Vegan Cannelloni with Spinach & Almond Ricotta
Get ready to make your very own vegan cannelloni with this fresh and flavourful recipe that will have you going back for more
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This spinach and almond ricotta cannelloni is a delicious vegan alternative to the Italian classic, perfect for both lunch and dinner no matter the time of year.
What is cannelloni?
Cannelloni is a type of lasagne that is rolled in a cylindrical shape.
These tubes are stuffed with a filling, such as spinach and ricotta, and baked with an Italian sauce over the top, typically either a tomato and a bechamel one.
Cannelloni, like many pasta dishes, originated in Italy. When it first arrived in Italy in the nineteenth century, it became idolised by the upper classes as a refined delicacy.
How versatile is this dish?
This recipe contains many useful elements for vegans.
The almond ricotta would make a great spread to have on bread or crackers. With the addition of the nutritional yeast, it tastes deliciously cheesy.
The tomato and basil sauce works well in this recipe, but it can also be used for other pasta dishes, or even as a pizza base. The perfect Italian condiment.
The vegan cheesy cashew sauce can also be used in lots of different recipes including other types of pasta. This sauce would make a brilliant alternative to macaroni cheese sauce, a cheesy nacho topping or a sauce for oven baked dishes, such as cauliflower cheese or potato dauphinoise.
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Calories: 229
Servings: 6
Rating:
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Calories: 229
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
(Servings: 6)
- For the almond ricotta
- 70 70 g blanched almonds
- 40 40 ml cold water
- 2.5 2.5 g nutritional yeast
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp garlic powder
- 0.083333333333333 0.083333333333333 lemon, juice only
- For the tomato and basil sauce
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tbsp olive oil
- 83.333333333333 83.333333333333 g passata
- 66.666666666667 66.666666666667 g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 0.83333333333333 0.83333333333333 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 20.833333333333 20.833333333333 ml vegan red wine
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp sugar (any)
- large handful of fresh basil
- For the cheese topping
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 large potato, peeled and diced
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 carrots, peeled and diced
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2.5 2.5 g nutritional yeast
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 25 25 g cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 mins
- 0.33333333333333 0.33333333333333 tsp tapioca starch
- freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
- salt and black pepper
- For the almond parmesan
- 23.333333333333 23.333333333333 g whole almonds
- 1.8333333333333 1.8333333333333 g nutritional yeast
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp sea salt flakes
- 0.16666666666667 0.16666666666667 tsp garlic powder
- To make the cannelloni
- 2.6666666666667 2.6666666666667 cannelloni tube
- 41.666666666667 41.666666666667 g fresh or frozen spinach
Method
- Place the ingredients for the parmesan into a blender and pulse until you have a crumbly texture. Set aside.
- Make the almond ricotta by adding all the ingredients to a high-performance blender and processing until as smooth as possible. Set aside.
- In a large pan, heat the oil and gently sweat the onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a minute before adding the vinegar and wine. Let this bubble and reduce slightly for a few minutes.
- Add the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients to the pan, reserving half of the basil to add at the end. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook gently for 30 minutes.
- Cook or defrost the spinach in a microwave until wilted. Transfer to clean kitchen towels and squeeze out the excess water. Chop the spinach and mix with the ricotta, along with 3 tbsp of almond parmesan and some salt and pepper.
- Fill a piping bag or freezer bag with the spinach and ricotta mix, snip off the corner and use this to fill all 16 cannelloni tubes.
- For the cheese sauce, boil the potato, carrots and onion for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 235ml (1 cup) of the cooking liquid.
- Add the cooked vegetables to a clean blender along with the drained cashews and the rest of the ingredients, including the reserved water. Process until smooth and silky. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Remove the large basil sprig from the tomato sauce and add the remaining fresh basil, finely chopped.
- Add a layer of tomato and basil sauce to the bottom of the roasting dish, followed by half the filled cannelloni tubes. Add another layer of tomato sauce, followed by the remaining cannelloni.
- Top with the final layer of tomato sauce and pour over the cheese topping. Sprinkle with parmesan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving with a rocket salad.
Nutritional Information per 100g:
15g Fat, 1.6g Saturates, 11g Carbohydrates, 3.6g Sugars, 9.1g Protein, 0.16g Salt
In the mood for more pasta? Check out our round-up of 15 of the best vegan pasta recipes for when you’re craving an Italian feast
