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Meat, Italy

Beef and béchamel cannelloni bake

Beef and béchamel cannelloni bake is an Italian style pasta gratin filled with ground beef, topped with tomato sauce, homemade béchamel, and parmesan. This recipe serves 4, takes 75 minutes, is rated medium difficulty, and costs about €3.10 per person. The key is coating every tube in sauce so it bakes soft instead of drying out.

I'm suggesting beef cannelloni, generously filled, baked under a blanket of béchamel, like a Sunday at a nonna's table.

Beef and béchamel cannelloni bake
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Under its golden parmesan crust, this dish hides tender pasta tubes stuffed with a beef filling scented with onion and garlic. The homemade béchamel, lightly spiced with nutmeg, wraps everything in a creaminess that store bought versions never quite reach. The tomato sauce underneath adds the acidity that keeps the bake from feeling heavy.

This is the kind of dish to make on a Sunday, when you have a bit of time and feel like getting your hands into something. Kids tend to love it, between the soft pasta and the golden top, and leftovers reheat beautifully the next day. Mon Chou suggests it for the colder months, when a warm, generous dinner hits the spot.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Cannelloni tubesoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Tomato sauceoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 40 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Ground beef 400 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Green salad 1

Dairy

  • Butter 40 g
  • Milk 50 cl
  • Grated parmesan 60 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the oil, add the ground beef and let it brown well, then let it cool slightly. 12 min

    Let the filling cool a bit, it's easier to handle and won't tear the tubes.

  2. Make the béchamel by melting the butter, stirring in the flour, then adding the milk gradually along with the nutmeg. 8 min

    Pour cold milk onto the hot roux, it's the best way to avoid lumps.

  3. Fill the raw cannelloni tubes with the meat, without packing them too tightly.

    Raw tubes fill more easily than cooked ones, they'll cook through in the sauce.

  4. Spread half the tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish, arrange the cannelloni, then cover with the rest of the sauce, the béchamel, and the parmesan.

    Make sure every tube is covered in sauce, any that poke out will stay hard.

  5. Bake at 180 °C covered with foil, then uncover to brown, and serve with the green salad. 40 min

    Remove the foil for the last ten minutes, the top browns without drying out the tubes.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick ground beef that's not too lean, around 15 to 20 percent fat, so the filling stays moist once it's baked.
  • If your béchamel thickens too fast, whisk in a splash of cold milk off the heat to loosen it before spreading it over the cannelloni.
  • Let the dish rest for 5 minutes once out of the oven, the tubes hold their shape better and slice more cleanly.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for sausage meat or a veal and pork mix for a milder filling.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with chopped spinach and drained ricotta, with a bit of extra parmesan.
  • To go faster with kids, use store bought béchamel and a seasoned tomato sauce, you'll save a good 15 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Sparkling water with lemon

Storage

The cannelloni keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, covered in the baking dish or in a sealed container. They freeze well once baked, laid flat in an airtight container, for up to 2 months. Reheat them in the oven covered with foil at 160 °C so they don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can I use pre cooked cannelloni tubes?

No, this recipe is designed for raw tubes, which are easier to fill and cook directly in the sauce. Pre cooked tubes make it harder for the filling to stick and give a less tender result.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, you can assemble the cannelloni the day before, cover them, and keep them in the fridge. Bake the next day, adding 5 to 10 extra minutes since the dish starts out cold.

How do I avoid lumps in the béchamel?

Pour the cold milk in gradually over the hot roux, whisking constantly. If lumps still form, a vigorous whisk or an immersion blender will smooth it out.

Can I replace the parmesan?

Yes, grated Gruyère or Emmental both work well and brown just as nicely on top. The flavor will be a little milder but the result stays satisfying.

How long does it take to make a beef and béchamel cannelloni bake?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a beef and béchamel cannelloni bake?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a beef and béchamel cannelloni bake cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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