Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Classic Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

Tender pasta tubes stuffed with a lemony spinach ricotta filling, baked in a bright tomato sauce and finished with golden, bubbly cheese.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A bubbling baking dish of spinach and ricotta cannelloni covered in tomato sauce and browned mozzarella on a light stone kitchen counter
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Cannelloni is one of those dishes that looks like you hosted an Italian grandmother and a small orchestra in your kitchen. In reality, it is mostly: mix a filling, pipe it into tubes, drown it in sauce, bake until everything is cozy and slightly dramatic.

This version leans classic and reliable: spinach and ricotta, a bright garlicky tomato sauce, and a top layer of mozzarella that blisters at the edges. The filling is seasoned boldly because pasta loves salt, and because it is pretty rare for anyone to complain that dinner tastes too good.

Bowls of ricotta, thawed spinach, grated Parmesan, eggs, garlic, canned tomatoes, and uncooked cannelloni tubes arranged on a bright kitchen counter

Make it on a Sunday, bake it on a Tuesday, or freeze it for the future version of you who deserves a win.

Why It Works

  • Big payoff, low chaos: Piping the filling is faster and cleaner than it sounds, especially with a zip-top bag.
  • Bright sauce, cozy center: A quick simmer turns canned tomatoes into a balanced, garlicky sauce that keeps the pasta tender.
  • Evenly cooked cannelloni: Plenty of sauce plus tight coverage in the oven helps the tubes cook through without drying out.
  • Make-ahead friendly: Assemble up to a day ahead, or freeze unbaked for a future dinner that feels like a hug.

Pairs Well With

Recommended

World’s Best Lasagna

World’s Best Lasagna

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Classic Meat Lasagna

Classic Meat Lasagna

A no-drama, big-flavor meat lasagna with a rich sauce, creamy cheese layers, and crisp golden edges. Great for make-ahead dinners and freezer meals.

Classic Italian Lasagna

Classic Italian Lasagna

Big flavor, crisp edges, and a no-stress layering method. This classic Italian lasagna is make-ahead friendly and perfect for family dinners.

Classic Pomodoro Sauce

Classic Pomodoro Sauce

A cozy, no-drama pomodoro sauce built from good tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil. Ready fast, tastes like you tried harder than you did.

Storage Tips

Storage Tips

Refrigerate

Cool leftovers, then cover the baking dish or transfer portions to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Reheat

For best texture, reheat in a 350°F oven, covered, until hot throughout (about 20 to 30 minutes depending on portion size). Microwave works too. Add a spoonful of water or extra sauce first so the pasta stays tender.

Freeze (baked or unbaked)

Unbaked: Assemble in a freezer-safe dish, wrap tightly (plastic wrap plus foil), and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed, or bake from frozen covered for about 60 minutes, then uncover to brown. (If your pasta brand requires pre-cooking, do that before freezing.)

Baked: Cool completely, portion, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat covered in the oven.

Common Questions

Common Questions

Do I have to boil the cannelloni tubes first?

Usually no. Most dried cannelloni is designed to cook in the oven, as long as the tubes are well covered in sauce and the dish is tightly covered so steam can do its job. But check the package: if your brand says to parboil or pre-cook, follow those directions.

If your tubes are still firm after baking, pierce one with a thin knife. If there is resistance, add a splash of water or extra sauce around the edges, cover again, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more.

What is the easiest way to fill cannelloni?

A piping bag is great, but a zip-top bag works perfectly. Spoon filling into the bag, snip a 1/2-inch corner, and pipe into both ends of each tube until full.

Hands piping spinach ricotta filling into a dry cannelloni tube over a cutting board on a home kitchen counter

Can I use manicotti shells instead?

Yes. Manicotti is basically cannelloni’s cousin. Bake time is often similar, but some manicotti is sold pre-cooked or fresh, so check the package and adjust as needed. Either way, keep the dish saucy and covered so the pasta stays tender.

Can I make this without spinach?

Yep. Swap in sautéed mushrooms, chopped roasted zucchini, or even just extra herbs and lemon zest for a simple ricotta filling. If you skip the spinach, you may want a little more salt and Parmesan so the flavor stays loud.

Why did my cannelloni split?

Usually it is one of three things: the tubes were overfilled, the filling was too wet and expanded, or the top layer dried out. Fixes: pipe gently, squeeze excess moisture out of spinach, and keep the dish covered until the last 10 to 15 minutes.

I love cannelloni because it is secretly a weeknight move wearing a dinner-party outfit. The first time I made it, I treated it like a delicate art project and somehow got ricotta on the cabinet. Now I do it the way I actually cook: sauce down first, filling in a zip-top bag, and zero shame about messy hands. When it comes out of the oven bubbling and browned at the edges, it feels like you did something huge, even if you were in sweatpants the whole time. That is my favorite kind of cooking.