Cannelloni substitutes
Cannelloni substitutes — 6 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Lasagne sheets, rolled
1 sheet for every cannelloni tube
Lasagne sheets rolled around the filling are the best substitute for cannelloni tubes, and one sheet replaces one tube. Manicotti is the same product under its Italian-American name, ridged rather than smooth, and swaps tube for tube. Jumbo pasta shells hold the same filling and need only a spoon. The tube itself brings no flavour: it is a casing that holds filling and softens by drinking liquid out of the sauce. That last point is the one that catches people out, so whatever you use, make sure it is completely covered in sauce and keep the dish covered while it bakes.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- What changes —
- similar taste, different texture
- Best for —
- spinach and ricotta filling
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of cannelloni | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lasagne sheets, rolledspinach and ricotta filling | 1 sheet per cannelloni tubeTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Manicotti tubesricotta filling | 1 tube for 1 tubeWorks | Works |
| 3 | Fresh egg pasta sheets, rolledspecial occasion bakes | 1 sheet per tube, trimmed to sizeTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)ricotta filling | 3 to 4 shells per cannelloni tubeTweak it | Tweak it |
| 5 | Crespelle or thin savoury pancakesspinach and ricotta | 1 pancake per tubeTweak it | Tweak it |
| 6 | Large rigatoni or paccheri stood uprightpresentation | Enough tubes to fill the dish, by volumeTweak it | Tweak it |
Lasagne sheets, rolled
similar taste, different texture
Soften the sheets, spread filling down the middle, roll them up and bake seam side down.
- Best for
- spinach and ricotta filling, beef ragu filling, bechamel bakes, feeding a crowd
The most practical substitute and usually already in the cupboard. For dried sheets, either boil three to four minutes or soak in hot water until pliable; fresh sheets need nothing. The result has more pasta wrapped around less filling, giving a softer, layered bite rather than a firm casing with a soft centre, and it is far easier than piping tubes.
Manicotti tubes
similar taste and texture
The Italian-American version of the same pasta: large ridged tubes, usually a touch wider.
- Best for
- ricotta filling, meat filling, tomato and bechamel bakes
Effectively the same dish. The ridges hold a little more sauce on the outside so the finished bake looks more rustic, and the wider bore takes slightly more filling per tube, so you may need fewer tubes than the recipe says. Manicotti normally has to be boiled first, unlike most oven-ready cannelloni, so follow the box in front of you.
Fresh egg pasta sheets, rolled
enhanced taste, different texture
Sheets of fresh pasta from the chiller cabinet, cut into rectangles and rolled.
- Best for
- special occasion bakes, spinach and ricotta, delicate fillings
The best-eating option on this list. Fresh egg pasta is thinner and far more tender than a dried tube, so the bake turns silky and the filling dominates in a good way. It needs no pre-cooking, but it also absorbs sauce fast, so use a thicker sauce, do not over-bake, and be aware the dish will not hold its shape as neatly when served.
Jumbo pasta shells (conchiglioni)
similar taste, different texture
Big cupped shells you can spoon filling into with no piping bag.
- Best for
- ricotta filling, quick assembly, family meals
Much quicker to assemble than tubes. Because the filling sits open to the air, the top of it browns and takes on colour under the grated cheese instead of steaming inside a casing, which gives a slightly more baked, cheesier flavour. There is less pasta per bite, so the dish tastes richer and more filling-forward than cannelloni.
Crespelle or thin savoury pancakes
enhanced taste, different texture
Thin unsweetened crepes rolled around the filling, the traditional version in parts of Italy.
- Best for
- spinach and ricotta, dinner party dishes, very tender bakes
Tender and eggy rather than chewy, so the dish becomes delicate and almost like a savoury layered pudding. Nothing needs boiling and nothing splits. They soak up sauce quickly, so keep the sauce on the thick side and bake them the same day you assemble, or the pancakes turn to mush.
Large rigatoni or paccheri stood upright
similar taste, different texture
Short wide tubes packed on end in the dish and piped full of filling.
- Best for
- presentation, meat filling, make-ahead bakes
The fiddliest option here but it does work and it looks impressive. Expect a much chewier dish with far more pasta relative to filling, and set aside a good twenty minutes for the piping. Undercook the tubes firmly so they stay upright rather than slumping, and pipe a soft, smooth filling; anything coarse will block the bag.
Questions
5 questionsCan I use lasagne sheets instead of cannelloni tubes?
Yes, and it is the substitute most cooks reach for. Soften the sheets in hot water or boil them briefly, spread the filling along one edge, roll them up and lay them seam side down in the sauce. One sheet replaces one tube and nothing can split or tear.
Are cannelloni and manicotti the same thing?
Practically, yes. Cannelloni is the Italian name for the smooth tube, manicotti the Italian-American name for a slightly wider ridged version. Swap them tube for tube. The one thing to check is the cooking method, since cannelloni is often sold oven-ready and manicotti usually needs boiling first.
Do I need to boil cannelloni before filling it?
It depends entirely on the box. Oven-ready and no-boil tubes are designed to hydrate in the sauce and turn gummy if you boil them first. Traditional dried tubes need two to three minutes of boiling, no more, so they stay firm enough to hold filling.
Can I just leave the pasta out?
You can bake the filling with sauce and cheese, but you get a baked ricotta or a meat gratin rather than cannelloni. For a closer result without pasta, roll the filling inside roasted aubergine or courgette slices; just expect more liquid in the dish, since vegetables release water while pasta absorbs it.
Why was my cannelloni still hard in the middle?
Almost always not enough sauce or not enough covering. Dried tubes finish cooking by drawing water out of the sauce, so a thick sauce or an uncovered dish leaves them underdone. Loosen the sauce with a splash of water or stock, bury the tubes, cover with foil and give it longer.
Tips for substituting cannelloni
5 tips- Oven-ready or no-boil cannelloni must not be boiled, and it needs more liquid than a boiled tube. Thin the sauce a little, make sure every tube is buried in it, cover the dish tightly with foil for most of the bake, and it will hydrate well.
- Cover the tubes completely, ends included. Any pasta poking out of the sauce cannot absorb liquid and bakes into something hard and chalky, which is the single most common cannelloni failure.
- Pipe the filling with a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a corner cut off, and fill from both ends toward the middle. Spooning filling into a long tube is slow, messy and usually ends with a split tube.
- Cannelloni and canneloni are the same thing, one spelling just drops an n, and manicotti is the same pasta with ridges. A recipe naming any of them will work with any of the others.
- Let the finished dish rest ten to fifteen minutes out of the oven before serving. Straight from the heat the filling is molten and the tubes slide apart; after resting you can lift out whole portions.