This Cannelloni al Forno is the ultimate comfort food for cozy nights in. It’s cheesy, meaty, saucy, and oh-so-delicious. Plus, it’s easy to make with simple ingredients and pantry staples. You’ll love how the pasta tubes are stuffed with a creamy ricotta mixture and topped with a hearty beef and tomato sauce. Then, everything is baked until bubbly and golden. Serve it with a green salad or some crusty bread and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 12 cannelloni tubes (about 8 oz)
- 1 cup of ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of dried basil
- 15 oz of tomato sauce
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain excess fat and stir in oregano, basil, salt and pepper.
- Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill each cannelloni tube with the ricotta mixture using a spoon or a piping bag and arrange them in a single layer over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the cannelloni and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and some more parmesan cheese if you like.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cannelloni tubes for this recipe. If using frozen, thaw them first before filling them.
- You can also use different kinds of cheese for the filling, such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, or mascarpone cheese.
- You can make this dish ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to bake. Just add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time.
- You can also freeze this dish for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking.
