmesan and the sliced mozzarella.

At this point, your dish should look absolutely magnificent — and if it doesn’t look magazine-perfect, remember that rustic is a perfectly legitimate aesthetic choice.

Baking to Golden Perfection

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and everything is bubbling enthusiastically around the edges.

You’ll know it’s done when the cheese on top has melted and started to turn that gorgeous golden brown color that makes you want to take approximately 47 photos for Instagram.

Remove from the oven and let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. This resting time isn’t just a suggestion — it’s crucial for letting everything settle so your first bite doesn’t result in molten cheese burning the roof of your mouth (though I’ve definitely been too impatient and suffered this fate more than once).

Tips and Variations for Your Cannelloni Adventure

Now that you’ve mastered the basic spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe, let’s talk about ways to make it your own and avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve discovered through trial and error (emphasis on error).

Essential Tips for Success

Make it ahead: This dish actually improves with a little time. You can assemble the entire thing up to a day ahead, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Just add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time if you’re starting from cold.

Freeze for later: Cannelloni freezes beautifully, either before or after baking. If freezing unbaked, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

Bake directly from frozen, adding 20-30 minutes to the cooking time and covering with foil for the first half of cooking to prevent over-browning.

The spinach squeeze is crucial: I cannot overemphasize how important it is to squeeze every last drop of water from your spinach. Wet spinach equals watery filling, which equals soggy cannelloni.

Nobody wants soggy cannelloni.

• Don’t skip the nutmeg: That little pinch of nutmeg might seem insignificant, but it adds a warmth and depth that transforms the filling from good to restaurant-quality. Fresh nutmeg is ideal, but pre-ground will work in a pinch.
• Use good Parmesan: Since Parmesan is featured so prominently in this recipe, splurge a little on a chunk of good Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. The difference in flavor is remarkable.

Creative Variations to Try

• Add some protein: Crumbled Italian sausage mixed into the tomato sauce turns this into a heartier dish that even the most dedicated carnivores will love.
• Swap the greens: Try substituting the spinach with wilted kale, chard, or even a mixture of herbs like basil, parsley, and oregano for a completely different flavor profile.
• Make it vegan: Use cashew ricotta and nutritional yeast instead of the dairy cheeses, and replace the mascarpone sauce with a cashew cream sauce.
• Add roasted vegetables: Roasted butternut squash, zucchini, or eggplant mixed into the filling adds sweetness and texture.

What to Expect: The Reality of Homemade Cannelloni

Let me be completely honest about what you can expect when you make this spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe. It’s not going to look like the photo on a restaurant menu — and that’s perfectly okay.

Your tubes might not be lined up in perfect formation. Some of the filling might escape during baking, creating delicious crispy bits around the edges.

The cheese might bubble up more dramatically in some spots than others.

All of this is not just normal, it’s desirable. It means you made something real in your own kitchen, something that carries the small imperfections that mark it as homemade and loved.

When you pull this dish from the oven, your kitchen will smell like the best kind of Italian restaurant, and your first bite will be creamy, cheesy, and deeply satisfying in a way that only comes from food you’ve made with your own hands.

The leftovers (if there are any) reheat beautifully, and somehow taste even better the next day when all the flavors have had time to mingle and become friends.

This is the kind of dish that makes weeknight dinners feel special, that turns a regular Tuesday into something worth celebrating.

And isn’t that exactly what we need more of — small reasons to celebrate, delicious food that brings us joy, and the satisfaction of creating something beautiful in our own kitchens?

So grab your apron, put on some music, and dive into this spinach & ricotta cannelloni recipe. Your future self will thank you.