I’ll never forget the frost-kissed morning in my nonna’s Tuscan kitchen, where the air hung heavy with ricotta’s milky tang and spinach’s earthy sigh, steam curling from a pan of cannelloni like ghosts at a family reunion. She’d enlisted me—jet-lagged from a red-eye, fingers fumbling the pastry bag—as her sous-chef, stuffing tubes till they bulged like overfed canaries. “Clara, it’s not pasta; it’s a letter to the soul,” she muttered, ricotta smudging her apron like war paint. One burst tube later (my fault, too much squeeze), and we laughed till the ricotta curdled from the shake—salvaging it into a cheesy scramble that tasted like victory anyway. Years on, in my cramped Queens oven, I’ve finessed it for harried holidays, swapping her hand-rolled for store tubes but keeping the heart: creamy ricotta-spinach hug baked in tomato’s tender trap. Cannelloni Ricotta & Spinach: stuffed comfort that mends Mondays or miracles feasts. No judgment if you pipe like a pro or spoon like a slob. Tie on that apron; let’s fill some envelopes to the heart tonight. 🥬🍝
Quick Look
| Prep | Cook | Total | Feeds | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 min ⏱️ | 35 min 🔥 | 60 min | 4-6 | Medium (stuffing’s the fiddly fun—patience pays in cheesy glory) |
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s the ultimate hug-in-tube form—ricotta’s creamy fluff meets spinach’s green grit, baked bubbly under tomato’s tangy blanket (I’ve swapped kale in a pinch; works, but spinach’s the soul-sister you crave) 😌.
- Make-ahead magic for when life’s a whirlwind—stuff ’em Sunday, bake mid-week; that golden top cracks like a promise, drawing my kids to the table faster than ice cream sirens 🧀.
- Vegetarian virtuoso without the virtue signal—nutty, herby depth that’s fancy for company (pair with Chianti) but forgiving for flop days (burnt edges? Extra Parm hides sins) 🍷.
- Leftovers? They reheat into lasagna-lite bliss, ricotta setting firmer like a determined dream—I’ve snuck ’em cold at midnight, fork and furtive joy ✨.
Grab These (Ingredients)
Cannelloni’s my creamy confessional—I’ve tested no-boil tubes (Barilla’s sturdy soldiers) versus parboiled (softer surrender), landing on oven-ready for ease, but pre-cook if you love limp luxury. Ricotta? Whole-milk only; skim’s a skimpy sin.
For the pasta vessels:
- 12-16 cannelloni tubes (oven-ready Barilla—sturdy shells that don’t split; manicotti subs if you’re stateside, but hunt the Italian curve)
- Kosher salt, for the boiling water if pre-cooking (palmful; Diamond Crystal’s gentle—skip if oven-ready) 🧂
For the ricotta-spinach confit:
- 15 ounces (425g) whole-milk ricotta (Galbani or Polly-O—fresh, not drained-dry tub stuff; drain lightly on towels for fluff) 🧀
- 10 ounces (280g) fresh spinach (bagged baby for ease, or a pound loose—wilted down to nothing; frozen thawed and squeezed works in winter woes) 🥬
- 1 large egg (room-temp; binds without baking to rubber—save whites for tomorrow’s fluff) 🥚
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (aged sharp; fresh grate for melt—pre-shredded weeps like a weepy opera) 🧀
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or a pinch ground—wakes the ricotta like a secret spice; my rasp’s always loaded) 🌰
- Salt and black pepper, to taste (easy on salt; cheeses carry the chorus)
For the tomato embrace:
- 2 cups marinara sauce (Raos’ jarred if time’s tyrant—homemade if you’re simmering Sunday; or crush a 28-oz can San Marzano with garlic and basil) 🍅
- 1 cup heavy cream (optional swirl—thins to pink perfection; skip for purist red) 🥛
To crown the bake:
- 1 cup mozzarella, shredded (fresh ball, low-moisture for melt—part-skim if you’re watching, but full-fat’s the fatale) 🧀
- 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (extra snowy shave)
Let’s Make It
Listen, this is baking with a backstory—stuffing’s the intimate act, oven’s the warm witness. I’ve piped like a pro (pastry bag’s my hack) and spooned like a slacker (fork it in, no shame), but the filling’s forgiving once you wilt that spinach right. Let’s layer it step by heartfelt step, my curdled corners as your compass; preheat that oven to 375°F while we start. Oven mitts on; hearts open. 😊
