Beef cannelloni is a classic and delicious recipe that never goes out of style. Along with Lasagne alla Bolognese and Tortellini, it’s one of the key dishes of traditional Emilian cuisine.
Often enjoyed on holidays or family Sundays, its simple yet rich flavor can make any day feel special!
Cannelloni is a type of pasta, known for its large, tube-like shape. It’s perfect for stuffing with a flavorful filling. While cannelloni can be made with fresh egg pasta, today we're using the classic dried version.
The pasta is filled with a savory meat and sausage mixture, placed in a baking dish, then topped with tomato sauce, creamy béchamel, and a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano cheese. Once baked, the dish forms a golden, bubbly crust, and the filling blends beautifully with the pasta.
As with many traditional Italian dishes, there are different versions of cannelloni depending on the region. You might find vegetarian varieties or the cannelloni filled with ricotta and spinach. But today, I’m sharing the traditional Italian beef cannelloni recipe with you. It’s easy to make, and the secret to success lies in using high-quality ingredients!
You can quickly assemble the cannelloni in the baking dish, and they’ll be ready to pop in the oven. Like pasta al forno, these are delicious whether served hot or warm.
Plus, they’re convenient—you can prepare them the day before and refrigerate them, or bake them ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve!
Try this recipe! It's perfect for Sunday lunches, special occasions, family dinners, Christmas meals, or even buffets!
Ingredients
- Prep Time: 1 H
- Cook Time: 40 Min
- Servings: 4
Ingredients for about 14-16 cannelloni (3-4 cannelloni per serving)
For the Cannelloni
- 14-16 cannelloni. Try this Italian brand, Cannelloni by Divella
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 500 ml (~2 cups) of fresh whole milk
- 40 g (~⅓ stick) of unsalted butter
- 40 g (4 tablespoons) of all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- nutmeg (optional)
The Beef Filling
- 250 g (~½ pound) of ground beef
- 150 g (⅓ pound) of sausage
- 400 g (1 ¾ cup) of tomato passata
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 small carrot
- ⅓ cup of dry white wine
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
For the Tomato Sauce
- 500 ml (about 2 cups) of tomato passata that you can make with our fantastic recipe or buy it already made, ready to use. We recommend Mutti Tomato Puree (Passata)
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 or 3 fresh basil leaves
- salt to taste
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
The Bechamel Sauce
The béchamel sauce I’m about to make is on the runnier side, which helps the cannelloni cook through and stay soft after baking. While you can buy ready-made béchamel, trust me, homemade béchamel is incredibly easy to make and so much tastier. Let’s see how to prepare it!
Step 1) - Start by making a "roux," which is a simple mixture of butter and flour. In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the flour. Use a whisk to stir continuously, making sure to break up any lumps.
Step 2) - Heat the milk in a separate saucepan until it’s warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and slowly pour the warm milk into the roux, whisking quickly to combine everything smoothly.
Step 3) - Put the pan back on the heat and add a pinch of salt and a little nutmeg (optional). Keep stirring over medium heat until the béchamel reaches the consistency you want. In this case, it should stay a little runny to help with the cooking process. If it turns out too thick, don’t worry—just add a little more milk and cook it for a bit longer until it’s perfect.
Once your sauce is ready, cover it with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. You can store it in the fridge for a couple of days if needed, but remember to keep the wrap directly on the béchamel.
For more informations and insights see our recipe: how to make Béchamel sauce (Besciamella)
The Tomato Sauce
Let’s prepare a simple and delicious tomato sauce. You can make this sauce 1 or 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. It also freezes well, so you can store any extra for later.
In a pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add a clove of garlic and let it gently fry until it becomes golden, which will add a nice flavor to the oil.
Once the garlic is fragrant, pour in the tomato passata and add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
Tear up some fresh basil leaves and add them to the sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and let the sauce simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally, and you’ll know it’s ready when the sauce thickens up nicely.
