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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.

Goats cheese cannelloni with spinach being served showing stringy cheese.

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.

Goats cheese cannelloni stuffed spinach under a tomato and cheese crust served on a plate.

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”.

Goats cheese cannelloni with spinach served in a baking dish.

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.

Goats cheese cannelloni with spinach with a cheesy topping served on a plate.

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.
Goats cheese cannelloni with spinach with a cheesy topping served on a plate.
Yield: 2 Servings

Goats Cheese Cannelloni Recipe with Cottage Cheese and Spinach

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Cannelloni is probably the grand-daddy of pasta bakes, this goats cheese cannelloni combines soft chevre cheese with cottage cheese and spinach. It is topped with a simple tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese and baked until utterly delicious!

Ingredients

  • 100g (6-8) Cannelloni Tubes
  • 200g (6-7 Cups) Baby Spinach
  • 150g (⅔ Cup) Cottage Cheese
  • 125g (½ Cup) Soft Goats Cheese
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • Pinch Fresh Nutmeg
  • 150ml (⅔ Cup) Tomato Passata
  • 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1/2 Tsp Dried Basil
  • 125g (4oz) Fresh Mozzarella
  • 25g (¼ Cup) Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt to Taste
  • Pepper to Taste

Instructions

  1. Heat a large 24cm or 10" saucepan over a medium heat and add the washed spinach, pop on a lid and wilt the spinach right down, this should take 5-6 minutes. Then spread it out on a baking tray and allow it to cool completely.
  2. Whilst the spinach is cooling take the cottage cheese and goat's cheese and mix them together, you can do this by hand or in a mixer.
  3. Press the moisture out of the spinach and finely chop it then add to the cottage cheese filling.
  4. Add the egg yolk, nutmeg and then mix again to combine.
  5. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
  6. Place this mix in a piping bag with a nozzle about the same size as the cannelloni tubes.
  7. Fill the cannelloni tubes and lay them into the base of a 20cm x 15cm (8x6") casserole dish.
  8. Add the dried herbs to the passata, stir and season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour the this over the cannelloni tubes.
  9. Cut the mozzarella into 6 slices and place on top of the passata.
  10. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese.
  11. Transfer to the oven and bake at 180°C or 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 693Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 188mgSodium: 1348mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 46g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.

Did you make this recipe?

If you made this recipe, I'd love to see what you did and what I can do better, share a picture with me on Instagram and tag me @krumplibrian and tell me how it went!

Gail Warwick

Sunday 5th of May 2019

Hi Brian, I am a huge fan of your recipes. I am also an American so I have to convert your recipes to pounds, cups, quarts, etc., but that is no problem. Could you let me know the size of the baking dish you cooked your 2 servings in? It's hard to tell from your picture, but if I know your pan size, I can then estimate what it will take to feed my guests, considering I will also be serving artisan bread and a big spring salad. I could just multiply by 5, but these women will not eat as much as most men. Thank you so much for all your delicious creations. Gail

Brian Jones

Monday 6th of May 2019

Hey Gail...

So glad that you like my recipes, sorry I did not add the baking dish size, it is an 8" by 6" bowl if my maths is correct, 20cm by 15cm if you want to check :) I'll update the recipe card with this information too.

I am on the search for a reliable automatic converter that will move from metric to imperial but I have been very disappointed with all the ones I have tried.

Jeannette (Jay Joy)

Saturday 20th of April 2019

This looks so delicious. I am looking to cook an Italian meal for my homeschool's unit study on Italy! Perfecto!

Brian Jones

Monday 22nd of April 2019

Enjoy :)

Fiorenza

Saturday 20th of April 2019

Goat cheese/spinach for cannelloni, oh wow, that's such a great combo, molto bene! I love goat cheese, I also use it in many dishes, but I've never thought to use it in cannelloni..grazie for this idea, I'm going to try it!

Brian Jones

Monday 22nd of April 2019

I love goats cheese too, that acidic saltiness is such a great bedrock for so many recipes. Enjoy :)

Beth Neels

Friday 19th of April 2019

This looks so crispy, cheesy and delicious, Brian! I can't wait to try it! I haven't ever done cannelloni, believe it or not!

Brian Jones

Monday 22nd of April 2019

I get the impression that people think that making cannelloni is difficult, but it's actually really simple and so tasty.

Caroline

Thursday 18th of April 2019

This looks so incredibly comforting, love the mix of cheeses!

Brian Jones

Friday 19th of April 2019

Thank you :)

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