Ricotta and spinach cannelloni are one of those classic Italian dishes that instantly feel like home. Creamy, comforting, and deeply rooted in tradition, they’re perfect for Sunday lunches, festive occasions, or whenever you want a baked pasta dish that everyone loves.
This version is made with READY-MADE cannelloni tubes, no pre-boiling required. Thanks to a slightly looser béchamel sauce and proper oven baking, the pasta cooks perfectly while absorbing all the flavors of the filling. If you like cannelloni, you might also want to try my MEAT CANNELLONI recipe. If you love béchamel sauce but are looking for a vegetarian first course that will impress your guests, don’t miss my VEGETARIAN PESTO AND BECHAMEL LASAGNA —it’s super quick and easy to make!
So, are you ready to make the easiest and creamiest cannelloni ever? Let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love These Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni
- No need to boil the cannelloni before baking
- Classic Italian vegetarian comfort food
- Creamy but balanced, rich without being heavy
- Perfect for family lunches and special occasions
- Easy to prepare ahead of time
Easy Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni Recipe
First things first, grab a ceramic or glass BAKING DISH measuring about 22 × 34 cm (9 × 13 inches). This size works best because the cannelloni need to sit in a single layer to cook properly. Once you have the baking dish ready, let’s move on to the ingredients.
Ingredients (4-6 servings)
For the Béchamel Sauce:
- 1 liter whole milk (4¼ cups / 34 fl oz)
- 100 g butter (7 tbsp / 3.5 oz)
- 100 g all-purpose flour (¾ cup / 3.5 oz)
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Cannelloni:
- 250 g cannelloni pasta (about 9 oz) – I always use these Rummo Pasta Tubes
- 400 g whole milk ricotta (about 1¾ cups / 14 oz)
- 400 g fresh spinach, cleaned (about 14 oz raw) – Frozen spinach works well too, as long as it’s fully thawed and squeezed dry.
- 1 large egg
- 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated (about 1 cup / 3.5 oz), plus extra for topping
- Olive oil
- 1 Garlic clove
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Make Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni with Ready-made Pasta Tubes
Making ricotta and spinach cannelloni is much easier than it looks. With a creamy ricotta and spinach filling, a smooth béchamel sauce and dry cannelloni that cook directly in the oven, this classic Italian dish comes together with very little effort. Now let’s go through the process step by step, so you can’t go wrong.
Make the Béchamel Sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for about one minute (1). Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to avoid lumps (2).
Cook until the sauce thickens but remains slightly loose (3). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
PRO TIP: The béchamel should thicken but still remain slightly loose, as it helps cook the cannelloni entirely in the oven without pre-boiling. If it becomes too thick, you can always loosen it with a little milk.
Prepare the Filling
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan with a lightly crushed garlic clove. Add the spinach and cook until fully wilted. Drain well, squeeze out any excess moisture, then finely chop (4).
In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the chopped spinach, grated Parmigiano, egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper (5). Mix until smooth and creamy (6).
Assemble the Cannelloni
Spread a generous layer of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish (7). Transfer the ricotta mixture to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with one corner cut off. Fill the dry cannelloni tubes with the ricotta and spinach mixture (8) and arrange them in a single layer (9).
Cover completely with the remaining béchamel sauce and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano (10).
Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F for about 40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil for the first 25 minutes, then remove it and switch to grill or broil mode for the last few minutes to create a golden crust (11).
Turn off the oven and let the cannelloni rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- You can add a thin layer of light tomato sauce underneath the béchamel for a classic variation.
- For a richer filling, replace part of the ricotta with mascarpone. A small pinch of lemon zest adds freshness without changing the traditional flavor.
Creamy Cannelloni with Ricotta and Spinach: Storage Instructions
One of the great things about this recipe is that you can prepare it in advance. You can assemble the cannelloni a day ahead of time and simply bake them right before serving, making it perfect for busy days or when you’re entertaining guests.
Any leftovers will keep nicely in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days, and they reheat beautifully in the oven. If you want to make it even more convenient, the unbaked cannelloni can be frozen for up to a month. When you’re ready to bake them from frozen, just add a little extra béchamel on top and extend the cooking time by a few minutes to ensure everything is perfectly tender and creamy. This way, you always have a comforting, homemade Italian classic ready to enjoy with minimal effort.
Creamy Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni with Béchamel (No Pre-Boiling Needed)
Ingredients
- 100 g butter
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 1 liter whole milk
- Nutmeg to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 400 g fresh spinach cleaned
- 400 g whole milk ricotta
- 1 large egg
- 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano grated, plus extra for topping
- Nutmeg to taste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 250 g cannelloni pasta
Method
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the flour and whisk continuously for about one minute.
- Gradually pour in the milk while whisking to avoid lumps.
- Cook until the sauce thickens but remains slightly loose. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C / 356°F.
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan with a lightly crushed garlic clove. Add the spinach and cook until fully wilted. Drain well, squeeze out any excess moisture, then finely chop.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta with the chopped spinach, grated Parmigiano, egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Spread a generous layer of béchamel on the bottom of a baking dish. Transfer the ricotta mixture to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with one corner cut off.
- Fill the dry cannelloni tubes with the ricotta and spinach mixture and arrange them in a single layer.
- Cover completely with the remaining béchamel sauce and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C / 356°F for about 40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil for the first 25 minutes, then remove it and switch to grill or broil mode for the last few minutes to create a golden crust.
- Turn off the oven and let the cannelloni rest for 5 minutes before serving.
