Spinach Cannelloni
This dish ticks so many boxes, it's comforting, super easy to make and looks impressive if you're throwing together a last minute dinner party. An Italian classic, this spinach cannelloni combines creamy, flavourful spinach inside fresh plant-based lasagne sheets topped with a rich tomato and basil sauce. Rolled up into parcels, finished with parmesan and baked until the top is nice and crunchy it's perfect any night of the week.
Serves
Ingredients
For the Cannelloni
<item-todo-done>12 lasagne sheets<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>500g baby spinach<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g plant-based cream cheese<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>50g plant-based parmesan<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp chilli flakes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp mixed Italian seasoning<item-todo-done>
For the Tomato Sauce
<item-todo-done>2 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 red onion<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 cloves of garlic<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>700ml Passata<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>10g fresh basil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>25g plant-based cheese<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Oven 180C fan | Frying pan | Saucepan | Colander | Baking tray lined with baking paper | Baking dish
Prep the veg
- Roughly chop the spinach
- Peel and dice the onion
- Mince the garlic
- Pick the basil leaves
- In a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over a medium heat and add the spinach, stirring until wilted
- Transfer to a colander to drain off the water
Make the cannelloni filling
- Once you’ve squeezed as much water as you can from the spinach, transfer to a bowl and stir through the cream cheese, parmesan, chilli flakes, Italian seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper
Cook the tomato sauce
- Make the sauce in the same pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the onion with a pinch of salt
- Cook until softened then add the garlic frying for 1 minute
- Pour in the passata and half the basil leaves and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes
- Taste to season with salt and pepper
Cook the lasagne sheets
- If using fresh lasagne sheets, skip this step
- Lightly grease the lined baking tray with the olive oil
- Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and partly cook the lasagne sheets for 2 minutes or until pliable enough to roll
- Use tongs to lift out the sheets and transfer to the greased baking tray
Roll up the cannelloni
- Spread 2 tbsp of cannelloni filling on the lasagne sheets and roll up into a cylinder
- Repeat with the remaining filling and lasagne sheets
- Spoon a little tomato sauce to coat the base of the baking dish
- Arrange the cannelloni rolls in the dish then pour over the rest of the sauce
- Scatter over the cheese and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is golden. You can place it under the grill for 5 minutes to crisp up the top
- Top with the remaining basil leaves and serve