1. Wilt the spinach and prep the ricotta riff. Heat a splash of water in a wide skillet over medium-high—toss in spinach handfuls, wilting 2-3 minutes till dark and shrunken like a bad haircut (no oil yet; steam’s cleaner). Drain in a colander, press with a towel to squeeze dry—wilted wet’s watery woe (I skipped squeezing once, got soggy stuffing; now I wring like laundry). Cool slightly, chop rough. In a bowl, fluff ricotta with a fork till creamy (no lumps, like beating bad moods), crack in egg, stir in 1/2 cup Parm, nutmeg, salt, pepper. Fold in spinach—green veins through white, like marble mischief. Taste a pinky-dab: herby harmony? Adjust; this filling’s your love letter core. If ricotta’s grainy? A quick whirl with immersion blender—smooth as a sigh. The kitchen? Spinach earth that once masked my “experimental” kale flop. 🥬
2. Stuff the shells (envelopes to the soul). If tubes aren’t oven-ready (check the box; Barilla’s are), parboil in salted water 3-4 minutes till pliable but firm—no mush (drain, cool under water; sticky’s a stuffing nightmare). Lay out on a tea towel—pat dry like a spa treatment. Spoon or pipe filling in (pastry bag with big tip, or zip-top snipped corner—fill ends first, tilt to push). Aim generous but not bursting (overstuff, and they split like secrets); I overdid once mid-party, ricotta rivers everywhere—laughed it off as “freeform ravioli.” Stand ’em upright in a greased 9×13 baking dish like little soldiers; they’ll lean on each other, no judgment. This step’s the therapy—fingers in filling, mind in memories. If tubes resist? Snip one end, stuff from the other; flexibility’s the filling’s friend. 🍝
3. Blanket with sauce (tomato’s tender trap). Spoon marinara over and around the stuffed sentinels—generous glug, till they’re swimming but not drowning (about 1 1/2 cups; save rest for bread dunk). If you’re cream-curious, swirl half the heavy cream into the sauce for rosy blush—stir gentle, like blushing at a compliment (I cream it half the time; purists pout, but pink’s pretty). Grind pepper over, a basil leaf tuck if you’ve got fresh—aroma blooms already. The dish? A saucy sea of promise, once fogging my glasses during a holiday hustle. If sauce’s thick? Splash pasta water or broth; thin’s better than glue. This layer’s the lullaby—cozy cover for the cheesy cry. 🍅
4. Cheese the crown and bake the bond. Scatter mozzarella shreds like snowy confetti (even layer; clumps melt lopsided), dust with remaining Parm for golden grit. Tent loosely with foil (crinkled edges up—no stickage), slide into that preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes—bubbling edges, cheese softening like a secret shared. Yank foil, crank to broil 2-3 minutes for bubbly brown (watch like a hawk; I charred a top once mid-wine pour, scraped it salvaged). Out it comes, steaming aria—rest 5 minutes on the rack (sets without slump; cut too soon, and it slides like a sloppy kiss). The oven’s hum? A heartbeat building to harmony. If no broil? 5 extra bake minutes; golden’s the goal, not goth. 🧀
5. Garnish and grace the gathering. Tear basil over the golden glow—fresh flecks for green pop, lemon zest twist if you’re zingy (brightens the bake like a surprise sun). Slice into portions (they’ll hold shape if rested), plate with a sauce pool or side scoop. Cannelloni’s a diva—serve hot, when cheese strings like a serenade. At my table, it’s stories swapped over seconds; kids fork the filling first, adults savor the shell’s snap. One tug, and you’re Tuscan-tucked again, frost on the window but warmth in the weave—stuffed, saucy, soul-full. If arms ache from stuffing? Blame the tubes’ tease; worth the twirl for this creamy chorus. 🎉
Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~480 kcal |
| Protein | 20g 💪 |
| Carbohydrates | 45g |
| Fat | 25g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 6g |
*Note: Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; spinach’s green boost—lighten cheese for leaner lyrics; it’s hearty hymn, not a hush-calorie.
