ITALIAN CANNELLONI RECIPE | Stuffed Pasta with Ricotta and Spinach (Vegetarian)

ricotta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: mascarpone

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and calories.

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner and healthier.

mozzarella cheese

🥗Healthier: part-skim mozzarella

💰Cheaper: provolone

Part-skim mozzarella reduces fat while still melting well.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Nutritional yeast offers a cheesy flavor with fewer calories.

Prepare the filling by placing washed spinach in a big pot with about a quarter cup of water and salt, then cover with a lid.

Cook the spinach for a few minutes until it drastically reduces in volume, then drain and press down to remove excess water.

In a bowl, add drained ricotta cheese, cooked spinach, black pepper to taste, and adjust for salt. Stir and chop spinach into smaller pieces with a knife.

Dice a small onion and fry it in a drizzle of olive oil for a few minutes.

Pour in strained tomato puree and add salt, cooking for 5-10 minutes until it starts to bubble.

Add fresh basil and dilute the sauce with about a quarter cup of water to prevent it from drying out in the oven.

To make the bechamel sauce, melt butter over low heat and whisk in flour until it forms a paste.

Gradually pour in milk, whisking continuously until all milk is added, then raise heat to medium and cook until it starts to simmer.

Once simmering, take off the stove and add nutmeg and salt to the bechamel sauce.

Cover a 13 by 8-inch pan with crumpled parchment paper and create a thick layer of bechamel sauce at the bottom.

Fill the cannelloni with the ricotta and spinach mixture using a pastry bag and set them on top of the bechamel sauce.

Cover the filled cannelloni with the prepared tomato sauce and some bechamel sauce.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add mozzarella cheese on top, then return to the oven for 5 more minutes plus a couple of minutes on broil until golden.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens