Goats Cheese Cannelloni with Spinach in Tomato Sauce

Goats cheese cannelloni stuffed with spinach, cottage cheese & goat cheese before being baked in tomato sauce with a gooey cheesy topping.

You can make this recipe hours in advance if you like, then just throw it in the oven for 35-40 minutes for a fantastic comfort food dinner.

Baked Cheese and Spinach Cannelloni Without Ricotta.

I love cannelloni, as far as I am concerned baked cannelloni is the king of pasta bakes. 

It just begs to be experimented with and the number of fillings you can come up with is only limited by your imagination.

The last time it appeared here on Krumpli it was filled with a ricotta cheese and cauliflower mousse… Yes, cauliflower cannelloni can be a thing! I also have a much more traditional beef cannelloni.

This recipe is another vegetarian cannelloni recipe and features a combination of goat’s cheese and cottage cheese, and is packed full of spinach, so no ricotta!

I love goat’s cheese, it features here in my recipes all of the time, that salty-sour flavour is my idea of food heaven. Whether it is in my pea and ham risotto, in a peach and goats cheese salad or even topping my goat cheese and caramelised onion stuffed mushrooms it is delicious.

Cottage cheese lightens up the dish both in terms of calories (if that is important to you) and texture. Then we add a mountain of spinach and give it a lift with a little nutmeg.

The sauce is nothing more than some tomato passata with some dried herbs, you can of course use tinned tomatoes. Finally, we add a topping of fresh mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you fill cannelloni?

I find that the simplest way to stuff cannelloni is with a piping bag. You can, of course, use a bag with the corner snipped off and it will work. But it will be a little more ‘awkward’.

I tend to have a box of disposable piping bags in the cupboard and a handful of nozzles.

I do not use them often, I am certainly not a cake baker. But they come in handy for all sorts of bits and pieces.

Not least filling cannelloni, but also for piping mashed potato onto my cottage pie for extra crispy bits!

What sized nozzle should I use?

The best sized nozzle to use is one that is just a little smaller than the cannelloni tubes.

Then you just push the nozzle in, place the base of the tube on the table and squeeze. 

Can I make this in advance?

You can prepare all of the individual elements in advance and even build the dish, cover it and place it in the fridge a day or two before cooking.

However, I personally do not like to reheat this dish when it has been cooked because it all goes a bit “mushy”.

Serving Suggestions.

I tend to serve my vegetarian spinach and cheese cannelloni with a side salad or even some green leaves.

Something like a peppery rocket (arugula) or even lambs lettuce would work perfectly.

If you wanted more of a substantial salad, this rocket salad with sun-dried tomatoes would be fab.

You could also play around with this kohlrabi slaw recipe as a side dish. Although I would omit the sweeter elements when pairing with this baked cannelloni recipe.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Oven.
• Stovetop.
• 24cm or 10″ saucepan with a lid.
• 20cm x 15cm or 8″ x 6″ baking dish.
• Mixing bowl.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Piping bag with a nozzle a little smaller than the pasta tubes.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Weighing scales and or measuring cups and spoons.