Canelones de Sant Esteve, Catalan Cannelloni
Pasta tubes filled with a rich pork and beef sofrito mince, topped with bechamel and cheese, the Catalan Boxing Day treat.
Made with White bechamel sauce and Spanish sofrito. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.49 a head
- Oven190°C (170°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Make the bechamel and sofrito first (see the base recipes). Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) and butter a 30 x 20 cm dish.
- 2
Heat the oil in a wide pan and brown both minces for 8 minutes over a high heat, breaking them up. Pour in the wine and let it bubble down for 2 minutes.
8 min - 3
Stir in your ready made sofrito and cook for 10 minutes until thick and moist but not wet. Season well and cool for 15 minutes so it is easy to handle.
10 min - 4
Boil the cannelloni tubes in salted water for 5 minutes, then drain and lay on a tray. Fill each with the cooled meat mixture and lay in the dish.
- 5
Warm the bechamel and pour over the tubes, making sure they are completely covered. Scatter with the manchego.
- 6
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
27 min 30 s
Tips
- A piping bag or a teaspoon makes filling the tubes much easier than using fingers.
- Let the meat mixture cool before filling. Hot filling is hard to handle and can burst the tubes.
- Authentic canelones often use leftover roast meats. Chopped roast chicken or pork is a great shortcut.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 3 days in the fridge once cooled within 2 hours, or 3 months frozen. Reheat until steaming throughout.
Questions
Why are canelones eaten on Boxing Day in Catalonia?
Sant Esteve, 26 December, is a holiday in Catalonia, and canelons are the traditional way to turn leftover festive roast meat into a new dish.
Can I use sheets instead of tubes?
Yes. Cut lasagne sheets, cook briefly, add filling and roll them up. Cooked sheets are easy to shape.
Can I use other cheese?
Yes. Mature cheddar or parmesan are fine in place of manchego.
More made with white bechamel sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.