If you love pasta and flavors Dominicans enjoy, then you'll love this Dominican-style cannelloni recipe. Stuffed with juicy minced beef, cooked in a bath of creamy bechamel, topped with lovely golden cheese au gratin, these are the tastiest Dominican canelones.
By - Reviewed: . Original: May 12, 2013
Why we ❤️ it
These canelones a la Dominicana have always been a success when I serve it with family and friends, and while they would please anyone who tries it, I have added ingredients and flavors and ingredients that are particularly agreeable to the Dominican taste.
Mother's Day is coming (in the Dominican Republic it's the last Sunday of May), so if you are looking for a dish to serve your mami without straining yourself, this is it. You'll make your mamá proud.
What's canelones dominicanos?
Unlike Dominican spaghetti, there isn't an agreed-on way to make cannelloni in the Dominican Republic. Each cook will make it their own way, but these have the advantage of ingredients that are very easy to find and commonly used in our cuisine.
Canelones dominicanos (Dominican cannelloni).
Serving suggestions
Like any pastelones, these Cannelloni rolls can be perfect as an extra dish in your Dominican get-together. If you are serving several dishes, one cannelloni roll is perfect for each guest, and three are perfect as a main dish if served with a hearty salad.
It's also great to bring to potlucks and fiestas de traje.
Top tips
- Picking the right canelones: For this recipe, it isn't necessary to pre-boil the cannelloni, which has the advantage of saving time and also makes it a lot easier to stuff them. Make sure the pack of cannelloni has the label "No pre-cooking", and make sure to check the suggested cooking time on the box.
- Meat: You can make these with beef (or veal as I prefer), but you can also use any minced meat you like (like chicken, turkey, or pork), but be aware these will change the flavor and texture of the dish as I tested the recipe.
- Bechamel consistency: You may think that the bechamel turned out too thin, but it will thicken as it cools down and then again as it cooks in the oven. The extra liquid is also necessary for the pasta to get rehydrated as it cooks.
- Parmesan: You can also add a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
About this recipe
If you haven't, check my favorite lasagna recipe. You'll notice that I bake the dish without previously boiling the lasagna leaves, and I explain why. This dish follows the same method.
How does your family make Canelones? I'd love to hear about it in the comments.
Video
Recipe
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Canelones a la Dominicana [Video+Recipe] Dominican Cannelloni
Ingredients
Meat filling
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound minced beef, or veal
- 1 medium red onion, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 large tomato, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 3 teaspoon salt, (or to taste)
- 1½ teaspoon pepper, (or to taste)
- 4 tablespoons minced parsley
Bechamel sauce
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2¼ cups whole milk, or skim
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper, divided (or to taste)
To assemble
- 12 cannelloni, box labeled "No pre-cooking"
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 4 tablespoons minced parsley
Instructions
1. Brown the meat for filling
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large pan.Add the minced beef and stir breaking the clumps constantly until the meat has changed color and all the released liquid has evaporated.Continue stirring, until the meat is lightly browned (about 5 minutes)
2. Add vegetables to filling
- Add the onion and the garlic, and cook, stirring until the onion turns translucent. Add tomato and bell pepper and cook stirring for a couple of minutes.Add the tomato sauce and stir to mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Mix in the parsley and set aside.In the meantime, heat the oven to 350 ºF [175 ºC].
3. Make bechamel sauce
- In a medium saucepan, heat butter over medium-low heat.Once the butter has melted, add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously to mix with the butter without clumping. Cook, stirring until the flour changes colors (about 2-3 minutes).Slowly add the milk, stirring vigorously to prevent the mixture from becoming clumpy (see notes above the recipe). Once it is thoroughly mixed, stir slowly but continuously for another 2-3 minutes until it has thickened a bit (like drinkable yogurt). Season with salt and pepper to taste.Remove from the heat and continue stirring until it cools to room temperature, it'll thicken more as it cools. Set aside.
4. Assemble
- Pour half of the bechamel in a lasagna baking pan and spread evenly.Fill the uncooked cannelloni with the meat filling using a little spoon.Place the cannelloni on the baking pan and bathe with the rest of the bechamel, covering them evenly. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
5. Bake
- Bake the cannelloni for 30 minutes.Uncover, spread the mozzarella on top, and cook in the broiler until it is bubbly and golden brown in spots.
6. Serve
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. See serving suggestions above the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More Dominican pasta recipes
If you want some more of our pasta recipes, don't miss the very popular Dominican spaghetti recipe, and Dominican lasagna. Pasta also makes appearances in our Arroz con fideos, Sopa de pollo, and Sopa boba, the first rice dish, and soups, the latter.
For a non-traditional option, don't miss these Meatless cannelloni with ricotta and spinach.
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