This Cheese Cannelloni is an easy vegetarian dinner that takes just 15-minutes to prep! Cannelloni pasta is stuffed with a flavorful ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling, topped with marinara and Mozzarella, and baked until hot and bubbly!

There’s never a day I don’t feel like curling up with a plate of Cheese Cannelloni, especially if they’re made with three cheeses!

This cannelloni recipe is the best blend of simple and delicious — we keep it simple with oven-ready noodles but step up the flavor with some incredible cheese, straight from Italy and easily available in Canada.

It’s made with three different kinds of Italian cheese: Ricotta, Parmesan and Mozzarella.

These cheeses are more than their taste (although, they do taste great.) They’re the results of the best ingredients, knowledge, and traditions, often handed down from generation to generation.

Now that is definitely something I can get on board with…especially if it means I get to enjoy a big plate of cheesy pasta!

You might like these Easy Lasagna and Baked Ravioli recipes, too!

What is cannelloni?

Cannelloni is a tube-shaped pasta that’s often served stuffed with ricotta cheese filling and topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella!

You can find it in regular and oven-ready varieties. To keep things simple we are using oven-ready cannelloni noodles here. Filling the pasta when it is uncooked is much easier than filling after boiling!

If you can only find the boil-before-baking kind, simply omit the water from the marinara sauce in the recipe and cook the pasta to al dente before cooling and filling.

What’s the difference between manicotti and cannelloni?

Both manicotti and cannelloni are tube-shaped, hollow pasta shapes that tend to be served the same way. However, they are slightly different. Manicotti is larger in size and has ridges on the outside. Cannelloni is slightly smaller and has a smooth exterior!

If for some reason you can’t find cannelloni pasta, manicotti will do!

Cheese cannelloni ingredients:

• Marinara Sauce: I usually stick to jarred sauce to keep this recipe simple but you can definitely use your favorite homemade version if you’d rather.
• Cannelloni Pasta: you’ll need oven-ready cannelloni so all you have to do is stuff and bake. No boiling required!
• Ricotta: use Ricotta straight from Italy — it is unbelievably smooth and creamy!
• Frozen Spinach: make sure you thaw and dry the spinach before adding it so the filling doesn’t end up watery. If all you have is fresh, chop it fine and cook it down before adding to the filling.
• Parmesan: packs a ton of flavor with just a small amount!
• Egg: binds the filling ingredients together.
• Salt, Dried Parsley, Dried Basil, Dried Oregano, and Black Pepper: a sweet, earthy seasoning to add just the right amount of flavor to the filling.
• Water: oven-ready noodles can be a little bit dry so I like to add a splash of water to the sauce to give a little extra moisture.
• Mozzarella: sliced or shredded on top of the pasta bake for that cheesy, gooey finish.

How to make cheese cannelloni

This easy, cheesy, and delicious pasta dinner takes a quick 15 minutes to prep! You can see all of the detailed instructions in the recipe card.

1. Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish, and spread 2 cups of marinara sauce on the bottom.
2. Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, stir together Ricotta, spinach, ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper. Place the mixture in a piping bag or in a large ziplock bag and snip the corner off.
3. Stuff the shells. Squeeze the cheese mixture evenly between the shells and place them into the prepared baking dish.
4. Top and bake: Top the shells with the remaining marinara combined with water, shredded Mozzarella, and two additional tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Cover with lightly greased foil and bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for a few additional minutes until the cheese is lightly browned.

What is the easiest way to fill cannelloni?

The best way to fill cannelloni is to use a piping bag. It makes it so much easier to get the filling into the pasta tubes.

If you don’t have a piping bag, you can make your own using a Ziplock bag. Just scoop the filling into a large bag and snip off one of the corners!

