Cannelloni al Ragù
Pasta tubes packed with rich meat ragu, baked under a blanket of béchamel and tomato sauce with crisp Parmesan on top.
Made with Basic tomato sauce and Slow cooked ragu and White bechamel sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.98 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
Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Grease a large baking dish with the butter.
- 2
Warm your ready made ragu (see the base recipe) for 5 minutes until just soft, then stir in half the Parmesan. Spoon it into a piping bag or a freezer bag with the corner snipped off.
5 min - 3
Pipe the ragu into the dried cannelloni tubes. If you are using the no pre cook kind, do not boil them. Lay the filled tubes side by side in the dish in a single layer.
- 4
Spread your ready made tomato sauce (see the base recipe) over and around the tubes, then spoon over the béchamel (see the base recipe) in stripes. The pasta must be fully covered or the tips will dry out.
- 5
Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, scatter over the rest of the Parmesan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until golden and bubbling.
40 min - 6
Rest for 5 minutes and scatter with torn basil. Check the filling is steaming hot all the way through before serving.
Tips
- Stir a little Parmesan into the cold ragu before piping. It firms the filling and makes the tubes easier to fill.
- Make sure every tube is covered in sauce. Any exposed pasta will bake hard and crunchy.
- Fresh lasagne sheets can be rolled around the filling instead of tubes if you cannot find cannelloni.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes and keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and only once.
Questions
Do I need to boil cannelloni tubes first?
Not if they are the dried no pre cook kind and are fully covered in sauce. The sauce moisture cooks the pasta in the oven. If the pack says to boil them, follow it.
How do I fill the tubes without a mess?
Use a piping bag or a freezer bag with a corner cut off, and push the ragu in from one end. A teaspoon works too but is slower. Cold, thick ragu fills more neatly than warm.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Assemble, cover and chill for up to 24 hours, then bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 20. Check the centre is steaming hot before serving.
More made with basic tomato 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.