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+ servings
Vegan cannelloni

Get the Recipe: Vegan Cannelloni Recipe

The best vegan cannelloni recipe with spinach, Bechamel, and a rich tomato sauce! Featuring simple ingredients, this meal is cheesy, savory and perfect for an impressive dinner.
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

  • 12 cannelloni tubes
  • 1/3 cup vegan cheese, grated, optional

For the filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion
  • 4 oz mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup plant based milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups spinach

For the tomato sauce

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 oz tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 can canned tomatoes
  • 1 cup spinach , chopped

For the Bechamel sauce

  • 1/4 cup vegan butter
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 cups plant based milk

Equipment

  • Frying pan
  • Saucepan
  • Conventional oven
  • Rectangular baking dish

Instructions 

Make the cannelloni filling

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add an onion and mushrooms, and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
    1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 large onion, 4 oz mushrooms
  • Now add the plant based milk, salt, cumin and flour. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens, and at the end add a handful of spinach. When the spinach wilts, remove from the heat and set aside.
    1/2 cup plant based milk, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp flour, 2 cups spinach

Make the tomato sauce

  • Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat and add the onion, paprika, garlic powder, salt and tomato paste. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened and fragrant.
    1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 large onion, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • Then, add the fresh tomatoes and cook for a few minutes more, and when they soften add the canned tomatoes and spinach. Stir for around 4-5 minutes, until the sauce reduces and the spinach wilts.
    4 oz tomatoes, 1/2 can canned tomatoes, 1 cup spinach

Make the Bechamel

  • Melt the dairy-free butter over a medium heat. Then, add the flour and whisk vigorously for around 30 seconds.
    1/4 cup vegan butter, 1/2 cup flour
  • Gradually add plant based milk around 1/3 cup at a time, whisking until thickened before adding more. Remove from the heat once you've added all the milk and the Bechamel had thickened fully.
    2 cups plant based milk

Assemble and bake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
  • Add around 1/2 of the Bechamel sauce to the bottom of a baking baking dish. Then, add the mushroom sauce to the cannelloni. You can do this by adding the sauce to a ziplock bag and cutting off the corner, or using a small spoon.Then, add the rest of the Bechamel on top, followed by the tomato sauce.
    12 cannelloni tubes
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes uncovered, then remove, add optional grated vegan cheese on top, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes more. Serve immediately, or store for later.
    1/3 cup vegan cheese

Video

Notes

How to store and reheat
  • To store in the fridge, keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave until fully warmed through.
  • This is also a great freezer-friendly recipe. You can transfer them to freezer-friendly bags with the filling for up to 2-3 months. Then, when ready to bake, make the tomato sauce and the Bechamel, and assemble/bake as instructed, simply adding 10 minutes extra of baking time.
Recipe notes
  • Feel free to add any other vegetables of your choice to the filling. For instance, zucchini and bell peppers work really well. Just make sure to dice them quite finely to make it easy to add to the cannelloni.
  • Make the Bechamel sauce last because it'll start to clump up quite quickly if you allow it to sit on the counter for too long. To save time, make the mushroom & spinach filling and the tomato sauce simultaneously.
  • The Bechamel and tomato sauce combination works well with any pasta variety of your choice. Simply prepare the Bechamel as instructed above, then mix with uncooked pasta of your choice and transfer to a baking dish. Then, add the tomato sauce on top and bake as you would the cannelloni.
Calories: 477kcal, Carbohydrates: 60g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1156mg, Potassium: 691mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 3306IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 264mg, Iron: 4mg