James Martin Beef Cannelloni

James Martin Beef Cannelloni is a robust, oven-baked pasta dish that epitomizes comfort food. Unlike a quick weeknight spaghetti, this recipe is a labor of love that layers deep, savory flavors. It starts with a rich ragu made from high-quality beef mince, red wine, and herbs, which is then stuffed into large pasta tubes. But the real magic happens with the topping: a velvety, homemade béchamel sauce and a generous blanket of bubbling Parmesan and mozzarella. It is a hearty, bubbling tray of goodness that is perfect for Sunday lunches or feeding a hungry crowd.

Try more Recipes:

• James Martin Carbonara
• James Martin Spaghetti Bolognese
• James Martin Beef Stew

Why You Will Love This Beef Cannelloni Recipe:

• The Ragu: The meat sauce is slow-cooked to concentrate the flavors, ensuring the filling is moist and intensely savory, not watery.
• Dual Sauces: The combination of the tomato-based beef filling and the creamy white béchamel topping creates a perfect balance of acidity and richness.
• Make-Ahead Friendly: Like lasagna, this dish actually tastes better if assembled earlier in the day (or even the day before), allowing the flavors to meld before baking.
• Texture: The pasta edges get slightly crisp, the cheese turns golden brown, and the center remains soft and gooey.
• Family Favorite: It hides plenty of vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) inside the sauce, making it a great way to feed fussy eaters.

James Martin Beef Cannelloni Ingredients

The Beef Filling

• 500g beef mince (15-20% fat for flavor)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, finely diced
• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 150ml red wine
• 150ml beef stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12-16 cannelloni tubes (dry, no need to pre-cook usually, but check box)

The Béchamel Sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g plain flour
• 600ml whole milk
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated

The Topping

• 125g fresh mozzarella ball, torn, or grated mozzarella
• Extra Parmesan for sprinkling

How To Make James Martin Beef Cannelloni

1. Make the Ragu Base: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Brown the Beef: Increase the heat and add the beef mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Fry until the meat is browned all over and any excess moisture has evaporated.
3. Simmer the Filling: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the tinned tomatoes, beef stock, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Reduce: Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes. The sauce needs to be thick, not runny, so it stays inside the pasta tubes. Once cooked, let it cool slightly (this makes stuffing easier).
5. Make the Béchamel: While the meat cools, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Add the bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the nutmeg and 50g Parmesan. Season to taste.
6. Preheat: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) / Fan 180°C.
7. Stuff the Cannelloni: This is the messy part. Use a teaspoon or a piping bag (easiest method) to fill each dried cannelloni tube with the cooled meat mixture.
8. Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel or a little leftover tomato sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (to prevent sticking). Arrange the stuffed tubes in a single layer, packing them snugly.
9. Top: Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the tubes, ensuring they are completely covered (exposed pasta will remain hard). Scatter the torn mozzarella and extra Parmesan over the top.
10. Bake: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling, and the pasta is tender when tested with a knife.
11. Rest: Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.

Recipe Tips

• The Piping Bag Hack: Trying to spoon meat into narrow tubes is frustrating. Put your cooled meat filling into a large disposable piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe it in. It is twice as fast and much cleaner.
• Check the Pasta: Most cannelloni tubes are “oven ready,” meaning they don’t need boiling. However, they need moisture to cook. Ensure your white sauce completely covers the pasta. If your meat sauce is very dry, add a splash more stock to the dish before baking.
• Don’t Overfill: If you pack the tubes too tightly, they might split. Fill them just to the ends.
• Fresh vs. Dry: You can use fresh lasagna sheets instead of tubes. Place a line of filling along the edge of a fresh sheet and roll it up like a cigar.

What To Serve With Beef Cannelloni Recipe?

Since this pasta bake is rich, cheesy, and filling, it is best balanced with lighter sides that provide a fresh crunch or acidity. A crisp Green Salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette or a classic Caesar Salad works perfectly to cut through the heavy béchamel and meat sauce. For a warm vegetable option, Steamed Broccoli or Garlic Green Beans add necessary color and nutrition to the plate. However, to truly embrace the comfort food vibe, a basket of warm Garlic Bread or Focaccia is essential for mopping up every last drop of the creamy sauce.