Prepare the Filling
Step 1) - To prepare the meat filling for the cannelloni, start by finely chopping the carrot, the stalk of celery, and the onion. Make sure the vegetables are diced very small so they blend well into the filling.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped vegetables. Let them sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
Next, remove the casing from the sausage and add it to the pan with the vegetables. Use a fork to break the sausage into small pieces, ensuring it cooks evenly. Let it brown for about two minutes.
Step 2) - Then, add the ground meat to the pan. Stir everything together so the ground meat mixes well with the sausage and vegetables. Cook for a few minutes until the meat starts to change color and brown.
Step 3) - Once the meat is browned, pour in the wine and increase the heat to high. Let it cook for about three minutes, allowing the wine to evaporate completely. This step is important to burn off the alcohol and keep only the flavor.
After the wine has evaporated, add the tomato passata. Stir the mixture well, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4) - Once the sauce begins to simmer, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and let the filling cook slowly for about 40 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.
By the end of the cooking time, the filling should be creamy and thick. If it still looks too watery, you can continue cooking it uncovered for a few more minutes until it reaches the right consistency.
Assemble and Prepare the Beef Cannelloni
Step 1) - To assemble and prepare the beef cannelloni, start by taking a baking dish and spreading a few spoonfuls of béchamel sauce across the bottom.
After that, spoon two or three tablespoons of tomato sauce over the béchamel, making sure it’s evenly distributed.
Step 2) - Now, take the cannelloni tubes and fill them with the cooled beef mixture. You can use a small spoon to carefully pack the filling into each tube, making sure it’s full but not overflowing.
Once filled, line the cannelloni up neatly in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
Step 3) - When all the cannelloni are arranged in the dish, cover them with another layer of béchamel sauce, ensuring each piece is coated.
Then, add a few more spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the béchamel.
Finally, generously sprinkle grated Parmigiano cheese over the top, which will form a delicious golden crust when baked.
Step 4) - Place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F), setting it on the middle rack. Let the cannelloni bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
Once they are done baking, remove the cannelloni from the oven. Let them rest for a few minutes to cool slightly before serving, so the flavors can settle and the dish is easier to handle.
Storage
Storing Beef Cannelloni Before Cooking
To store beef cannelloni before cooking, you can assemble the dish as directed but stop before baking.
Once the cannelloni are prepared in the baking dish with the sauces and cheese on top, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking.
If you need to store it for longer, freeze the uncooked cannelloni by wrapping the dish well and placing it in the freezer.
When you're ready to cook them, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as usual.
Storing Beef Cannelloni After Cooking
After cooking, if you have leftover beef cannelloni, let them cool completely before storing.
Transfer the cooled cannelloni to an airtight container or cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil. You can refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can either microwave individual portions or place the entire dish back in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until warmed through.
Freezing Cooked Beef Cannelloni
If you'd like to freeze the cooked cannelloni, first let them cool, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.
They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
When reheating frozen cannelloni, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F) until hot and bubbling.
Recipe Card

Traditional Italian Beef Cannelloni Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cannelloni
- 16 pasta - cannelloni
For the Bechamel Sauce
- 500 ml milk - ~2 cups fresh and whole
- 40 g unsalted butter - ~⅓ stick
- 40 g flour - 4 tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- nutmeg - optional
The Meat Filling
- 250 g ground beef - ~½ pound
- 150 g sausage - ⅓ pound
- 400 g tomato passata - 1 ¾ cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 1 onion - small
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 carrot - small
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- salt - to taste
- black pepper - to taste
For the Tomato Sauce
- 500 ml tomato passata - ~2 cups
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 3 basil leaves
- salt - to taste
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese - grated
Instructions
The Bechamel Sauce
- The béchamel sauce I’m about to make is on the runnier side, which helps the cannelloni cook through and stay soft after baking. Start by making a "roux," which is a simple mixture of butter and flour. In a pan, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the flour. Use a whisk to stir continuously, making sure to break up any lumps.
