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Three beef and spinach cannelonnis on a white plate with a fork.

Easy Beef Cannelloni with Spinach


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5 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Sandra Flegg
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Description

If you’re a fan of Italian cuisine, then you’re in for a treat with this recipe for Easy & Delicious Baked Beef Cannelloni with Spinach! The combination of ground beef, onions, peppers, and mushrooms creates a savory filling that’s stuffed into cannelloni shells, then smothered with marinara sauce and gooey mozzarella cheese. It’s the ultimate Italian comfort food!


Ingredients

20 to 24 cannelloni shells

1 and 1/2 pounds ground beef (lean)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

250g (8 ounces) fresh Spinach, cooked and chopped

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

2 jars (650 mL each/approx 40 0ounces) marinara sauce

2 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt & black pepper to taste.

Fresh parsley


Instructions

  1. You will need a 9×13-inch casserole dish for this recipe. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, garlic, onions, green pepper and mushrooms. Cook until soft, about five minutes. 

  3. To the vegetable mixture, add the ground beef, Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. 

  4. Cook until beef is completely cooked and no longer pink and the vegetables are soft. Drain any excess fat from the meat. 

  5. Stir in cooked, chopped spinach. 

  6. Stir in 1 cup of the marinara sauce and stir until combined.  Taste the spinach beef mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.
  7. Place meat in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds. Processing the meat mixture for a few seconds will break up any large pieces and create a smooth texture. Simply pulse for a few seconds. This will make it easier to pipe into the cannelloni tubes. Do not over-process!
  8. Lightly coat the bottom of 9×13-inch baking dish with marinara sauce. 

    Use a large bowl or measuring cup to stand the canneloni tubes upright. Fill a decorator bag (piping bag) with the beef mixture and fill each cannelloni tube by stuffing the pasta. 

  9. Place the filled cannelloni tubes in the bottom of casserole dish. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the filled cannelloni in the baking dish. 
  10. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. 
  11. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in 350°F for 35 minutes, until cheese is melted and marinara sauce is bubbling at the edges. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese starts to brown a little on top. 
  12. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Notes

How to cook spinach: cook the spinach first. Place about 2 inches of water in a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Add the spinach leaves. Pack them in, they do not have to be touching the water. Cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain and chop. Set aside. 

Storage: Store cooked leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in microwave in 30 second intervals until heated throughout. 

Reheating: Reheat in microwave in 30 second intervals until heated throughout. 

Freezing leftovers: Leftover cannelloni can be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months. To serve, thaw, then reheat. 

Freeze uncooked cannelloni:  Freeze uncooked and thaw before baking as per recipe instructions.

What to serve with beef cannelloni: A side salad, garlic bread a side of vegetables.

Recipe inspired by recipetineats.com

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Dinner, Pasta
  • Method: Oven Baked
  • Cuisine: Italian, American-Italian