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Loading...This classic French baked pasta features tender cannelloni tubes stuffed with a savory blend of pork and chicken, blanketed in a creamy nutmeg-scented béchamel, and crowned with bubbling Gruyère. Rooted in the Lyonnais tradition of repurposing festive leftovers into something elegant, it is rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying.
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time70 mins
Servings4
Yield4 hearty servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 720 kcalCalories
- 35 gFat
- 16 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 3 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 40 gProtein
- 720 mgSodium
- 620 mgPotassium
- 380 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 5 mgVitamin C
- 280 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the meat filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 200 g (about 1 cup) ground pork
- 150 g (about 2/3 cup) ground chicken
- 100 g cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
To finish and bind the filling
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
For the béchamel sauce
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 small bay leaf
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Pinch of white pepper
For assembly and topping
- 14 cannelloni tubes (about 250 g)
- 1 cup (100 g) grated Gruyère cheese
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Directions
- Sauté the base: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes until translucent, then stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Brown the meats: Add the ground pork, ground chicken, and chopped mushrooms. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat, until well browned and any liquid has evaporated. Stir in the tomato paste and white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
- Finish the filling: Stir the egg, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper into the cooled meat mixture until evenly combined. Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a wide round tip, or use a sturdy zip-top bag with a 1/2-inch corner snipped off.
- Make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale golden. Gradually whisk in the warm milk until completely smooth. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, then remove the bay leaf.
- Stuff the cannelloni: Pipe the filling firmly into each tube, filling them end to end; you should use all 14 tubes.
- Assemble the dish: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Spread about 1/2 cup of the béchamel over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed cannelloni in a single layer. Pour the remaining béchamel evenly over the top, sprinkle with Gruyère and Parmesan, and dot with the butter cubes.
- Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the surface is deeply golden brown and bubbling and the pasta feels tender when pierced with a knife. If the cheese browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
- Rest and serve: Let the cannelloni rest 8 to 10 minutes so the béchamel sets slightly, then sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve straight from the dish.
Cook’s Notes
- Use a piping bag or zip-top bag with a snipped corner to fill the dry cannelloni tubes quickly and cleanly.
- In Lyon, this dish is famously made with leftover roasted meats; duck confit, turkey, or roast chicken all work beautifully in place of the raw pork and chicken.
- For an even richer béchamel, swap 1/2 cup of the milk for warm chicken stock.
- Do not skip the freshly grated nutmeg — it is the quiet signature of an authentic French béchamel.
- Letting the dish rest before serving is essential; it gives the béchamel time to set so the cannelloni hold their shape when plated.
