James Martin Beef Cannelloni

This hearty beef cannelloni is comfort food at its best: tender pasta tubes packed with a rich, slow-simmered beef ragù, then baked under a silky béchamel and a golden cheese topping. The flavours are deep and classic, with that proper Sunday-lunch feel, but the method is straightforward once you break it into simple stages. I’d call this a medium-difficulty bake, mainly because you make two sauces, but every step is beginner-friendly. Total time is about 1 hour 30 minutes, and most of that is hands-off simmering and baking.

Ingredients

For the beef ragù filling

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
• 500g beef mince (10–15% fat is ideal for flavour)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml red wine (optional, but adds depth)
• 400g chopped tomatoes (1 tin)
• 200ml beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

For the béchamel sauce

• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk, warmed
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the pasta and topping

• 12–14 dried cannelloni tubes (about 250g)
• 125g mozzarella, torn or grated
• 40g Parmesan, finely grated
• Butter or oil, for greasing the dish

How to Make Beef Cannelloni

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the cannelloni bakes evenly and the cheese turns golden without scorching.
• Start the ragù base: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and sweet. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
• Brown the beef: Add the mince and cook until properly browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Take a couple of extra minutes here because good browning is where the flavour comes from.
• Build the sauce: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine (if using) and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, oregano, sugar (if using), salt and pepper.
• Simmer until thick: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25–35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the ragù is thick and spoonable. If it still looks loose, simmer for a little longer. Remove the bay leaf.
• Cool the filling: Tip the ragù into a bowl and leave it for 10–15 minutes so it cools slightly. This makes filling the tubes easier and helps prevent splits.
• Make the béchamel: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a splash at a time, until smooth. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, whisking often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Fill the cannelloni: Spoon the ragù into a piping bag (or a freezer bag with the corner snipped). Pipe the filling into each cannelloni tube, working over a tray so it stays tidy.
• Assemble: Lightly grease a deep baking dish (around 30 x 20cm). Spoon a thin layer of béchamel onto the base. Arrange the filled cannelloni in a single layer, snugly packed. Pour the remaining béchamel over the top, making sure the pasta is fully covered right to the edges.
• Add the topping: Scatter over the mozzarella and Parmesan. If you like a darker, crispier top, add an extra tablespoon of Parmesan.
• Bake: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until bubbling and golden. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final 10 minutes.
• Rest and serve: Leave the dish to stand for 10 minutes before serving. This helps everything settle so the portions slice cleanly and the filling stays put.

Tips

Why is my cannelloni still hard in the middle?

This nearly always comes down to coverage. Dried cannelloni needs to be completely surrounded by sauce to soften properly. Make sure the béchamel reaches the edges of the dish and fully covers every tube. If needed, add a splash of milk to loosen the béchamel so it spreads easily.

How do I stop the filling from leaking out?

Let the ragù thicken and cool slightly before filling. A loose, hot sauce will push out of the tubes as it bakes. Packing the tubes snugly in the dish also helps them hold their shape.

Can I make the béchamel without lumps?

Warm milk and gradual whisking are the trick. Add the milk a little at a time at first, whisking until smooth before adding more. If you do get a few lumps, a quick blitz with a stick blender fixes it in seconds.

How do I get a properly golden, bubbling top?

Use a mix of mozzarella for that stretchy melt and Parmesan for colour and flavour. Bake on the middle shelf, then finish with 2–3 minutes under the grill if you want deeper browning (keep a close eye on it).

Serving Suggestions

• Garlic bread and a crisp green salad with a sharp lemon dressing
• Roasted broccoli or green beans with a little olive oil and sea salt
• A simple tomato salad with basil to cut through the richness
• Extra Parmesan at the table and black pepper over each portion

Storage

Room temperature

Let the dish cool, then don’t leave it out for more than 2 hours. After that, refrigerate to keep it safe and at its best.

Refrigerator

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C (160°C fan) for 15–20 minutes until piping hot. Cover with foil so the top does not overbrown.

Freezing

You can freeze baked portions for up to 3 months. Wrap well or store in freezer containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven until fully hot all the way through.

Nutrition

• Calories: 720 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 58 g
• Protein: 40 g
• Fat: 36 g
• Saturated fat: 16 g
• Sodium: 980 mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the ingredients you use and your portion sizes.

FAQs

Beef Cannelloni

Recipe by Milli Rose

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Total time

90

minutes

Calories

720

kcal

1

hour 

30

minutes

Rich beef ragù stuffed into cannelloni tubes, topped with creamy béchamel and bubbling cheese for a classic, comforting baked pasta dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped

• 1 celery stick, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed

• 500g beef mince (10–15% fat works best)

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 150ml red wine (optional)

• 400g chopped tomatoes (1 tin)

• 200ml beef stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances acidity)

• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

• 12–14 dried cannelloni tubes (about 250g)

• 50g unsalted butter

• 50g plain flour

• 600ml whole milk, warmed

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 125g mozzarella, torn or grated

• 40g Parmesan, finely grated

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Lightly grease a deep baking dish (about 30 x 20cm).
• Make the ragù: soften onion, carrot, celery and garlic in olive oil for 8–10 minutes. Add beef mince and brown well. Stir in tomato purée, then wine (if using). Add chopped tomatoes, stock, bay, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper. Simmer 25–35 minutes until thick.
• Cool the filling slightly, then spoon into a piping bag (or freezer bag with the corner snipped).
• Make the béchamel: melt butter, stir in flour for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in warm milk. Simmer 3–5 minutes until thick. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Assemble: spread a thin layer of béchamel in the dish. Fill cannelloni tubes with ragù and arrange snugly. Pour remaining béchamel over, making sure pasta is fully covered. Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Bake 30–35 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• A thick ragù is key. If it looks wet, simmer a little longer before filling.
• Cover all pasta with sauce so it cooks through without drying out.
• Resting after baking helps the portions hold their shape.