Beef cannelloni with spinach fills pasta tubes with a savory mixture of lean ground beef, onion, garlic, green pepper, mushrooms, cooked spinach, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and marinara. More sauce and a generous mozzarella layer allow the dry pasta to soften as the covered casserole bakes.
The recipe makes 20 to 24 cannelloni, serving six to eight in about 75 minutes. Briefly pulsing the cooked filling creates a texture that passes through a piping bag without becoming a paste.
Ingredients for Beef Cannelloni with Spinach
Use 20 to 24 dry cannelloni shells, 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 finely chopped onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 finely chopped green bell pepper, 1 cup chopped mushrooms, and 8 ounces cooked chopped spinach.
Season with 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Assembly requires about 40 ounces marinara, 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, and optional parsley.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Stuffed Patty Melt.
How to Make Beef Cannelloni with Spinach
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish.
- Cook vegetables. Soften onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
- Brown beef. Add ground beef, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire; cook fully and drain.
- Finish filling. Stir in cooked spinach and 1 cup marinara, then season.
- Pulse. Process the mixture for only a few seconds to remove large pieces.
- Fill. Spread marinara in the dish and pipe filling into dry cannelloni shells.
- Assemble. Arrange the tubes, cover completely with remaining sauce, and add mozzarella.
- Bake. Cover with foil for 35 minutes, then uncover for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Serve. Add parsley and Parmesan.
For storage details after serving, the USDA leftovers and food safety guidance.
Prepare the Spinach
Cook fresh spinach in a covered pot with about 2 inches of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, just until wilted. Drain it thoroughly, cool enough to handle, and chop.
Press out excess water before measuring the 8 ounces for filling. Wet spinach can make the beef mixture loose and reduce the amount of concentrated flavor inside each tube.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Crack Chicken and Rice Skillet.
Chop the Vegetables Finely
Finely chop the onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms and mince the garlic. Small pieces cook evenly and pass through the piping bag more easily than large chunks.
Uniform preparation also distributes the vegetables throughout the meat instead of leaving one cannelloni full of pepper and another mostly beef.
Soften the Vegetables First
Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
Cooking these ingredients before the beef removes rawness and allows mushroom moisture to evaporate. Avoid deep browning, which can make tiny garlic pieces bitter.
Brown and Season the Beef
Add the lean ground beef, Italian seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Break the meat into small crumbles and cook until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F.
Drain excess fat before continuing. Taste carefully and add salt and pepper, remembering that marinara and both cheeses bring additional seasoning.
Add Spinach and Marinara
Stir the drained chopped spinach and 1 cup marinara into the cooked meat. The sauce binds the filling and adds enough moisture for piping without making it runny.
Mix until the green spinach is evenly distributed. Remove the skillet from heat before processing so the mixture stops cooking.
Make a Pipeable Filling
Transfer the meat mixture to a food processor in manageable batches if necessary. Pulse only a few times to break down stubborn vegetable and meat pieces.
Allow the filling to cool slightly, then place it in a sturdy piping or decorator bag. Cut an opening smaller than the cannelloni tube so the bag fits neatly at each end.
Prepare a Sauced Baking Dish
Spread a thin, complete layer of marinara across the bottom of the 9-by-13-inch dish. The sauce prevents sticking and supplies the moisture needed by the underside of the dry pasta.
Do not leave bare corners. Cannelloni not touching enough sauce can remain firm after the rest of the casserole is tender.
Fill Each Cannelloni Tube
Stand several tubes upright in a large bowl or measuring cup, then pipe filling into one end until it reaches the center. Turn the tube and finish from the other end if needed.
Avoid forcing too much filling into a shell, which can split the pasta. Arrange filled tubes in a single snug layer over the sauce.
Cover Completely with Sauce
Pour the remaining marinara over the filled cannelloni, reaching every end and gap. Dry shells depend on abundant surrounding sauce and trapped steam to cook.
Scatter mozzarella from edge to edge, then seal the dish with foil. If the foil may touch the cheese, lightly grease its underside to reduce sticking.
Bake Covered, Then Brown
Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes under foil. Check a center tube with a thin knife; the pasta should be tender and the sauce bubbling.
Remove the foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more, until the mozzarella develops light golden spots. Continue covered a little longer first if the shells remain firm.
Troubleshooting
- Pasta stays hard: Cover tubes completely with sauce and keep the dish sealed during the first bake.
- Filling will not pipe: Chop ingredients finely and pulse briefly to remove large pieces.
- Filling is watery: Drain spinach, mushrooms, and beef thoroughly.
- Cheese sticks to foil: Grease the foil lightly or tent it above the surface.
- Tubes split: Pipe from both ends and avoid packing them too tightly.
Serving Suggestions
Let the casserole stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then add chopped parsley and grated Parmesan. A brief rest makes the sauce easier to serve and reduces the chance of splitting the hot tubes.
Pair with salad, garlic bread, or roasted vegetables. Two to four cannelloni per person is a useful range depending on their size and the side dishes.
Freezing and Make-Ahead Notes
Assemble the casserole up to one day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. A cold dish needs additional covered baking time; test a center tube for tenderness.
Freeze unbaked or baked cannelloni well wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating so the center warms evenly.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooled leftovers airtight for up to 4 days. Keep enough sauce around each portion to protect the pasta from drying.
Reheat covered in a 350°F oven until the center reaches 165°F. Individual servings can be microwaved in 30-second intervals, rotating or rearranging between intervals.
Conclusion
Cook chopped vegetables with lean beef, seasoning, Worcestershire, spinach, and a cup of marinara. Pulse briefly and pipe into dry cannelloni. Arrange over sauce, cover completely with more marinara and mozzarella, then bake covered at 350°F for 35 minutes and uncovered 5 to 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Do I need to boil cannelloni shells first?
No. This recipe fills them dry, then cooks them under foil with enough marinara to soften the pasta.
- → Why process the beef filling?
A few pulses remove large pieces so the mixture passes through a piping bag, while stopping early preserves texture.
- → Can beef cannelloni be frozen?
Yes. Freeze it baked or unbaked for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before heating.
- → How do I keep cannelloni shells from staying hard?
Cover every shell completely with marinara and seal the dish tightly during the first 35 minutes of baking.