Cannelloni al Forno

Ingredients

• 16 eachcannelloni tubes$9.92
• 400 gricotta$3.10
• 300 gspinach$1.55
• 1 eachegg$0.36
• 500 gtomato ragù$1.29
• 500 mlbéchamel$2.33
• 80 gvegetarian hard cheese (in place of Parmigiano-Reggiano)$1.86
• 0.25 tspnutmeg$0.03
• 0.5 tspsalt$0.02
• 0.25 tspblack pepper$0.02
• Total for 4 servings$20.48

Most of the cost is cannelloni tubes ($9.92) and ricotta ($3.10). Prices are estimated for the amount used, at average US grocery prices (November 2026).

Steps

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat on the stovetop, add the spinach, and blanch for 2 minutes until fully wilted. Drain thoroughly in a colander, squeeze out excess liquid using a clean kitchen towel, and finely chop.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped spinach, ricotta, egg, half of the vegetarian hard cheese, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper, stirring until smooth and evenly mixed, then transfer the mixture into a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread half of the tomato ragù and 100 ml of the béchamel evenly over the bottom of a 20x30 cm baking dish to create a moist bed for the pasta.
4. Pipe the ricotta-spinach filling into the dry cannelloni tubes until filled, then arrange them side by side in a single snug layer in the prepared baking dish.
5. Spread the remaining tomato ragù over the arranged cannelloni, pour the remaining béchamel over the top so the pasta is completely covered, and scatter the remaining vegetarian hard cheese evenly over the surface.
6. Bake at 200°C for 30 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling hard and the cheese topping is golden brown.
7. Let the dish rest for 10 minutes to set, then portion and serve warm.