When I want a hearty dinner that looks like I actually planned ahead, I make cannelloni with a meat filling. Big pasta tubes, rich sauce, bubbling cheese — zero drama, maximum payoff. The method is straightforward, the result reads festive, and yes, people will ask for seconds.
What you need
- Cannelloni tubes — 12 pieces
- Ground meat, pork + beef — 400 g
- Yellow onion — 1 small (about 80 g)
- Carrot — 1 medium (about 100 g)
- Tomatoes in their own juice — 200 g (crush before using)
- Hard cheese — 100 g, grated
- Milk — 200 ml
- All-purpose flour — 1 tbsp
- Butter — 30 g
- Garlic — 2 cloves, pressed or finely minced
- Salt — to taste
- Ground black pepper — a pinch
- Dried oregano — 0.5 tsp
- Fresh basil — a few leaves for serving
Make the filling
Finely chop the onion and coarsely grate the carrot. Warm a thin film of neutral oil in a skillet and sauté the onion until it turns translucent. Stir in the carrot and cook 3–4 minutes. Add the mixed ground meat and break it up as it cooks until the meat is fully browned and crumbly. Tip in the crushed tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Let it simmer 5–7 minutes so the flavors settle, then take it off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Cook a quick béchamel
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, sprinkle in the flour, and stir for 1–2 minutes until it smells lightly nutty. Gradually whisk in the milk so it stays smooth, then keep it over low heat, stirring, until it thickens, about 3–5 minutes.
Assemble without the stress
Spoon the cooled meat filling into the cannelloni — a gentle hand keeps the tubes intact. Nestle them into a baking dish. Pour the béchamel over the pasta, spoon any remaining meat sauce across the top, and finish with an even layer of grated cheese.
Bake and serve
Slide the dish into a 180°C oven and bake 25–30 minutes, until the top turns golden and tempting. Serve hot with fresh basil scattered over the top. It looks like a celebration and eats like comfort food — exactly the point.