Variations & Add-Ins
Cannelloni’s a canvas for confessions—I’ve confessed through crisper chaos and craving cures, always anchored in ricotta’s rite.
For meaty manifesto: Stir 1/2 pound cooked Italian sausage (crumbled, mild) into filling—savory surprise without veg veto (my “carnivore compromise”; kids crew it) 🥩.
Vegan vow: Swap ricotta for cashew cream (blend soaked nuts with lemon, nutritional yeast)—spinach stays star; bake same (plant potluck pleaser I preached for a pal; silk holds sans sin) 🌱.
Mushroom murmur: Sauté 1 cup chopped cremini with spinach—earthy echo amps the umami (fall forage feel; wilts in 3 minutes, no weight) 🍄.
Serving Ideas
Tubes’ treasure spills sauce, but sides score the supper—crisp counters or warm welcomes, from my nonna-nostalgia nights to oven-hug hours.
I frame it with Caesar side salad—romaine crunch, lemony anchovy kiss, garlicky croutons; bitter bite tempers the cream like a contralto counter 🥬.
Herbed focaccia slabs: Warm from the oven, rosemary-flecked—sauce sop and ricotta reach; my husband’s “doughy devotion,” every tear a treat 🥖.
Family fanfare: Roasted broccolini spears (425°F, 12 minutes with chili)—stemmy snap echoes the bake; kids dip like divas, big forks for the full aria 🥦. Or, solo stanza: Just a cool ricotta crostini—herbed toast with a dollop; echoes without encore.
Storage & Reheating
This bake’s a believer—ricotta sets sturdy, flavors fuse like family lore, but tubes toughen if trifled.
Cool in the dish (lid loose, steam escapes like a sigh), then slice and glass (airtight Pyrex; plastic poaches the Parm). Fridge 3-4 days; sauce absorbs, spinach sighs softer ❄️.
Reheat reverent: Oven 350°F covered 15-20 minutes till bubbly—splash water if dry, foil tent for steam. Microwave? Portion bursts (1 minute, covered)—cheese refresh with a grate ⚡.
Freeze unbaked (assembled, foil-wrapped, 2 months)—thaw fridge-overnight, bake fresh; baked? Up to 1 month, but crisp suffers—revive with broth baste.
My Two Cents (Pro-Tip)
The soul-stirrer? Squeeze that spinach savage—post-wilt wring like wringing worries; excess water weeps into ricotta, turning fluff to flood. I half-hearted a handful once (lazy lunge), got watery wobbles; now I press till tears, earning the creamy crown. It’s the purge that preaches—dry duet yields dreamy depth 💡.
You Asked, I’m Answering (FAQ)
Tubes splitting mid-stuff? Rescue riffs?
Overfill’s the offender—spoon light, ends first; if split, patch with extra tube or freeform bake (my “rustic ravioli” save). Parboil softer shells next; Barilla’s tough but tenderizes. No tears—tastes the same, looks like love 🍝.
No ricotta? Creamy stand-ins that sing?
Cottage cheese strained (blend smooth) or goat cheese softened with milk—tang holds. I’ve mascarpone-mixed in binds; richer riff, but ricotta’s the ricotta rite 🧀.
Make-ahead meltdown—how long holds unbaked?
Assemble, sauce-top, foil-seal fridge 2 days (or freeze month)—bake from chill, add 10 minutes. I’ve prepped pre-Thanksgiving; flavors flirt overnight, no fade 🌿.