Baked Beef Cannelloni (Printer-Friendly)
A hearty Italian classic featuring ground beef, spinach, and velvety creamy tomato sauce baked in pasta tubes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 -
2 boxes (7 oz each) oven-ready cannelloni pasta
→ Filling
02 -
2 tablespoons olive oil
03 -
1 lb extra lean ground beef
04 -
4 whole carrots, grated (2 cups)
05 -
2 stalks celery, chopped
06 -
1 medium onion, chopped
07 -
3 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
08 -
½ cup dry white wine
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
# Steps to Follow:
01 -
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9x13 inch baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray.
02 -
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté chopped onions, celery, and grated carrots with olive oil until softened. Add spinach and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
03 -
In a separate skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain excess fat and liquids, then combine with sautéed vegetables.
04 -
Place combined vegetable and beef mixture in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not fully pureed. Add whipping cream, white wine, garlic, chopped Roma tomatoes, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and basil. Pulse just until incorporated, maintaining some texture for piping.
05 -
Using a piping bag or large ziplock bag with end cut off, fill each cannelloni shell until full but not overflowing. Place filled shells upright on a plate to ensure complete filling, then lay them gently in single layers in prepared baking dishes.
06 -
In a food processor, combine canned diced tomatoes with liquid, garlic cloves, onion, basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, white wine, whipping cream, and salt. Process until smooth. Pour sauce evenly over stuffed cannelloni in both baking dishes.
07 -
Cover dishes tightly with aluminum foil to create a sealed steam environment. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes.
08 -
Allow baked cannelloni to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional grated Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
Do not stuff cannelloni more than 15 to 20 minutes before baking to prevent shells from becoming too soft and breaking.
02 -
For make-ahead convenience, bake the entire dish in advance, cool, refrigerate, and reheat covered with foil until bubbly.
03 -
Use a piping bag for efficient and clean filling of the cannelloni tubes.
04 -
Ensure full sauce coverage on pasta to avoid hard, crunchy edges.
05 -
Seal foil tightly to maintain steam and cook pasta evenly.
06 -
Drain excess fat and tomato liquid to keep sauce rich and creamy.
07 -
Pulse filling in food processor until chunky enough to pipe but not too smooth.
08 -
Let the dish rest after baking to allow sauce thickening and easier serving.