Easy Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni Recipe
This filling and hearty spinach and ricotta cannelloni is made by stuffing pasta tubes with a creamy mixture of spinach, ricotta cheese, nutmeg, and basil, then baking it in a tangy tomato sauce.
Servings 4
Calories 1183kcal
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Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
For the spinach and ricotta filling
- 250 g Baby Spinach
- 500 g Ricotta
- 175 g Parmesan grated
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Basil Leaves chopped
- 12 Dried Pasta Tubes (Cannelloni)
For the tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 500 ml Passata
- 10 Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
For the cheese sauce
- 50 g Butter
- 50 g Plain Flour
- 600 ml Milk
- 250 g Extra Mature Cheddar grated
- 50 g Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (180 fan/ Gas 6/ 400F).
- To make the spinach and ricotta filling, first place the spinach leaves in a colander and set it over the sink. Pour over boiling water to wilt the spinach. Once cooled squeeze, out the excess water with your hands and chop finely on a chopping board. Place the mixture in the fridge whilst you get on with the other components of the dish.250 g Baby Spinach
- Put the ricotta, Parmesan, nutmeg, chopped basil and wilted spinach leaves in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine.500 g Ricotta, 175 g Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, 1 tablespoon Basil Leaves
- To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes until soft. Pour in the passata, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 4 Garlic Cloves, 500 ml Passata, 10 Sun Dried Tomatoes, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pepper, ½ teaspoon Sugar
- To make the cheese sauce, place the butter in pan on the hob and melt it over a medium heat, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and continue to stir until the sauce has thickened (you might find using a whisk easier, which will help to prevent lumps from forming).50 g Butter, 50 g Plain Flour, 600 ml Milk
- Take the white sauce off the heat and mix in the grated cheese.250 g Extra Mature Cheddar
- Fill the pasta tubes with the spinach and ricotta mixture using a spoon or a piping bag. Be careful not to overfill the tubes, as the filling may expand and burst during cooking.12 Dried Pasta Tubes (Cannelloni)
- Spoon the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 2 litre baking dish.
- Place the filled pasta tubes on top of the tomato sauce.
- Top with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden and bubbling.50 g Parmesan
Notes
Variations:
- Swap the fresh spinach for frozen spinach, but it is best to defrost it and squeeze out any excess liquid before using it in the filling.
- For a healthier version of the dish, you can use low-fat ricotta cheese, or a mixture of ricotta and cottage cheese.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes before serving.
- For a crispy topping, sprinkle a mixture of breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese over the dish before baking.
Nutritional Information (Approximate)
Calories: 1183kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 2150mg | Potassium: 1685mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 8486IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 1686mg | Iron: 8mg
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