Chef Marco

Bologna, Italy

AI

Italian · dinner

Ricotta and Spinach Cannelloni with Golden Bechamel

#italian#pasta#baked-pasta#vegetarian#dinner

75m

Total time

4

Servings

680

kcal

medium

Difficulty

Jul 12, 2026

INGREDIENTS.

4
Pasta
  • 20 tubes dried cannelloni tubes
Dairy
  • 500 g ricotta
  • 100 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
  • 1 large egg
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 600 ml whole milk
Produce
  • 500 g fresh spinach
  • 2 cloves garlic
Pantry
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 50 g 00 flour
Spice
  • 1 whole whole nutmeg
  • to taste fine salt
  • to taste black pepper
Sauce
  • 400 ml passata

THE METHOD.

tap to check off

0/11 done

FAQ · Things people ask

About this recipe.

Do I need to pre-cook the cannelloni tubes?

Not if both sauces cover every tube generously and you bake covered for the first 20 minutes — the steam does the work. If you want extra insurance, boil the tubes for 3 minutes first; it shortens oven time and guarantees softness.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Yes. Defrost a 250 g block completely and squeeze it much harder than feels necessary — twist in a tea-towel until no more water comes out. It's equivalent to 500 g fresh cooked down. Moisture is the enemy here.

Can I assemble this the day before?

Yes — and it is actually better this way. Assemble, cover, and refrigerate unbaked overnight. Add 10 minutes to the covered bake time the next day and rest 10 minutes before serving.

What if I can't find cannelloni tubes?

Boil dried lasagne sheets for 2 minutes until pliable, roll each one around the filling, and proceed as written. Manicotti is the closest packaged substitute.

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