Have you ever totally screwed up a recipe, but it turned out completely amazing anyway? Then afterwards you had no idea what you did wrong, but it was soo good that you desperately wanted to recreate it? Well, that happened to me with this Stuffed Beef Cannelloni recipe. And I have spent years trying to screw it up again, just like I did the first time. Well, I’m happy to report that I finally had success and now I’m sharing it with you!
I like to make extra special meals for special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and Valentine’s Day or simply because I’m having people over for dinner. But like most people, I’ve got a busy life and don’t always have the time to leisurely cook right before company comes; nor do I like that ‘pressure’. Therefore, I need an arsenal of make-ahead and reheat recipes to pick from. This cannelloni recipe is now a member of that elite group! And it only took about 8 years….
When I made this recipe the first time, I remember knowing I screwed it up when I added whipping cream to the sauce (and it wasn’t supposed to be in the sauce) but it was more than that. Plus it looked nothing like the photo. However, I didn’t write down amounts and it was a couple years before I made it again so it was hard to remember. But I do remember that it tasted great! So, I just kept trying different permutations and combinations until I got it to how I remember it all those years ago.
Stuffed Cannelloni
If you enjoy stuffing things then stuffed cannelloni is for you! And if it’s not your first love, don’t worry because it’s actually easier than making most stuffed pastas, perogies or dumplings because these cannelloni tubes are easy to stuff; simply spoon in the filling! And I guarantee that it’s totally worth the effort in the end!!
I love this recipe because it’s a unique cannelloni filling; this one doesn’t have ricotta. Instead, it has a pureed mixture of beef, onions, carrots, spinach and fresh basil. Because if I’m going to eat pasta, I’m going to feel a whole lot better about it if it contains more than one vegetable. And this Beef and Vegetable Cannelloni makes me feel sooo good!
I love to serve this Baked Beef & Spinach Cannelloni with my Caesar salad (minus the chicken) and depending on the occasion, my Chocolate Italian SpongeCake, Red Wine Strawberry Chocolate Fudge Cake or my No Bake Black Forest Tiramisu for dessert. But whatever you serve this Baked Beef Cannelloni with, it’s sure to be loved!
And if you adore easy pasta, then give my Easy Make-Ahead Homemade Lasagna a try!
Stuffed Beef Cannelloni
Ingredients
- 2 200g box of oven ready cannelloni * I use Catelli Express important to use oven ready
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb extra lean ground beef 8oz or 1 3/4 cp
- 4 whole carrots peeled and grated
- 2 stalk celery chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cups fresh spinach washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 roma tomatoes chopped
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Creamy Tomato Sauce
- 2 -28 oz - can stewed tomatoes
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 8 leaves fresh basil
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 X 13 inch baking dish (lasagna dish) with non-stick cooking spray.
Filling:
- In a frying pan, over medium heat, sautee onions, celery and grated carrot with olive oil until soft. Add spinach and cook for 3 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook ground beef over medium heat, in separate frying pan until browned. Then mix with veggie mixture.
- Place meat/veggie mixture in food processor and process until finely chopped. Add whipping cream, white wine, roma tomatoes, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and basil and pulse (in food processor) just until combined.
- Stuff each cannelloni with mixture until full, but not overflowing. The best way to do this is to hold the tubes upright (where the bottom is flush against the bottom of your hand.)
- Then using a small teaspoon, spoon in the filling to the top and gently lay the tubes in the prepared 9 x 13 inch baking dish in a single layer. Then add the 2nd layer.
Creamy Tomato Sauce
- Place stewed tomatoes with liquids in food processor and add garlic and onion, basil leaves , parmesan cheese, white wine and whipping cream.
- Pour creamy tomato sauce over stuffed, uncooked oven ready cannelloni tubes.
- Cover pan with aluminum foil and seal around edges (*this is very important) and bake for 50 minutes in preheated oven. Serve warm.
Garnish
- Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and/or fresh basil if desired.
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