Spinach Cannelloni

by 21 Comments

Spinach Cannelloni

Spinach Cannelloni

A creamy, spinach filling is stuffed into cannelloni, topped with a spaghetti meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. I made my own spaghetti sauce but you could just as easily use a jarred spaghetti sauce as a shortcut.

This recipe will serve 8 or make it in 2 dishes like I did and you can freeze the other for another time. The box of cannelloni I bought had 14 tubes, which need to be precooked before filling with the ricotta spinach filling. I also put the filling in a pastry bag which made it real easy to fill the cannelloni. A plastic bag with the corner cut off works also. Filling them with a spoon is not a lot of fun, just to let you know.

Spinach Cannelloni

This pasta is also know as Manicotti. It can be filled with a variety of fillings. I also like to stuff the tubes with ratatouille or chicken with a bechamel sauce over it.

You can make the sauce and filling a day ahead and fill the tubes before baking if desired.

All you need now is some garlic bread, a salad and dinner is ready!

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Spinach Cannelloni
Author: 
Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: Serves 6 - 8
 
A creamy, spinach filling is stuffed into cannelloni, topped with a spaghetti meat sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Ingredients
  • Sauce
  • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet peppers
  • 1 tablespoon basil
  • salt and pepper
  • Filling
  • 32 oz. ricotta cheese
  • 1 package frozen spinach - thawed, squeezed dry
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto
  • 1 box cannelloni pasta
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese
Instructions
  1. Add the ground beef to a pan and brown. Pour off any excess fat. Add the onions and green peppers and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato sauce and water. Stir in the spices and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 45 minutes. Spoon several ladles full of the sauce on the bottom of the pan you are baking them in.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cannelloni and cook for 7 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
  3. Add all of the filling ingredients to a bowl. Stir until combined. Put the mixture into a pastry bag (a plastic bag with the end cut off will work too). Fill the cannelloni with the filling. Place on top of the sauce. Continue until all the cannelloni are filled. Top with some more of the sauce and then the mozzarella cheese.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Spinach Cannelloni

Comments

  2. says

    Ack! Must. Not. Lick. Computer. LOL These look delicious! I love anything with spinach, and this is another great way to incorporate it into family meals. Looks fantastic, and I’m sure tastes great, too! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  4. says

    These look so delicious. I’ve actually never made cannelloni. The tip about using a plastic bag is perfect. I cannot imagine trying to feel these with a spoon.

    Reply

  5. says

    I had to laugh when you said that using a spoon to fill cannelloni is no fun – so true. But if I already know that, why hadn’t I thought of using a plastic bag or pastry bag? Just reading that hint made my day. Love spinach cannelloni – and even more so now that I won’t have to fight with the filling.

    Reply

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