Cheese Manicotti are delicious, but nothing beats a tasty Three Meat Cannelloni made with veal. Delicious parmesan cheese combined with three different types of ground meat puts pizzaz into cannelloni pasta.
And if you prefer cheese, you can try my Easy Cheese Manicotti topped with my quick and Easy Marinara Sauce for a quick dinner idea!
Jump to:
- Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
- Difference between Veal and Beef
- Can you use Fresh Pasta for Cannelloni?
- Ingredients
- How to Make Three Meat Cannelloni
- Meal Prep Tips
- Substitutions and Variations
- Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
- Desserts to Finish
- Recipe Details
- Meal Prep Tips
- PIN it for later here
- Food Safety
- Comments
At home Veal Cannelloni was a meal that was reserved for special occasions. That's probably because there were three steps involved. Making the Marinara Sauce, cooking three types of meat and filling and baking the cannelloni pasta shells.
Here's Why You'll Love this Dish
- Easy to make - so easy to make that you won't need a recipe
- Hearty dish - the meat makes this dish filling
- Customizable - customize the serving size and substitute for another type of meat
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Difference between Veal and Beef
Both Beef and veal come from cattle. One of the main differences is that veal is younger in age and cuts of meat from beef come from mature cattle. Beef has a more robust flavor and is darker in color and has a firmer texture than its younger counterpart of veal.
Since veal comes from younger calves, usually under 6 months old, the meat will be lighter in color and have a tender texture. Veal's mild flavor makes it a favorite in dishes like scallopini, osso buco, or cutlets.
Can you use Fresh Pasta for Cannelloni?
Yes, you certainly can. You can buy fresh lasagna sheets and use them instead of cannelloni shells.
You can lay the lasagna sheets flat and cut them down the middle. Place meat mixture on one end, then roll them up like manicotti.
Transfer to a baking dish and cook as usual.
Ingredients
For this three meat cannelloni recipe you'll need olive oil, garlic, beef, pork and veal, parmesan cheese, eggs, cannelloni shells, marinara sauce and seasoning.
For exact quantities see recipe card...
How to Make Three Meat Cannelloni
Make your sauce ahead or you can buy marinara sauce.
Sauté the meat in a skillet. Sauté the pork separately from the beef and veal making sure to scoop the cooked meat into a colander to drain excess fat.
Place the cooked meat in a bowl and let cool completely. Add egg, salt, pepper and cheese and mix thoroughly.
Fill the cannelloni with the meat mixture.
Place filled shells in the baking tray. Repeat.
Storage: Meat cannelloni will store very well in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze for up to a month.
Meal Prep Tips
Reduce prep time by making the sauce ahead of time.
Use a food processor to finely mince the meet so that it's not so chunky.
Use the pasta shell to help guide the ground meat mixture into the shell.
You can also use your fingers to push the meat in.
Substitutions and Variations
If you want to change things up, try these variations:
- Ricotta - instead using meat as a filling try a cheese filling.
- Alfredo Sauce - top your cannelloni with an alla panna sauce instead of a marinara sauce.
- Seafood - make a seafood cannelloni to really impress your family and friends.
The perfect recipe isn't that far away. I'd love to know how you substituted ingredients to fit your dietary needs. Drop a comment below and let me know!
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
Yes. Oven ready pasta shells are quite commonly available and are perfect for making oven baked cannelloni.
No. Today's oven ready pasta tastes just like regular past once cooked, without the hassle of parboiling.
Desserts to Finish
Looking for a tasty treat? Try these:
Recipe Details
Tasty Three Meat Cannelloni Recipe
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caIngredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 14 oz ground beef
- 14 oz ground pork
- 14 oz ground veal
- 6 oz parmesan cheese
- 2 medium egg
- salt and pepper
- 17 oz cannelloni shells 2 packages
- 26 oz marinara sauce
- 8 oz water
Instructions
- Make your sauce ahead of time. See link in ingredients. Or buy marinara sauce.
- Sauté the meat in a skillet. Sauté the pork separately from the beef and veal making sure to scoop the cooked meat into a colander to drain excess fat.
- Place the cooked meat together in a food processor and pulse until it's not chunky anymore.
- Place the cooked meat in a bowl and let cool completely. Add egg, salt, pepper and cheese and mix thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare a baking tray by filling it with a cup of water and a cup of sauce. Make sure that the sauce comes up the sides at least 1 inch.
- Fill the cannelloni by using the shell to scoop the meat in the bowl. Use your fingers to push the meat in and continue to scoop with the pasta shell until the shell is full of the meat mixture.
- Place filled shells in the baking tray. Repeat.
- Pour remaining sauce on top of cannelloni and add enough water so that the cannelloni are almost submerged in liquid. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the pasta shells are soft.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve with more parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
Meal Prep Tips
- Reduce prep time by making the sauce ahead of time.
- Use a food processor to finely mince the meet so that it's not so chunky.
- Use the pasta shell to help guide the ground meat mixture into the shell. Use your fingers to push the meat in.
Nutrition
PIN it for later here
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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