Vegan Cannelloni with "Ricotta" + Spinach This Healthy Kitchen

Crave-worthy vegan cannelloni stuffed with cheesy vegan ricotta ribboned with spinach and topped with delicious tomato sauce. Yes! This is what vegan dreams are made of. 🥰

Side view of stuffed vegan cannelloni with ricotta and spinach filling.

This is a dish that’s PERFECT for holidays like Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving.

OR a great dish you can prep in advance, then toss in the oven when ready to bake.

We love baked pasta dishes with vegan cashew ricotta, like our baked penne, amazing lasagna, and zucchini rollups. (Okay that last one isn’t exactly pasta.)

But this vegan cannelloni recipe is made using tofu ricotta for a low-fat option, and you’ll definitely want to add this to your make list because it does not disappoint!

Jump to:

Why you’ll love it
Ingredients + Substitutions
Instructions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Expert Tips
More amazing vegan Italian recipes
📖 Recipe
FAQ

Baking dish with cooked vegan cannelloni inside and basil leaves on top.

Why you’ll love it

Simple to prepare. This dish might look ultra fancy, but it’s incredibly simple to whip up. It does require a fair bit of time in the oven though, so make sure to give yourself enough time to bake it.
You can make it in advance. This delicious vegan cannelloni can be completely prepared and ready to bake the night before serving. OR you can fully bake it and reheat it in the oven when ready to serve. This makes it very convenient for holiday and party prep.
Vegan and vegetarian friendly. These “ricotta” stuffed vegan cannelloni are dairy-free, using tofu to replace the cheese, but you won’t notice the difference!! I shared this dish with more than one cheese eater who couldn’t believe there was no cheese in it! Woohoo!
Low fat!! Unlike cashew-based vegan ricotta, this ricotta cannelloni has a tofu base but TASTES JUST AS GOOD. Plus, there’s no olive oil (or other oil) in this dish, making it suitable for a whole food plant-based (WFPB) diet.
Super delish. 😉 It’s filling, satisfying, flavoursome, and so incredibly YUMMY!

Ingredients + Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this amazing vegan cannelloni recipe.

Ingredients needed to make vegan cannelloni on kitchen countertop. — *See recipe card for quantities.*

Cannelloni shells: You may use any brand you enjoy. Most brands of dried cannelloni are naturally vegan and egg-free. If you’re looking for fresh cannelloni pasta, be sure to check the label because they normally contain eggs. You may also choose gluten-free varieties if needed.
Tofu: I use extra firm tofu to prevent a watery vegan ricotta cheese. (You can always add more liquid if needed.) Be sure to choose tofu that is GMO-free since most soybeans are genetically modified.
Nutritional yeast: This adds a cheesy flavour to the ricotta, without the dairy. If you do not like nutritional yeast, I suggest trying a non-fortified brand like Sari (or another non-fortified brand).
Apple cider vinegar: Adds a slight tang to the vegan cheese. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand, you may use white vinegar or white wine vinegar, instead. You may also use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Spinach: If using fresh spinach, use about 5 ounces or 4-5 large handfuls, and wilt it over the stovetop. You MAY use frozen as well, but if doing so, make sure to squeeze and press as much of the moisture out as possible.
Tomato sauce: Use your favourite tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or tomato puree.
Basil: Choose fresh Italian basil leaves, and do not sub with dried basil.

Instructions

(This is a summary with step by step photos, full recipe measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below.)

If using fresh spinach, wilt it in a pan or skillet on the stovetop over medium heat and set it aside.

Make the vegan cheese

Tofu cubes, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder and vinegar inside food processor.

Add all the ricotta ingredients (except the spinach) to your food processor. (photo 1)

Cheese mixture inside bowl of food processor.

Process the ingredients until mostly smooth. It doesn’t need to be perfect. (photo 2)

NOTE: Before you add the spinach, taste the cheese mixture and adjust for salt, pepper, or any other flavours you’d like to add. You may also add an additional tablespoon of water, vinegar, or lemon juice at this point if you feel it’s needed.

Ricotta cheese mixture in food processor with wilted spinach on top.

Add the wilted spinach to the food processor. (photo 3)

Food processor with vegan ricotta cheese and spinach inside.

