Spinach and Ricotta Enchiladas

This blog post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

These creamy spinach enchiladas are a bit of a hybrid recipe (and I do love my hybrid recipes… curry + pizza? chilli + mac and cheese? huevos rancheros + shakshuka?).

They are a perfect halfway point between regular vegetarian enchiladas, and spinach and ricotta cannelloni – they’re essentially Italian enchiladas! And what could possibly be bad about combining two of the best cuisines of all time, Italian and Tex-Mex?!

Spinach and ricotta enchiladas on a plate with arugula.

I always think of cannelloni as being a bit of a faff to make, but actually, these spinach enchiladas only took about 20 minutes to prepare, plus a bit of baking time. And the pay-off is oh-so-worth it. The spinach filling of these veggie enchiladas is luxuriously creamy, the perfect contrast to the rich tomatoey sauce. And any dish with a crispy, cheesy topping gets a thumbs up from me.

A baking dish of spinach and ricotta enchiladas with a portion removed.

🇮🇹 What is Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni?

If you don’t already know, cannelloni are long, wide tubes of pasta, which are often filled with a creamy spinach and ricotta filling. The tubes are then baked in tomato sauce, with a cheesy topping – it is incredible.

However, making homemade cannelloni isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes it can be tricky to get the filling inside the raw pasta tubes – often people use some sort of piping bag. But simply rolling tortillas around the filling is a lot simpler!

Spinach and ricotta cannelloni is already one of my favourite dishes of all time, but these spinach enchiladas are quite possibly even better.

Yep, I said it.

Sign up to get recipes by email, and get a FREE e-cookbook!

(1-2 emails per week, no spam)

.

🥗 Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe. See the printable recipe card below for detailed ingredient quantities.

Ingredients for spinach and ricotta enchiladas laid out with text overlay.
  • flour tortillas
  • spinach – you could use frozen spinach if you prefer, but make sure you squeeze out the water after it’s cooked, as it releases a lot more liquid than fresh spinach does.
  • ricotta cheese
  • tomato sauce – choose a tasty one! I used a good quality tomato pasta sauce with garlic and basil.
  • basil pesto – again, a good quality pesto can really amp up this dish!
  • black olives – totally optional if you’re not an olive fan, but I love them, and they bring a lot of flavour to the dish!
  • grated cheese – I used a mixture of mozzarella (for meltiness) and cheddar (for flavour).
  • cherry tomatoes

Becca’s Top Tip

You could quite easily add some extra vegetables to these enchiladas if you want to. Some chopped mushrooms would be great, or some grated courgette (zucchini). Cook them off in a frying pan before adding them to the spinach mixture, to stop the enchiladas from getting too soggy.


📹 Recipe Video

Overhead shot of creamy spinach enchiladas topped with cheese and tomatoes.

🖨️ Printable Instructions

A portion of spinach and ricotta enchiladas on a plate with arugula.

Spinach and Ricotta Enchiladas

These creamy spinach and ricotta enchiladas are a variation on the classic cannelloni dish – the perfect cheesy vegetarian casserole!

If you’ve cooked this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star rating!

5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Comment
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 599kcal
Author: Becca Heyes

Ingredients

  • 200 g (~ 7 oz) fresh spinach
  • 250 g (~ 1 cup) ricotta cheese
  • 1 Tbsp basil pesto
  • 2 Tbsp sliced black olives (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 340 g (~ 1 1/3 cups) good quality tomato pasta sauce
  • 6 medium flour tortillas (~ 8 inches)
  • 125 g (~ 1 1/4 cups) grated cheese – I used a mozzarella and cheddar mix
  • ~ 5 cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4 / 350°F).
  • Place the spinach in a large microwaveable bowl, and cook in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes, stirring halfway. The spinach should be fairly wilted. If there’s a lot of excess water in the bowl, drain it away, then add the ricotta cheese, pesto, black olives (if using), and black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
    Creamy spinach and ricotta mixture in a mixing bowl.
  • Spread a couple of Tablespoons of tomato sauce over the bottom of your baking dish. My dish measured approx. 8 x 8 inches, and was the perfect fit for the 8 inch tortillas.
    Tomato sauce spread around the base of a baking dish.
  • Lay out a tortilla, and spoon around a sixth of the spinach mixture along the centre.
    A flour tortilla on a chopping board with creamy spinach on top.
  • Roll the tortilla around the filling, and lay it into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling mixture.
    Rolled tortillas stuffed with creamy spinach and laid in a baking dish.
  • Top the tortillas in the baking dish with the remaining tomato sauce, and spread it around to cover.
    A dish of enchiladas smothered with tomato sauce.
  • Top with grated cheese and halved cherry tomatoes.
    Uncooked enchiladas topped with mozzarella and tomatoes.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the cheese is crisped up to your liking.
    A baking dish of spinach enchiladas topped with crispy cheese and cherry tomatoes.
  • Serve warm with your choice of side dishes – I served mine with some fresh rocket (arugula).
    Creamy spinach and ricotta enchiladas on a plate with a cheesy topping.

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Spinach and Ricotta Enchiladas
Amount Per Serving (1 portion)
Calories 599 Calories from Fat 212
% Daily Value*
Fat 23.6g36%
Saturated Fat 10.1g51%
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 921mg38%
Potassium 641mg18%
Carbohydrates 66.5g22%
Fiber 8.4g34%
Sugar 11.9g13%
Protein 29.1g58%
Calcium 518mg52%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

Tried this Recipe? Leave a Comment!Comments and star ratings really help support the site – thank you!

💭 Recipe FAQs

Can I prepare these spinach enchiladas in advance?

You could easily prepare the filling mixture in advance – but to avoid the tortillas from becoming too soggy, I would assemble the dish just before baking. Alternatively, you could cook the dish in its entirety, then reheat to serve.

Can I freeze these enchiladas?

I haven’t personally tried freezing this recipe, but I have frozen enchiladas in the past, and they generally freeze and reheat nicely. Cook the recipe fully then cool and freeze in an airtight tub.

How should I reheat leftover enchiladas?

My personal preference is to reheat leftover enchiladas in the microwave, because it’s quick and convenient. They can also be reheated in the oven at a low temperature, but this can make them dry out a little.

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




2 Comments

  1. I loved this new recipe from Becca! I made it for the first time last week and was bowled over – another great evening meal! As usual I added a few extras to bulk it up even more – a couple of peppers and a few mushrooms worked a treat. I’ll definitely be cooking this one again!5 stars