Spinach and ricotta cannelloni is a delicious and refined dish that’s sure to please fans of Italian cuisine. These pasta tubes are generously stuffed and baked until golden and bubbling. In this version, they’re filled with a flavorful spinach and ricotta mixture, then topped with a creamy béchamel sauce for a melt-in-the-mouth texture and comforting taste.
At home, pasta is always a favorite, whether in a salad, a one-pot dish, or baked in the oven. This cannelloni recipe is an easy-to-make option, perfect for a cozy Sunday meal. It’s a crowd-pleaser thanks to its simplicity, balance, and rich flavor.
The combination of ricotta and spinach works beautifully to highlight this often-overlooked vegetable. Plus, spinach is a great source of iron, vitamins, and antioxidants, making this dish both satisfying and nutritious.
Table of Contents
Ingredients:
NB: You can print out the recipe card below.
For 24 cannelloni
For the spinach-ricotta filling
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 500 g spinach
- 200 g ricotta cheese (I used fat-free)
- 200 g cream cheese or simply more ricotta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 150 g grated cheese (Parmesan, Gruyère, Emmental, or a mix)
For the béchamel sauce
- 1/2 liter whole milk
- 50 g butter
- 30 g sifted all-purpose flour
- A bit of grated Emmental cheese (about 2 tablespoons)
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 grated nutmeg (optional)
Preparation steps
Prepare the spinach-ricotta filling
In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onion and garlic with two tablespoons of olive oil. Then add the spinach.
Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The heat should be high enough to allow the water to evaporate from the spinach.
Lightly season with salt and pepper. Drain the spinach and leave to cool.
In a mixing bowl, mix the cooled spinach with the ricotta, fromage frais and a little grated cheese.
Put the ricotta and spinach mixture into a piping bag (or a freezer bag) and use it to fill the cannelloni.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Prepare the béchamel sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour. Whisk well to form a smooth mixture, this is called a white roux. Make sure it doesn’t brown.
Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the cold milk, whisking constantly to fully dissolve the mixture. If any lumps form, strain the sauce before returning it to the pan.
Place the pan back over medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Once it starts to turn creamy, add the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir in a pinch of grated nutmeg. The béchamel should remain fairly fluid but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pour a little of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the filled cannelloni on top, then cover with the remaining béchamel.
Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is nicely golden.
Note: I used frozen grated cheese, which is why it didn’t fully melt.
Serve hot, with a green salad or any side of your choice.
Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
INGREDIENTS
For 24 cannelloni
For the spinach-ricotta filling
- 1 onion
- 1 garlic clove
- 500 g spinach
- 200 g ricotta cheese I used fat-free
- 200 g cream cheese or simply more ricotta
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 150 g grated cheese Parmesan, Gruyère, Emmental, or a mix
For the béchamel sauce
- 1/2 liter whole milk
- 50 g butter
- 30 g sifted all-purpose flour
- A bit of grated Emmental cheese about 2 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 grated nutmeg optional
PREPARATION
Prepare the spinach-ricotta filling
- In a frying pan, sauté the chopped onion and garlic with two tablespoons of olive oil. Then add the spinach.
- Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The heat should be high enough to allow the water to evaporate from the spinach.
- Lightly season with salt and pepper. Drain the spinach and leave to cool.
- In a mixing bowl, mix the cooled spinach with the ricotta, fromage frais and a little grated cheese.
- Put the ricotta and spinach mixture into a piping bag (or a freezer bag) and use it to fill the cannelloni.
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
Prepare the béchamel sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour. Whisk well to form a smooth mixture, this is called a white roux. Make sure it doesn't brown.
- Remove from the heat and gradually pour in the cold milk, whisking constantly to fully dissolve the mixture. If any lumps form, strain the sauce before returning it to the pan.
- Place the pan back over medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Once it starts to turn creamy, add the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir in a pinch of grated nutmeg.The béchamel should remain fairly fluid but thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Pour a little of the béchamel sauce into the bottom of a baking dish. Arrange the filled cannelloni on top, then cover with the remaining béchamel.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake for 35 minutes, until the top is nicely golden.
- Note: I used frozen grated cheese, which is why it didn’t fully melt.
- Serve hot, with a green salad or any side of your choice.