Pulse several times to incorporate it without blending it! (photo 4)

NOTE: Do NOT overprocess the spinach, as you don’t want the cheese to turn green. Instead, you want ribbons of spinach throughout, so pulse until chopped and distributed only.

Stuff and assemble your vegan cannelloni

Bowl of tomato sauce with oregano and shredded basil on top.

Add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and mix them together. (photo 5)

Hand stuffing cannelloni shell with cheese filling from piping bag.

Pour a thin layer of sauce into your baking dish. Then pipe the cheese mixture into your shells. (photo 6)

NOTE: Use a piping bag/pastry bag to fill the cannelloni shells. OR cut one triangular corner of a ziptop bag to make your own piping bag if you don’t have one. Stuff one side of the cannelloni shell, then rotate and stuff the other side.

Cannelloni in baking dish covered in tomato sauce.

Arrange the stuffed cannelloni in your baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce on top. (photo 7)

Cannelloni stuffed with cheese and spinach in baking dish.

Then, sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese, if using, and bake in your preheated oven. (photo 8)

NOTE: Use an oven-safe baking tray and leave a little room in between each stuffed cannelloni shell since they will grow as they bake. Then bake for 40 minutes covered in foil (with parchment paper under the foil is my preference) and then remove the paper and foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until bubbling.

Serve your vegan cannelloni garnished with fresh basil leaves, and extra vegan parmesan, if you’d like.

Three cannelloni in white plate with parmesan and fresh basil on top.

Variations

Change up this vegan cannelloni dish with one of these variations.

Lasagna: Use three layers of lasagna sheets to make it a lasagna dish instead.
Manicotti: These are essentially cannelloni with ridged edges on the outside of the tubes, so feel free to swap for those if preferred.
Add vegan mozzarella: Instead of sprinkling with vegan parmesan, try some of our shreddable and meltable mozzarella instead. (Or use both!)
Use cashew ricotta instead of tofu, as we did here in our vegan lasagna. NOTE: This will increase the calories and fat.
Make it lighter and use zucchini or eggplant slices to roll up the vegan spinach cheese mixture like we’ve done with our zucchini roll ups. (This also makes it naturally gluten-free.)
Make it gluten-free by choosing gluten-free cannelloni tubes, if needed.

Equipment

To make the cheese for our vegan cannelloni, I’m using this Cuisinart food processor.

Use an oven-safe baking dish that measures approximately 9 inches by 13 inches, or similar for baking the cannelloni.

Storage

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.

You may also freeze your vegan cannelloni in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and reheat in the oven when ready to serve.

Expert Tips

Before adding the spinach to your ricotta, taste the cheese mixture and adjust for salt, pepper, or any other flavours you’d like to add. You may also add an additional tablespoon of water, vinegar, or lemon juice at this point if you feel it’s needed.
Do NOT overprocess the spinach, as you don’t want the cheese to turn green. Instead, you want ribbons of spinach throughout, so pulse until chopped and distributed only.
Use a piping bag/pastry bag to fill your vegan cannelloni without the tip. OR cut one triangular corner of a ziptop bag to make your own piping bag if you don’t have one. Stuff one side of the cannelloni shell, then rotate and stuff the other side.
Leave a little space in between each stuffed cannelloni shell as they will grow as they cook.

More amazing vegan Italian recipes

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Buon appetito

Rosa

📖 Recipe

FAQ

Can you pre fill cannelloni?

Yes! You can stuff your cannelloni up to one night before baking and refrigerate overnight.

Do you boil dried cannelloni before stuffing it?

No need to pre-boil your shells before stuffing them, as they will soften in the oven. Most varieties of cannelloni are “ready to bake”.

What are cannelloni made of?

Normally, cannelloni pasta is made using a mixture of flour and water. Dried and boxed varieties are usually egg-free, but fresh types may contain eggs so read the label if you’re avoiding any allergies.

What’s the difference between cannoli and cannelloni?

Don’t confuse these two with one another. Cannoli is an Italian dessert consisting of a crunchy pastry shell stuffed with sweet cream or sweet ricotta filling. Cannelloni on the other hand is a savoury dish, not a dessert.

What is the easiest way to fill cannelloni tubes?

The best and easiest way to stuff your cannelloni is to use a piping bag without the tip. This will easily allow you to stuff them, without making a mess or overfilling them.

Comments

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)