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Cannelloni on a plate with fork on the side and a casserole at the back
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Cannelloni Recipe

This Cannelloni recipe has all the things you want in Italian comfort food. The homemade red sauce pairs perfectly with the cheesy stuffed pasta shells.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Cannelloni, cannelloni pasta, pasta casserole recipes
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6
Calories 881kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup carrot finely grated
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes including all the liquid
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Filling:

  • 1 pound ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 2 cups Mozzarella shredded
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pasta:

  • 16 ounces Barilla No Boil Lasagna Noodles

Topping:

  • 2 cups Mozzarella shredded

Instructions

Make the Sauce:

  • In a large skillet, heat the oil (1/4 cup) over medium heat. Add the onion (1) and garlic (1 tablespoon) and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened about 10 minutes. Add the carrot (1/4 cup) and continue to cook, until softened about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes (2 cans), Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon), salt (1/2 teaspoon), and pepper (1/4 teaspoon) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sauce thickens about 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Using a stick blender, smooth out the sauce.

Make the Filling:

  • Combine all filling ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; set aside

For the Pasta:

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Lay out 2 clean kitchen towels on counter.
  • Drop pasta sheets (16 ounces) into boiling water and move them around with tongs, so they don't stick together. Remove as soon as they just become pliable and lay in a single layer onto towels.

Assembly:

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Spread about 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 X13 inch baking dish.
  • With the short side of the pasta sheet facing you, spread a heaping 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture onto the bottom three-quarters of each pasta sheet.  (leave the top quarter with no filling). Roll up and place seem side down in the baking pan.
  • Top with remaining sauce. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle top with remaining 2 cups mozzarella. Broil until cheese is melted and golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Lasagna noodles: (aka-secret ingredient!!) I use Barilla’s no-boil lasagna noodles instead of cannelloni noodles. Cannelloni noodles are simply tube-shaped pasta and can be temperamental to deal with once boiled. Instead of using a pastry bag and tip to fill the tubes, I simply scoop filling onto the parboiled lasagna noodles and then roll them up! Easy, peasy, and no frustrations! That’s the secret technique!
  2. Let it sit: I know it’s tough, but it’s super important to allow your cannelloni to rest for about 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. It gives the sauce time to set up and makes it much easier to plate.
  3. The sauce- This sauce is super easy to make, but if you’re pressed for time, you can use your favorite prepared sauce. You’ll need about 2.5 24-ounce jars.
    • Sunday Gravy: To take this recipe to a level of taste that’s virtually out of this stratosphere, make it with my homemade Sunday Gravy. Whenever I make my Sunday Gravy, I ALWAYS make a huge pot so I can stick some away in the freezer for use whenever I want a red sauce that brings that extra level of flavor that nothing else can bring!
  4. Spinach- To achieve the correct consistency for the filling, you’ll need to squeeze every bit of moisture out of the spinach that you can. With the tea towel method, put your thawed spinach in a cotton tea towel after letting it drain in a colander. Draw the towel around the spinach and twist until no more juice comes out.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 46g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 1796mg | Potassium: 1034mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2425IU | Vitamin C: 3.4mg | Calcium: 782mg | Iron: 2.8mg