Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni

Name: Spinach and Cheese Cannelloni
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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Mains

Cheesy, creamy, and full of flavour—this spinach and cheese cannelloni is one of those dishes that always disappears fast!

PREP TIME

25 minutes

COOK TIME

45 minutes

SERVES

About this recipe

This spinach and cheese cannelloni is one of those dishes that always wins hearts at my table. I first got this recipe from a mother-and-daughter duo who owned a little gourmet shop in Adelaide. I’d visit every week to buy cheese and chat about food, and one day, they shared this with me. It’s been a family favourite ever since.

They originally made it with large pasta shells, but I once tried it with cannelloni tubes and never looked back. The filling of spinach, ricotta, and feta wrapped inside the tubes and baked in a rich tomato sauce with mozzarella on top—it’s everything you want in comfort food.

What I love most about this spinach and cheese cannelloni is how simple the ingredients are, yet the flavours feel so special. Whether you’re serving it for a family dinner or a weekend meal with friends, it’s the kind of dish that disappears before you know it—no leftovers, every time.

If you love pasta recipes that bring comfort with a twist, try my other favourites too. My fried eggplant pasta was also created on a busy night using leftover ingredients—it’s not your typical saucy pasta dish, but one that celebrates simple, natural flavours. And if you’re after something heartier, my Lamb and Yogurt Pasta Shells combines Italian comfort with Middle Eastern inspiration, bringing together the creamy tang of laban and the richness of spiced lamb.

Ingredients

400 grams spinach, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
700 ml tomato passata
fresh basil (sprig)
150 grams ricotta, crumbled
150 grams Danish feta, crumbled
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pasta tubes (approximately 16)
150 grams mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
50 grams Parmesan cheese, grated

Notes from Rouba

Fresh spinach gives the best texture, but frozen works in a pinch—just drain it well.
A piping bag makes filling neater, but a teaspoon will do.
Use Danish feta for its creamy texture—it blends beautifully with ricotta.
Always let the passata sauce simmer a little; gives deeper flavour.

Method

Step 1. Cook the spinach and vegetables

Cut the stalks off the spinach and dice them finely. Finely shred the spinach leaves and keep them separate.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the leek and diced stalks and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened. Add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted. Drain in a colander to remove excess water, then set aside to cool.

Step 2. Make the tomato sauce

In a small-medium pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sliced garlic to the pot. Place it over low-med heat and stir until the garlic softens but doesn’t brown. Add the tomato passata and basil, season with salt, and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the basil sprig and set aside.

Step 3. Prepare the filling

Once the spinach mixture has cooled, add the crumbled ricotta and feta. Season with pepper and mix until well combined.

Transfer the filling into a piping bag (or use a spoon) and fill the pasta tubes with the mixture.

Step 4. Assemble and bake

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced) (350°F).

Spread one-third of the tomato sauce over the base of a 24 cm square baking dish. Arrange the filled cannelloni tubes on top, then cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle over the oregano and layer with mozzarella slices. Cover with foil and bake for 30–35 minutes.

Remove the foil, sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top, and bake for another 15 minutes until golden and bubbling.

A FEW THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

What if I don’t have cannelloni tubes?
Large pasta shells work beautifully too. You can fill them and stand them upright in the sauce—they look lovely and taste just as good.

Can I use different cheeses?
Not really. However, you can use either feta or ricotta on their own if that’s what you have, though I highly recommend using both for the perfect balance of creaminess and flavour.

Can I freeze it?
No, not once it’s assembled. If you’d like to freeze components, make the sauce and the filling separately and freeze those instead. Don’t fill or assemble the pasta before freezing.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the sauce and the filling in advance. You can even fill the tubes and refrigerate them overnight, but only assemble the dish with the sauce just before baking.

Can I use silverbeet instead of spinach?
Yes, absolutely. Just make sure to dice the stalks finely and shred the leaves thinly since silverbeet tends to be coarser than spinach.

Do I need to wait for the filling to completely cool?
It doesn’t have to be cold, but don’t use it while it’s hot. Let it cool until warm—otherwise, the cheese will completely disintegrate and melt away. We still want that lovely cheese texture in every bite.

I don’t like basil—can I leave it out?
Yes, you can. Try a small sprig of thyme instead or simply leave it plain.

Why didn’t you add salt to the filling?
Because feta is already salty enough. Only season with salt if you’re leaving the feta out.