Variations cheese cannelloni

• Use oven-ready noodles. Oven-ready noodles keep this recipe super quick and simple. No boiling necessary!
• Use a piping bag. Trust me. You can try to spoon the filling into the pasta, but it is so much more difficult than it needs to be. Instead, put the filling in a piping bag or Ziplock bag with the corner snipped off!
• Add protein. Up the protein by mixing in cooked Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground beef, or shredded chicken. If you’re adding chicken, check out my crockpot shredded chicken or instant pot shredded chicken.
• Add veggies. You can mix in whatever veggies you like to give this pasta dinner a boost of nutrition. Try it with mushrooms, zucchini, onions, carrots, peppers, etc. I recommend pre-cooking the veggies to cook out the moisture.

Serving suggestions

This cheese cannelloni is delicious next to a simple side salad, a pile of roasted or steamed veggies, or a crusty slice of garlic bread!

Can cheese cannelloni be made ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare cheese cannelloni up to a day in advance! To do so assemble as directed, then cover and store in the fridge.

When you’re ready to serve, simply bake as directed. You may have to add a little bit more time since the filling will be cold, so make sure it’s heated all the way through before serving!

Can I freeze cannelloni?

Yes!

Cannelloni can be frozen before or after baking.

If you are making a fresh pan with the intent of putting it in the freezer, I would freeze before baking.

Cooked pasta that is frozen and thawed is still delicious, but it is much softer than fresh and the texture may not be as appealing.

To warm frozen pasta, thaw in the fridge overnight if possible or at room temperature for several hours, then cover and heat at 350 degrees F until heated through.

If you have to bake from frozen, put them pan in the oven and then turn on the oven to heat. This way, the pan will warm up slowly. Keep in mind in can take up to 2 hours to heat a frozen pasta dish.

How to store leftovers:

Baked cheese cannelloni will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then bake or microwave until heated all the way through.

More baked pasta recipes you’ll love

• Rigatoni Pasta Bake
• Baked Ziti with Italian Turkey Sausage
• Healthier Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Bake
• White Chicken Lasagna with Ham and Spinach

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Cheese Cannelloni recipe

Cheese Canneloni is an easy, cheesy vegetarian dinner that takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Cannelloni pasta is stuffed with a flavorful ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling, topped with marinara and Mozzarella, and baked until hot and bubbly!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 449cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 3½ cups marinara sauce (divided)
• ⅓ cup water
• 125 grams oven ready cannelloni pasta (12 noodles)
• 475 grams Ricotta (about 2 cups)
• 225 grams frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (about ½ cup)
• ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (divided)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cups shredded Mozzarella (about 210 grams)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish. Combine marinara sauce with water and spread 2 cups marinara sauce in the bottom of the pan.
• Stir together the Ricotta, spinach, ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, egg, salt, parsley, basil, oregano and pepper. Place in a piping bag or large ziploc bag and snip the end off.
• Squeeze the Ricotta mixture evenly into cannelloni shells and place in prepared pan, leaving a space in between each one as they will expand.
• Pour remaining sauce over cannelloni shells in pan and top with shredded Mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Cover with lightly greased foil (this helps to keep the cheese from sticking) and bake for 30-40 minutes or until pasta is tender (don't overbake!) and cheese is melted.
• Uncover and continue baking until cheese is lightly browned. Serve.

Video

Notes

Storage:

Baked cheese cannelloni will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then bake or microwave until heated all the way through.

Nutrition

Serving: 271grams | Calories: 449cal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 124mg | Sodium: 1749mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5904IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 642mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Cheese Cannelloni Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

This Creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup is filled with white beans and Grana Padano cheese, topped with crispy Prosciutto di Parma! It is a comforting and flavorful easy dinner idea! Step by step recipe video down in the recipe card.

If there is anything that’s going to get us through the winter, it’s bowl after bowl of this cozy and creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup!

There’s just something about soup that warms you right through and is so satisfying in when it’s chilly outside. Some of our other favorite soups to enjoy through the winter are this Sausage Tortellini Soup and this Crockpot Potato Soup! Both of these Italian products are PDO-certified (Protected Designation of Origin) by the EU, which refers to products that are uniquely linked to the geographical area of their name. This is the guarantee of quality and authenticity!

Look for these symbols so you know you’ve got the right products!

