Preparing stuffed cannelloni: The best recipes for these classics from Bella Italia!

Cannelloni are large tubes of pasta that are usually filled with a mixture of meat, cheese or vegetables and topped with sauce. They are a delicious, hearty dish and are perfect for feeding a large group. This type of pasta is eaten all over Italy: a real comfort food. Find out how to prepare stuffed cannelloni here! We have found the 2 best, classic recipes for you.

Wie macht man Cannelloni ricotta and spinach?

In Italy, cannelloni are usually made from rolled, fresh pasta sheets rather than dry pasta - an advantage because they are much easier to fill without the need for a piping bag.

Our recipe for spinach and ricotta cannelloni is a true Italian classica great winter warmerfor the colder months. The spinach and ricotta-filled cannelloni sit on a bed of garlicky tomato sauce and are topped with creamy béchamel sauce and baked until golden and bubbling. Use a vegetarian parmesan substitute when cooking for vegetarians.

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 3 fresh lasagna sheets, halved, or 6 cannelloni tubes
  • 10 g Parmesan, finely grated

Ingredients for the tomato sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 400 g chopped, peeled canned tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Pfeffer

Ingredients for the filling:

  • 500 g Spinat
  • 250 g Ricotta
  • 10 g Parmesan
  • 1 lemon, peeled
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce:

  • 15 g Butter
  • 15 g Flour
  • 1 Lorbeerblatt
  • 300 ml whole milk, warmed
  • freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 splash of white wine vinegar
  • Salt

Cannelloni with spinach and ricotta - preparation

  • Make a simple tomato sauce: Heat the oil slightly in a pot and add the garlic. As soon as it is soft but does not take on any color (approx. 30 - 45 seconds), add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the spinach in a hot, dry skillet (you may need to work in batches). Squeeze excess water out of the spinach and chop roughly.
  • Mix the spinach with the ricotta and parmesan, then add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • If using fresh pasta, blanch the leavesin boiling waterand then submerge them in ice water.
  • Pat the noodles dry with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel. Place a spoonful or two of the spinach mixture across the width of each leaf, then roll up into cannelloni. If using dried pasta tubes, place the filling in a piping bag and fill the tubes.
  • Pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of a baking dish and place the cannelloni on top. Preheat the oven to 180°C while you prepare the béchamel sauce.
  • Heat the butter and flour in a pan and mix into a paste. Stir for a few minutes to cook out the floury taste, then gradually stir in the warm milk to avoid lumps.
  • Add the bay leaf and season with salt and a dash of vinegar. Simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes to release the flavor, then remove the bay leaf.
  • Pour the béchamel sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes if the pasta is fresh or 45 minutes if dried. Serve hot.

Preparing stuffed cannelloni: recipe for delicious cannelloni di carne

Fresh pasta tubes filled with a rich Bolognese ragout and covered with creamy béchamel sauce? It must be minced meat cannelloni. This traditional Italian recipe is a delicious culinary delightthe whole family will enjoy.

Ingredients (4 servings):

  • 6 large or 12 small sheets of fresh lasagna

Ingredients for the Bolognese sauce:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 1 large red onion, finely diced
  • 200 g mushrooms, diced
  • 2 slices bacon or prosciutto, finely diced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 500g minced beef or mixed minced meat
  • 1 teaspoon beef broth powder
  • 250 ml whole milk
  • 250 ml red wine
  • 400 g whole, peeled canned tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper

Ingredients for the béchamel sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 500 ml milk
  • 100g grated cheddar cheese
  • 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Prepare delicious, filled cannelloni: with minced meat filling

We'll tell you here how you should prepare the filled cannelloni:

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the carrots, celery and red onion to the pan and cook until softened, 5-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bacon or prosciutto, tomato paste and garlic to the pan and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the minced meat and broth powder to the pan and break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fry over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes until the minced meat begins to brown.
  • Pour the milk and red wine into the pan. Crush the canned tomatoes and add them to the pan, stirring well.
  • Stir the oregano, sugar, bay leaf and black pepper into the minced meat mixture and simmer for 20 minutes, until the meat is thick and shiny. Stir occasionally so that the minced meat doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Add additional salt if desired and set aside.
  • When the minced meat sauce is almost finished cooking, prepare the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes.
  • Pour the milk into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer until the sauce bubbles and thickens, then remove from heat. Stir in the cheese, a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg, salt and some black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  • Spread two or three large spoonfuls of the meat mixture in the bottom of an 8x12 inch baking dish. If using large lasagne sheets, divide them in half. Spread each lasagne sheet with 1 tablespoon of béchamel sauce, add about 2 tablespoons of the minced meat mixture to one end and then roll up into a tube. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat this process until all pasta sheets are used up.
  • Loosen the meat sauce with a little broth, wine or water and distribute evenly over the noodles. Thin the remaining béchamel sauce with a splash of milk and distribute evenly over the sauce. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.