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How To Store Leftovers Beef Cannelloni?

• Refrigerate: Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze the baked or unbaked dish. If unbaked, freeze immediately after assembly. If baked, let cool completely. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before baking/reheating.

How To Reheat Leftovers Beef Cannelloni?

Important Rule (The “Dry Pasta” Warning): Pasta absorbs liquid as it sits in the fridge. When reheating, the dish might seem dry. It is helpful to sprinkle a tablespoon of water or milk over the pasta before covering it with foil to reheat. This creates steam and brings back the creaminess.

• Oven (Best Method): Cover with foil (to prevent the cheese from burning) and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes, or until piping hot in the center.
• Microwave: Place a portion on a plate and heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

FAQs

Try more Recipes:

• James Martin Ratatouille Recipe
• James Martin Carbonara
• James Martin Spaghetti Bolognese

Beef Cannelloni Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 2-3 tubes (approx 300g)

• Calories: 650 kcal
• Total Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 18g
• Cholesterol: 95mg
• Sodium: 850mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 45g
• Dietary Fiber: 4g
• Sugars: 8g
• Protein: 32g

James Martin Beef Cannelloni

Recipe by Ella ThompsonCourse: Main, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Italien, BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4-6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

James Martin’s Beef Cannelloni is the ultimate Italian comfort dish for a hungry crowd. Large pasta tubes are stuffed with a robust, slow-cooked beef and red wine ragu, then smothered in a velvety homemade béchamel sauce and topped with bubbling mozzarella. It is a hearty, golden-baked casserole that delivers deep savory flavors and satisfying textures in every bite.

Ingredients

• The Beef Filling:

• 500g beef mince (15-20% fat for flavor)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 carrot, finely diced

• 1 celery stick, finely diced

• 1 tbsp tomato purée (paste)

• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 150ml red wine

• 150ml beef stock

• 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs

• 1 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 12-16 cannelloni tubes (dry, no need to pre-cook usually, but check box)
• The Béchamel Sauce:

• 50g butter

• 50g plain flour

• 600ml whole milk

• 1 bay leaf

• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

• 50g Parmesan cheese, grated

• The Topping:

• 125g fresh mozzarella ball, torn, or grated mozzarella

• Extra Parmesan for sprinkling

Directions

• Make the Ragu Base: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Brown the Beef: Increase the heat and add the beef mince. Break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Fry until the meat is browned all over and any excess moisture has evaporated.
• Simmer the Filling: Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the tinned tomatoes, beef stock, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reduce: Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes. The sauce needs to be thick, not runny, so it stays inside the pasta tubes. Once cooked, let it cool slightly (this makes stuffing easier).
• Make the Béchamel: While the meat cools, melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until smooth. Add the bay leaf. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the nutmeg and 50g Parmesan. Season to taste.
• Preheat: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) / Fan 180°C.
• Stuff the Cannelloni: This is the messy part. Use a teaspoon or a piping bag (easiest method) to fill each dried cannelloni tube with the cooled meat mixture.
• Assemble: Spread a thin layer of the béchamel or a little leftover tomato sauce on the bottom of a large baking dish (to prevent sticking). Arrange the stuffed tubes in a single layer, packing them snugly.
• Top: Pour the remaining béchamel sauce over the tubes, ensuring they are completely covered (exposed pasta will remain hard). Scatter the torn mozzarella and extra Parmesan over the top.
• Bake: Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling, and the pasta is tender when tested with a knife.
• Rest: Let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set.

Notes

• The Piping Bag Hack: Trying to spoon meat into narrow tubes is frustrating. Put your cooled meat filling into a large disposable piping bag (or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and pipe it in. It is twice as fast and much cleaner.
  Check the Pasta: Most cannelloni tubes are “oven ready,” meaning they don’t need boiling. However, they need moisture to cook. Ensure your white sauce completely covers the pasta. If your meat sauce is very dry, add a splash more stock to the dish before baking.
  Don’t Overfill: If you pack the tubes too tightly, they might split. Fill them just to the ends.
  Fresh vs. Dry: You can use fresh lasagna sheets instead of tubes. Place a line of filling along the edge of a fresh sheet and roll it up like a cigar.