Try this delicious version of classic baked cannelloni. Using tender lasagna noodles filled with savory ground beef, onions, mozzarella and fresh basil, topped with rich tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese for a comforting, family-friendly meal.
Why You'll Love This Baked Cannelloni!
This baked cannelloni (also known as manicotti) is my favorite way to make this dish. It is filled with ground beef and spices and much lighter than the ricotta versions.
It is also made with lasagna noodles since I prefer to roll my own pasta and not stuff the dried tubed pasta they sell at the store. Since I don't have access to fresh pasta in the store I buy dried egg lasagna pasta sheets then parboil them to make something similar to fresh pasta.
The egg pasta gives the taste and chew of fresh pasta but it came straight from my pantry and it is easily accessible at my grocery store.
Every bite of this pasta dish is so good and that is how Italian cooking should be 🙂
Best Noodles For Cannelloni
When choosing pasta for baked cannelloni, it is traditional to use fresh pasta that is then rolled. As I mentioned above, this is not alway an option so I use dried egg pasta sheets. Here are more ideas:
- Fresh pasta sheets (egg or regular is fine.)
- Dried manicotti tubes: that you parboil before stuffing
- Dried lasagna noodles: Not the precooked (no boil) kind but regular dried lasagna noodles. You can use egg lasagna noodles or regular.
If you can, for the best results, use fresh pasta or dried lasagna sheets (either egg or regular) for this one. It comes out so much better even if it takes a little more work.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground beef: I like to use a leaner ground beef like 93/7 (or 7 percent fat).
- Marinara: I always have some in my freezer that I make ahead of time. You can use store bought or use the recipe I included below.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh basil
- Kosher salt
- Mozzarella: This is for the filling.
- Parmesan cheese
How To Make Baked Cannelloni With Ground Beef
- Prepare the pasta sheets: Parboil the lasagna sheets then lay them out on kitchen towels side by side after draining.
- Make the filling: In a large pan over medium heat cook the onions, beef and aromatics.
- Prepare the baking pan: Line a baking dish with some of the marinara.
- Stuff and roll the cannelloni: Carefully fill and roll the sheets of pasta making sure to roll the long side.
- Top with marinara and cheese: Top with the remaining marinara and a little Parmesan.
- Bake: Bake the cannelloni until the cheese is golden on top and the sauce bubbles all around the pasta.
Tips And Variations
- Lay out the lasagna noodles on a kitchen towel: Once the noodles are lightly cooked, lay them out on a kitchen towel making sure to not overlap them to prevent them sticking together.
- Add more cheese to the top: I enjoy a light layer of Parmesan on top of cannelloni but if you love that thick cheesy layer on baked pasta dishes, go ahead and add shredded mozzarella to the top before baking.
- Don't over stuff the noodles: Make sure you don't add too much filling or the noodles will not seal when you roll them.
- Swap out the beef and use Italian sausage instead: These taste amazing with Italian sausage in them too. Change this up to suit your taste or to make a new meal idea with it.
Storing
I love refrigerating and freezing these. To do this just make the recipe then allow the pasta to fully cool. Once cool, you can refrigerate the baked pasta for up to 3 day or freeze it.
I like to buy disposable aluminum baking dishes from the store to freeze them. Just place the cooked pasta in that and wrap tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge overnight.
It can go straight in the oven this way once the plastic wrap is removed.
More Baked Pasta Recipes For You!
Ground Beef Cannelloni (Made With Lasagna Noodles)
Equipment
- 1 9 x 11 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried egg lasagna noodles
- 3 cups Marinara sauce marinara recipe
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 lb Ground beef
- ½ cup Yellow onion finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh basil cut into very thin strips
- 1 ½ cups Grated Parmesan
- 1 cup Whole Milk shredded mozzarella
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 Cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Make the marinara sauce3 cups Marinara sauce
Cooking The Lasagna Noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Salt the water then cook lasagna noodles for just a little more than half of the time suggested on the box.1 lb dried egg lasagna noodles
- Drain the pasta and with tongs, place each lasagna noodle on to a kitchen towel side by side.
Make Beef Filling
- In a skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and onion and cook for about 3 minutes until onions are translucent.½ cup Yellow onion, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Now push the onions aside in the pan and add the ground beef and cook until browned then mix together with the onions.1 lb Ground beef
- Add diced garlic, pepper and salt and cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 3 Cloves fresh garlic, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- Remove from the heat , and add the mozzarella and fresh basil and mix well then allow to cool slightly.¼ cup fresh basil, 1 cup Whole Milk shredded mozzarella
Assembling the cannelloni
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Grab a 9 by 11 inch baking dish
- Spread ¾ cup of the marinara on the bottom of the baking dish.
- On a large plate, place one lasagna noodle flat and lengthwise then scoop 2 heaping tablespoons of beef mixture and place it down the entire center of the lasagna noodle.
- Roll the lasagna noodle on the long side, making sure to roll it as tight as you can.
- Place it in the baking dish seam side down on top of the marinara.
- Continue doing this until all the cannelloni are rolled, making sure to pack them together tightly side by side. If you run out of space in your baking dish, grab another small baking dish and add the remaining cannelloni in that.
- Take the remaining marinara and add water and mix well. Cover the cannelloni with the marinara.¼ cup Water
- Now sprinkle the the Parmesan cheese over the sauce.1 ½ cups Grated Parmesan
- Bake the lasagna for 30-40 minutes on the middle rack of your oven until it is bubbling and starting to brown on top.
- Let cool for 10 minutes then scoop and serve.
M says
Thank you for sharing this recipe