Baked Tomato, Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni

Looking for a comforting family dinner that’s perfect for a cold November evening?

Our Baked Tomato, Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni combines creamy ricotta, fresh spinach and a rich homemade tomato sauce, all baked together until golden and bubbling.

It’s a delicious vegetarian meal that makes the most of fresh British tomatoes.

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

• 700g fresh British tomatoes, chopped

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• Salt and black pepper

For the filling:

• 250g ricotta cheese

• 200g fresh spinach

• 50g Parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, grated

• 1 egg

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 12 cannelloni tubes

• 100g mozzarella, grated

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 190°C.

2. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently cook the onion until softened.

3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, basil and oregano.

5. Simmer for 20–25 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down into a sauce. Add a splash of water if needed.

6. Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in a separate pan, allow it to cool and squeeze out any excess water.

7. Combine the spinach with the ricotta, grated hard cheese, egg and nutmeg.

8. Spoon or pipe the mixture into the cannelloni tubes.

9. Spread a layer of tomato sauce across the bottom of an ovenproof dish.

10. Arrange the filled cannelloni tubes on top.

11. Pour over the remaining sauce, ensuring the pasta is fully covered. Add a little water if necessary.

12. Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

13. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes until golden and the pasta is tender.

Fresh Tomatoes Make the Difference

The tomato sauce is an essential part of this recipe.

Using fresh tomatoes creates a rich, vibrant base that complements the creamy ricotta filling.

As the cannelloni bakes, the tomato sauce helps soften the pasta while bringing all the flavours together.

Perfect for Family Dinners

Cannelloni is a great recipe to prepare ahead of time.

You can assemble the dish earlier in the day, refrigerate it and bake when you’re ready to eat. Allow extra cooking time if baking straight from the fridge.

Serve alongside a fresh green salad or some garlic bread for a satisfying family meal.

It’s another delicious way to bring British tomatoes to the dinner table this November.