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Baked spinach and mushroom cannelloni filled with creamy ricotta and cottage cheese, topped with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella.

Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Cannelloni

This homemade spinach and mushroom cannelloni is filled with a creamy mixture of ricotta, cottage cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella, then baked in rich tomato sauce. Instead of covering the pasta with extra shredded mozzarella, the remaining filling is piped in tidy rows over the top. It browns beautifully in the oven and gives the finished cannelloni a rustic, homemade look.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 6 people
Calories 361 kcal

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Cutting board and sharp knife
  • Cheese grater
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Piping bag or zip-top bag
  • 9 x 13-inch baking dish
  • Aluminum foil

Ingredients
  

Spinach and Mushroom Mixture

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion small, finely diced
  • 8 ounces mushrooms finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 5 ounces spinach fresh and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cheese Filling

  • 2 cups ricotta cheese whole-milk
  • 1 cup cottage cheese
  • 1½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
  • 1 egg large
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped and optional
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Assembling

  • 12 to 14 cannelloni tubes oven-ready
  • 3½ to 4 cups marinara sauce divided
  • Chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving optional

Instructions
 

Prepare the spinach and mushrooms

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the diced onion and chopped mushrooms. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and most of the moisture released by the mushrooms has evaporated.
  • Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  • Add the spinach in batches, stirring as it wilts. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the spinach is tender and there is very little liquid remaining in the skillet.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.

Make the cheese filling

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, parsley, salt and black pepper.
  • Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed. The filling will be thick and slightly textured.
  • Fold the cooled spinach and mushroom mixture into the cheese mixture.
  • Reserve some filling for the top
  • Set aside approximately 1½ cups of the spinach and cheese filling. This will be piped over the assembled cannelloni before baking.
  • Transfer the remaining filling to a large piping bag or sturdy zip-top bag. Cut an opening in one corner that is slightly smaller than the cannelloni tubes.

Prepare the baking dish

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C.
  • Spread approximately 1½ cups of marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  • Make sure the bottom is completely covered. The sauce helps prevent the cannelloni from sticking and provides the moisture needed to cook the oven-ready pasta.

Fill the cannelloni

  • Pipe the spinach and cheese filling into both ends of each cannelloni tube until completely filled.
  • Arrange the stuffed cannelloni in a single layer over the marinara sauce.
  • Try not to pack the tubes too tightly together. Leaving a little room between them allows the sauce to surround the pasta and helps it cook evenly.

Add the sauce

  • Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over and around the filled cannelloni.
  • Make sure the pasta tubes are generously covered with sauce, especially around their edges. Any exposed pasta may become dry during baking.

Pipe the remaining filling on top

  • Place the reserved spinach and cheese filling in a clean piping bag or zip-top bag.
  • Pipe the filling in neat strips or rows across the top of the sauced cannelloni. You can follow the direction of each pasta tube or create evenly spaced lines across the baking dish.
  • Smooth any uneven ends with the back of a spoon or a small spatula. It does not need to look perfect. The slightly rustic topping becomes golden and appetizing as it bakes.
  • No additional mozzarella topping is needed.

Bake the cannelloni

  • Loosely tent the baking dish with aluminum foil. Avoid pressing the foil directly against the piped cheese topping.
  • Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and continue baking for another 12 to 18 minutes, until the tomato sauce is bubbling, the pasta is tender and the piped filling is lightly golden in several spots.
  • For a little more colour, place the cannelloni under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it closely because the cheese topping can brown quickly.

Rest and serve

  • Remove the cannelloni from the oven and let it rest for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
  • The resting time allows the creamy spinach and cheese filling to settle, making the cannelloni easier to portion without the filling spilling out.
  • Garnish with chopped basil or parsley, if desired.
    • For tender, flavourful spinach and mushroom cannelloni, cover every pasta tube generously with marinara sauce before baking. Any exposed edges can stay firm, while plenty of sauce helps the oven-ready cannelloni cook evenly and remain moist.

Notes

  • Cook the mushrooms and spinach until the excess moisture evaporates to prevent a watery vegetarian cannelloni filling.
  • Let the cooked vegetables cool before combining them with the cheese and egg.
  • A piping bag makes the spinach and mushroom cannelloni much easier and cleaner to fill.
  • Reserve about 1½ cups of filling to pipe neatly over the top instead of adding extra mozzarella.
  • Cover the pasta tubes generously with marinara sauce so the oven-ready cannelloni becomes tender.
  • Tent the foil loosely so it does not stick to the creamy cheese topping.
  • Let the baked cannelloni rest for 10 minutes before serving. It holds together much better.
  • Assemble this meatless cannelloni recipe one day ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 26gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 1007mgPotassium: 585mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3247IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 491mgIron: 2mg
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