Grana Padano is Italy’s most popular grating cheese and has been made the same way for over 1,000 years. It has the most incredible flavor and is perfect on its own as part of your holiday cheese boards, and also lends so much flavor to this creamy soup.

Though imitations have been made, it’s actually easy to get your hands on the real deal here in Canada if you know what to look for: the black and yellow label that will get you authentic Grana Padano right from Italy.

And be sure to throw a few extra shreds on top of this soup before digging in! You won’t regret it

How to make Crispy Prosciutto di Parma:

For my crispy prosciutto, I used Prosciutto di Parma, which also comes to us from directly from Italy and is the prosciutto you’ll want for this recipe. Prosciutto di Parma is a 100% all-natural, gluten-free product made with only four ingredients: pork, sea salt, air and time.

If you’re unsure if you have the right package, look for the package with the gold Parma crown or ask when you’re at the deli counter. For me, it’s easily found at my local Costco!

If you can’t find it, Prosciutto di San Daniele is another PDO-certified prosciutto that will work perfectly in this recipe.

Crispy Prosciutto di Parma is so easy to make and adds so much flavor to soups, pastas, salads, pizza and more.

Simply lay or curl on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F until they are crispy — see the recipe video down below for more!

Prosciutto di Parma is also a delicious addition to your holiday cheese boards or appetizers! Enjoy it with fresh slices of melon for a sweet and salty bite.

Can I make this Spinach Tortellini Soup in the Crockpot?

You can definitely make this soup in the slow cooker, which makes it perfect for a busy day!

You have the option of sauteing the onion, carrots and celery on the stove top before adding to the slow cooker (which will add flavor!) but it’s not totally necessary.

If you add the vegetables to the slow cooker raw, they will just need a little longer to cook.

To make in the crockpot, follow the same steps as in the recipe below up to the point of simmering. Place the soup into the slow cooker and set to low for 4-6 hours for sauteed veggies, and 6-8 hours for raw veggies.

Half an hour before serving, stir in the cream, tortellini, spinach and Grana Padano.

Top with crispy Prosciutto di Parma before serving.

Variations on this Tortellini Soup:

There are so many ways to make this Tortellini Soup your own! Here are a few ideas:

• Make it spicy: add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes to the soup with the rest of the herbs for a bit of heat.
• Lighten it up: swap the cream for evaporated milk for a still-indulgent but lighter soup
• Swap the spinach for kale or add in extra veggies you need to get out of the fridge — almost anything goes in here!
• Don’t have tortellini? Swap for another short pasta (just boil it in salted water first, as dry pasta will absorb too much of the liquid in this recipe).

*This post has been generously sponsored by Icons of European Taste and I was compensated for my time in creating this recipe. Thank you for supporting the brands that make The Recipe Rebel possible!

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Spinach Tortellini Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

This Creamy Spinach Tortellini Soup is filled with white beans and Grana Padano, topped with crispy Prosciutto di Parma! It is a comforting and flavorful easy dinner idea!

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 471cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Crispy Prosciutto

• 4 slices Prosciutto di Parma

Spinach Tortellini Soup

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 medium onion finely diced
• 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
• 1 rib celery finely diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 540 ml canned white kidney beans, rinsed (about 2 cups)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 2 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1/4 cup shredded Grana Padano cheese

Instructions

Crispy Prosciutto

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Lay 4 slices of Prosciutto di Parma on the baking sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes, until crispy.
• Use a knife to roughly chop, then set aside while you make the soup.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

• To a large dutch oven or soup pot, add oil and heat over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, salt, parsley, basil, thyme and pepper. Cook and stir 1 minute.
• Add chicken stock to pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape any bits from the bottom.
• Stir in beans, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Reduce to medium-low, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.
• Open the lid and stir in tortellini, spinach, cream and Grana Padano. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes or until tortellini is al dente.
• Garnish with additional Grana Padano and crispy prosciutto before serving.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 471cal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 727mg | Potassium: 660mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4980IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Spinach Tortellini Soup with Crispy Prosciutto appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.