There are pasta dinners that feel genuinely special. And then there are pasta dinners like this Vegan Cannelloni — the kind that comes out of the oven bubbling with rich tomato sauce, with pasta tubes so generously filled with creamy ricotta-style cashew and spinach filling that they have expanded slightly in the dish, their tops blistered and golden where the sauce has caramelized against them. This is that dinner. The one that looks like it took considerably more effort than it actually did. The one that makes a weeknight feel like a dinner party. The one that disappears from the baking dish before anyone realizes they have had seconds.
This recipe fills dried cannelloni tubes with a rich filling built on cashew ricotta, wilted spinach, and herbs — a filling so satisfying and so deeply flavored that it rivals any dairy-based ricotta in both texture and taste — then nestles them in a generous, garlicky tomato sauce and bakes until the pasta is perfectly tender, the filling is set, and the top is golden and slightly crisped at the edges.
What makes this cannelloni so outstanding is the cashew ricotta — blended from soaked cashews with lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and garlic into a smooth, creamy, subtly tangy filling that behaves identically to dairy ricotta in this application, holding its shape inside the pasta tubes while baking into a rich, satisfying filling of extraordinary flavor.
This recipe is 100% vegan, ready in about 65 minutes, and absolutely magnificent served directly from the baking dish at the table with a simple green salad alongside.
Recipe Information
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mins | 40 mins | 65 mins | 4 | ~480 kcal |
Ingredients
For the Cashew Ricotta Filling
- 1½ cups (195g) raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes then drained
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp water, to reach consistency
For the Spinach Filling Mix-in
- 3 cups (90g) fresh spinach, wilted and squeezed very dry
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
For the Tomato Sauce
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp sugar or maple syrup
- Salt and pepper
For Assembly
- 250g dried cannelloni tubes (approximately 16–18 tubes)
- ½ cup (60g) vegan mozzarella, shredded (optional topping)
- Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Make the cashew ricotta. Blend the drained cashews, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and water in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy — similar in consistency to thick ricotta. Taste and adjust salt and lemon. Set aside.
- Prepare the spinach. Wilt the spinach in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a clean towel and squeeze very thoroughly until almost completely dry. Roughly chop and mix into the cashew ricotta along with the nutmeg. Season generously.
- Make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Add both cans of tomatoes, oregano, basil, and sugar. Simmer for 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Season generously.
- Preheat the oven. Preheat to 375°F (190°C). Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce across the base of a deep baking dish.
- Fill the cannelloni. Transfer the spinach ricotta filling to a piping bag or a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe the filling into each dry cannelloni tube, filling generously from both ends if needed. Alternatively use a small spoon, though a piping bag is significantly faster and less messy.
- Assemble. Nestle the filled cannelloni tubes in a single layer over the sauce base in the baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top, ensuring every tube is covered — exposed pasta will not soften properly during baking. Top with shredded vegan mozzarella if using.
- Bake covered then uncovered. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes until the sauce is bubbling, the top is golden, and a knife inserted into the thickest tube meets no resistance.
- Rest and serve. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh basil and serve directly from the baking dish.
Pro Tips
- Use a piping bag to fill the cannelloni — it is the single change that makes this recipe dramatically easier than using a spoon, which is slow and messy.
- Ensure every tube is completely covered in tomato sauce before baking — any exposed pasta will remain hard and undercooked in the finished dish.
- Squeeze the spinach until completely dry before adding to the ricotta — excess moisture makes the filling too wet and can cause the tubes to burst during baking.
- Cover tightly with foil for the first 30 minutes — the steam trapped under the foil is what cooks the pasta through from the inside.
The History of Cannelloni
Cannelloni is one of the most beloved baked pasta dishes in Italian cooking, originating in the Southern Italian tradition of stuffed and baked pasta that also produced manicotti, lasagne, and stuffed shells. The name derives from the Italian word canna, meaning cane or tube, referring to the cylindrical pasta shape that characterizes the dish. Traditional fillings include ricotta and spinach, meat and béchamel, and various regional combinations, all united by the technique of filling the tubes before baking them in sauce until the pasta softens and the filling sets into a rich, unified whole. This vegan version is entirely faithful to the spinach ricotta tradition, producing a result indistinguishable in character from the dairy original.
Flavor Variations
- Mushroom and Walnut Cannelloni: Replace half the spinach with finely chopped sautéed mushrooms and add crushed toasted walnuts to the filling for a richer, earthier version.
- Pumpkin and Sage Cannelloni: Add roasted pumpkin puree to the cashew ricotta and season with sage for a beautiful autumn version.
- Béchamel Topped Cannelloni: Make a simple vegan béchamel from plant milk and vegan butter to pour over the top of the cannelloni instead of or alongside the tomato sauce.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fiber | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~480 kcal | 16g | 58g | 6g | 20g |
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store covered in the baking dish or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 20 minutes.
- Freezer: Assemble completely, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months before baking. Bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C) covered for 50 minutes then uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours before baking and refrigerate covered. Add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time when cooking from cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use fresh pasta sheets instead of dried tubes?
Yes — blanch fresh lasagne sheets briefly, fill and roll them into tubes, then bake as directed. This produces a more delicate, silkier pasta layer than dried tubes.
Why are my cannelloni still hard after baking?
Hard cannelloni is caused by insufficient sauce coverage, under-baking, or foil that was not sealed tightly enough. Ensure every tube is submerged in sauce, bake for the full time, and seal the foil tightly to trap steam.
Can I make this nut-free?
Yes — replace the cashew ricotta with a mixture of firm tofu blended smooth with nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and salt for a nut-free filling with a similar texture.
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