Cannelloni di Tacchino e Spinaci (Turkey and Spinach Cannelloni)
Dried pasta tubes stuffed with turkey, spinach and ricotta, baked under tomato sauce and a creamy white sauce.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and White bechamel sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.20 a head
- Oven190°C (170°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
7 min - 2
Add the turkey and cook for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, 2 minutes. Tip into a bowl.
10 min - 3
Cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the ricotta, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
10 min - 4
Spread the ready made basic tomato sauce (see the base recipe) over the base of a large baking dish.
- 5
Spoon the filling into the dry cannelloni tubes (a piping bag or teaspoon works well) and lay them in the sauce in a single layer.
- 6
Pour over your ready made bechamel sauce (see the base recipe), making sure all the pasta is covered. Scatter with mozzarella and parmesan.
- 7
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for 20 minutes until golden and the pasta is tender. Rest for 5 minutes.
45 min
Tips
- Cool the filling before piping it, otherwise it turns the dry pasta soft and tears it.
- Cover every tube with sauce. Any dry pasta left exposed stays hard.
- Make it a day ahead and bake from cold, adding 10 minutes.
Storing and freezing
Keep unbaked cannelloni covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Baked leftovers keep 2 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer; reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Do I need to pre-cook the cannelloni tubes?
No. Dried tubes soften in the sauce as it bakes, as long as they are fully covered and the dish is wrapped in foil for the first half.
Can I use chicken mince?
Yes. Chicken or turkey mince both work the same way, cooked until no pink remains before it goes into the tubes.
Can I make it dairy free?
Not easily with ricotta and bechamel. A dairy free white sauce and a dairy free soft cheese can be used, but check each label.
More made with basic tomato sauce
Makaronia me Kima (Greek Spaghetti with Spiced Beef Sauce)
EFNFHarissa Prawn Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes
DFEFNFCostine di Maiale al Pomodoro (Pork Ribs Braised in Tomato Sauce)
GFDFEFPolpettone al Pomodoro (Italian Meatloaf Baked in Tomato Sauce)
NFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.