- Heat the milk in a separate saucepan until it’s warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and slowly pour the warm milk into the roux, whisking quickly to combine everything smoothly.
- Put the pan back on the heat and add a pinch of salt and a little nutmeg (optional). Keep stirring over medium heat until the béchamel reaches the consistency you want. In this case, it should stay a little runny to help with the cooking process. If it turns out too thick, don’t worry—just add a little more milk and cook it for a bit longer until it’s perfect.
- Once your sauce is ready, cover it with plastic wrap, making sure the wrap touches the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. You can store it in the fridge for a couple of days if needed, but remember to keep the wrap directly on the béchamel.
The Tomato Sauce
- Let’s prepare a simple and delicious tomato sauce. You can make this sauce 1 or 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. It also freezes well, so you can store any extra for later. In a pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Add a clove of garlic and let it gently fry until it becomes golden, which will add a nice flavor to the oil.
- Once the garlic is fragrant, pour in the tomato passata and add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors.
- Tear up some fresh basil leaves and add them to the sauce. Cover the pan with a lid and let the sauce simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally, and you’ll know it’s ready when the sauce thickens up nicely.
Prepare the Filling
- To prepare the meat filling for the cannelloni, start by finely chopping the carrot, the stalk of celery, and the onion. Make sure the vegetables are diced very small so they blend well into the filling.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the chopped vegetables. Let them sauté for about a minute, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften.
- Next, remove the casing from the sausage and add it to the pan with the vegetables. Use a fork to break the sausage into small pieces, ensuring it cooks evenly. Let it brown for about two minutes.
- Then, add the ground meat to the pan. Stir everything together so the ground meat mixes well with the sausage and vegetables. Cook for a few minutes until the meat starts to change color and brown.
- Once the meat is browned, pour in the wine and increase the heat to high. Let it cook for about three minutes, allowing the wine to evaporate completely. This step is important to burn off the alcohol and keep only the flavor.
- After the wine has evaporated, add the tomato passata. Stir the mixture well, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the sauce begins to simmer, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and let the filling cook slowly for about 40 to 50 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. By the end of the cooking time, the filling should be creamy and thick. If it still looks too watery, you can continue cooking it uncovered for a few more minutes until it reaches the right consistency.
Assemble and Prepare the Beef Cannelloni
- To assemble and prepare the beef cannelloni, start by taking a baking dish and spreading a few spoonfuls of béchamel sauce across the bottom.
- After that, spoon two or three tablespoons of tomato sauce over the béchamel, making sure it’s evenly distributed.
- Now, take the cannelloni tubes and fill them with the cooled beef mixture. You can use a small spoon to carefully pack the filling into each tube, making sure it’s full but not overflowing.
- Once filled, line the cannelloni up neatly in the baking dish on top of the sauce.
- When all the cannelloni are arranged in the dish, cover them with another layer of béchamel sauce, ensuring each piece is coated.
- Then, add a few more spoonfuls of tomato sauce over the béchamel.
- Finally, generously sprinkle grated Parmigiano cheese over the top, which will form a delicious golden crust when baked.
- Place the baking dish in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F), setting it on the middle rack. Let the cannelloni bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling.
- Once they are done baking, remove the cannelloni from the oven. Let them rest for a few minutes to cool slightly before serving, so the flavors can settle and the dish is easier to handle.
Stacie says
I am looking forward to trying this. I would like to use fresh pasta. Is the cooking time different for that? Thank you!
Barbara Felicità Lucchini says
Hi Stacie,
Not at all! Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes as per the recipe above. Just remember, if you're using fresh pasta, boil the sheets for one minute before using.
Donna says
This looks amazing. Question: do boil your pasta for a little before filling??
Barbara Felicità Lucchini says
Hi Donna!
No, this type of pasta doesn’t need to be boiled first. It cooks in the oven along with the béchamel sauce. The key is to make the béchamel sauce slightly more liquid than usual.