• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Veggie Ideas
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
search icon
Homepage link
  • Quiches, tarts and pastries
  • Pulses
  • Nuts
  • Vegetables
  • Desserts
  • Cakes and snacks
  • Preserves and compotes
  • Condiments and seasonings
  • Biscuits
  • Chocolate
  • Pasta and pasta sauces
  • Rice and quinoa
  • Bread
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Recipe collections
  • Drinks
  • Soups and stews
  • Vegan
  • Privacy Policy
  • Modern Sidebar
  • Disclaimer
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Statement
×
Home » Pasta and pasta sauces

Cheese and spinach cannelloni

29/05/2021 by Judith Leave a Comment

Cheese and spinach cannelloni is made using fresh pasta with a cheese and spinach filling and topped with a homemade tomato sauce.

Cheese and spinach cannelloni

Either ricotta or feta cheese can be used in this recipe depending on your preference. This vegetarian pasta dish can also be prepared using store bought dried pasta tubes can instead of homemade pasta and a ready made sauce can be used to save time. The quantities in this cannelloni recipe are sufficient for two servings but can easily be adjusted to make a larger quantity.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 100g plain flour (plus extra for rolling and dusting)
  • 1 egg
  • Pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 200g soft cheese such as ricotta or feta
  • 100g spinach (uncooked weight)
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

  • 1 medium sized red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • A small piece of dried chilli (optional)
  • 500g fresh tomatoes
  • Dash of olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Salt and pepper
  • Approximately 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top

Substitution idea - you could use homemade pasta sauce seasoning in place of the basil and oregano.

How to make the egg pasta sheets

The first thing to do is to make the pasta. Place the flour, egg and salt in a bowl. Mix together with a fork and then combine into a ball of dough with your hands.

Pass through the thickest setting on the pasta machine. Fold the dough over itself and pass through the thickest setting several times until the dough has lost its lumpiness and feels smooth. 

Pass through the machine again, reducing the thickness each time, until the desired thickness is reached. 

Roll out the pasta and cut into squares or rectangles. For a 20cm by 16cm baking dish I find that a size of 8cm by 10cm works well (with 8cm being the circumference of the cannelloni tube). If you are using a different sized dish then adjust the size and number of pasta sheets to suit your baking dish.

Cut the pasta into rectangles

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Drop the pasta sheets into the boiling water and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes until al dente.

Cook the pasta sheets in boiling water until al dente

Remove the cooked pasta rectangles from the pan and drop into a bowl of cold water. When they have cooled, drain the water and leave the pasta sheets to dry.

At this point, the pasta is ready to assemble the cannelloni. Alternatively, it can be frozen to use another day (freeze the sheets separately on a plastic board and then transfer to an airtight container to store in the freezer).

How to prepare the cheese and spinach filling

To make the filling, start by lightly steaming the spinach. This will only take a few minutes. Once cooked, set aside to cool. Squeeze any moisture of the spinach and then finely chop.

Next, crumble the soft cheese into a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, chopped spinach and a little salt and pepper and stir until evenly combined.

Preparing the filling for the pasta
Prepare the filling for the cannelloni

How to prepare the tomato sauce

Finely chop the onion and garlic (or use a garlic press). Finely chop the dried chilli (if using).

Roughly chop the tomatoes into chunks. It isn't necessary to remove the skins.

Gently cook the onion, garlic and chilli in the olive oil until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper, stir and cook over a gently heat until the tomatoes have softened, this may take around 5 to 10 minutes or so. This should create a thick sauce with chunks of tomato ready to top the cannelloni.

Making fresh tomato sauce for pasta
Preparing the fresh tomato sauce

How to assemble the cannelloni

Take a spoonful of the cheese and spinach mixture and form a compressed sausage shape on one piece of the pasta as in the photo below.

how to assemble cannelloni
Start to form the pasta tubes

Roll the pasta over the filling to form a tube. There is no need to overlap the pasta, simply roll sufficiently to enclose the filling. Place seam down along one side of an ovenproof dish. Continue with the rest of the filling and pasta. The filled tubes should fill the base of the dish (one layer). It doesn't matter if the tubes turn out to be slightly different sizes as they will be covered by the sauce.

Assembling cannelloni
Place the filled tubes of pasta in an ovenproof dish

Spoon the prepared tomato sauce over the cannelloni tubes to completely cover the pasta.

Cheese and spinach cannelloni
Top the cannelloni with tomato sauce and then cook

To bake

Bake in the centre of the oven at 190oC, 375oF, gas mark 5 until cooked. This should take around 20 minutes approximately. You can check it is heated through by placing a skewer into the filling.

When cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle the Parmesan over the top.

Cheese and spinach cannelloni
Prepared cheese and spinach cannelloni

Tips

  1. As pasta making takes time and creates quite a bit of mess, I find that it is a good idea to make more pasta than you need for this recipe and freeze some for another day. The cooked pasta sheets will defrost very quickly at room temperature.
  2. Similarly, the tomato sauce can be made in bulk. It can be stored in the fridge for several days or can be frozen.
  3. The stuffed cannelloni should be served straight away. It is not suitable for reheating.

