Baked Beef Cannelloni (Print Version)
Oven-baked cannelloni with lean beef, spinach, and creamy tomato sauce, perfect for special dinners or make-ahead meals.
# Ingredients You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 -
2 boxes (7 oz each) oven-ready cannelloni pasta tubes
→ Filling
02 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
03 -
1 lb extra lean ground beef
04 -
4 whole carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
05 -
2 celery stalks, chopped
06 -
1 medium onion, chopped
07 -
3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
08 -
½ cup dry white wine (e.g., Pinot Grigio)
09 -
¾ cup heavy whipping cream (33-36% fat)
10 -
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
11 -
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 -
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
13 -
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
14 -
2 cloves garlic
→ Creamy Tomato Sauce
15 -
2 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes with liquid
16 -
6 cloves garlic
17 -
1 medium onion, chopped
18 -
8 fresh basil leaves
19 -
½ cup heavy whipping cream
20 -
½ teaspoon salt
21 -
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
22 -
¼ cup dry white wine
23 -
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
# Step-by-Step Instructions:
01 -
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray.
02 -
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Sauté chopped onions, celery, and grated carrots until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chopped spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
03 -
In a separate skillet over medium heat, brown the extra lean ground beef until fully cooked. Drain any excess liquid and fat. Combine beef with the cooked vegetable mixture.
04 -
Transfer the beef and vegetable mixture to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped but maintain some texture. Add heavy whipping cream, dry white wine, garlic cloves, chopped Roma tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, and fresh basil. Pulse just until combined, avoiding over-pureeing to retain slight texture.
05 -
Fill cannelloni tubes using a piping bag or a freezer-grade plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Hold tubes upright against a plate bottom while filling to ensure complete filling without overflow. Place filled tubes in a single layer in the prepared baking dishes.
06 -
Place canned diced tomatoes with their liquids in a food processor. Add garlic cloves, chopped onion, basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, dry white wine, heavy cream, and salt. Process in batches if needed until smooth and creamy.
07 -
Pour the creamy tomato sauce evenly over the stuffed cannelloni in both baking dishes, ensuring all pasta shells are fully covered by the sauce. Seal each dish tightly with aluminum foil to create a steam chamber for even cooking.
08 -
Bake covered dishes in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. After baking, allow cannelloni to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce and facilitate serving.
09 -
Optionally, garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves before serving warm.
# Extra Tips & Details:
01 -
Do not stuff cannelloni shells more than 15 minutes before baking to prevent them from absorbing moisture and becoming fragile.
02 -
For make-ahead preparation, bake entire dish, cool, refrigerate, and reheat covered until bubbly to enhance flavors.
03 -
Use a piping bag or plastic bag without a tip to fill shells efficiently and neatly.
04 -
Ensure complete sauce coverage on shells to avoid hard, crunchy pasta after baking.
05 -
Seal baking dishes tightly with foil to retain steam and cook the pasta evenly.
06 -
Drain excess liquid from browned beef and discard extra tomato liquid to prevent watery sauce.
07 -
Pulse filling just enough to be pipeable but retain some texture for better mouthfeel.
08 -
Let cooked cannelloni rest before serving to allow sauce thickening and easier serving.