Other pasta recipes

  • Broccoli and tomato pasta.
    Broccoli and tomato pasta
    Cook Time45 Minutes
  • Sweet potto gnocchi on a board.
    Sweet potato gnocchi (Italian dumplings)
    Cook Time55 Minutes
  • A plate of pasta with scrambled eggs and asparagus.
    Pasta with eggs and asparagus (scrambled egg pasta)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Roast vegetable and pesto pasta
    Vegetable pesto pasta
    Cook Time35 Minutes
Cheese and spinach cannelloni

Cheese and spinach cannelloni

Cheese and spinach cannelloni is made using fresh pasta with a cheese and spinach filling and topped with a homemade tomato sauce. This dish can also be prepared using store bought dried pasta tubes instead of homemade pasta and a ready made sauce can be used to save time. 
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 33 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 18 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2
Calories 564 kcal

Equipment

  • 20cm by 16cm ovenproof dish (or equivalent size)

Ingredients
 
 

For the pasta

  • 100 g flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pinch salt

For the filling

  • 200 g ricotta cheese (or feta)
  • 100 g spinach (uncooked weight)
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper

For the sauce

  • 1 red onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 pinch dried chilli (optional)
  • 500 g tomatoes (fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch pepper
  • 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan

Instructions
 

To make the pasta

  • Place the flour, egg and salt in a bowl. Mix together with a fork and then finally use your hands to combine the dough into one mass.
  • Pass through the thickest setting on the pasta machine. Fold the dough over itself and pass through the thickest setting several times until the dough has lost its lumpiness and feels smooth. 
  • Pass through the machine again, reducing the thickness each time, until the desired thickness is reached. 
  • Cut into squares or rectangles. For a 20cm by 16cm baking dish I find that a size of 8cm by 10cm works well (with 8cm being the circumference of the cannelloni tube). If you are using a different sized dish then adjust the size and number of pasta sheets to suit your baking dish. 
  • Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Drop the pasta sheets into the boiling water and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes until al dente. 
  • Remove the cooked pasta rectangles from the pan and drop into a bowl of cold water. When they have cooled, drain the water and leave the pasta sheets to dry. 

To make the filling

  • Lightly steam the spinach and set aside to cool. Squeeze any moisture of the spinach and then finely chop. 
  • Crumble the ricotta or feta into a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, chopped spinach and a little salt and pepper and stir until evenly combined. 

To make the sauce

  • Finely chop the onion and garlic and finely chop the dried chilli (if using). 
  • Roughly chop the tomatoes into chunks. It isn't necessary to remove the skins. 
  • Gently cook the onion, garlic and chilli (if using) in the olive oil until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper. Stir and cook over a gently heat until the tomatoes have softened, this may take around 5 to 10 minutes or so. This should create a thick sauce with chunks of tomato ready to top the cannelloni. 

To assemble

  • Take a spoonful of the cheese and spinach mixture and form a compressed sausage shape across the centre of one rectangle of pasta.
  • Roll the pasta over the filling to form a tube. There is no need to overlap the pasta, simply roll sufficiently to enclose the filling. Place seam down along one side of an ovenproof dish. 
  • Continue with the rest of the filling and pasta. The filled tubes should fill the base of the dish (one layer). It doesn't matter if the tubes turn out to be slightly different sizes as they will be covered by the sauce. 
  • Spoon the tomato sauce over the filled rolls of cannelloni to completely cover the pasta.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven at 190oC, 375oF, gas mark for around 20 minutes or until cooked. Check it is heated through by placing a skewer into the filling. 
  • Sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top and then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 26gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 1210mgFiber: 8gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 7536IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 399mgIron: 6mg
Keyword Pasta
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Pasta and pasta sauces

  • A bowl of tomato, bean and pasta soup with spinach garnish.
    Tomato, bean and pasta soup
  • Rolling spinach pasta in a pasta machine
    Spinach pasta (pasta verde)
  • Fresh tomato sauce for pasta
    Fresh tomato sauce for pasta (pasta sauce)
  • Homemade ravioli on a board.
    Cheese and spinach ravioli

Reader Interactions

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Veggie Ideas! I'm Judith and I created this site out of a love of good food, home cooking and a desire to share recipes so that others can enjoy them too. 

More about me →

Popular

  • Almond slices (frangipane slices)
    Almond slice recipe (frangipane cake slices)
    Cook Time2 Hours
  • Several chocolate quinoa bites on a white plate.
    Chocolate quinoa bites (no bake)
    Cook Time1 Hours
  • Honey flapjacks with fruit and nuts.
    Honey flapjacks with fruit and nuts (without golden syrup)
    Cook Time40 Minutes
  • A roll of several sheets of filo pastry.
    How to use filo pastry (tips and filo pastry recipes)

Seasonal recipes

  • Spanakopita spiral spinach and feta pie
    Spanakopita spiral (spinach and feta tart)
    Cook Time1 Hours 25 Minutes
  • A plate of pasta with scrambled eggs and asparagus.
    Pasta with eggs and asparagus (scrambled egg pasta)
    Cook Time30 Minutes
  • Hasselback carrots
    Hasselback carrots with honey and rosemary
    Cook Time55 Minutes
  • Asparagus quiche made using filo pastry.
    Asparagus quiche with filo pastry
    Cook Time1 Hours 25 Minutes

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

↑ back to top

Copyright © 2025 Veggie Ideas

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.