Publised on 06/08/2019 by Richard. Last Updated on 12/10/2022 by Richard.
Vegan cannelloni, stuffed with green lentil ragout and topped with the cheesiest béchamel sauce of your life (it even browns!)
This vegan cannelloni recipe has been a long time coming. So long, in fact, that a select few of you have been HOUNDING my instagram with vague threats! But rest assured - the recipe is here, and you will NOT be disappointed. Allow me to talk you through what's going on here:
- First we have a layer of deliciously tangy and sweet green lentil ragout. Fragrant and zingy with a tiny kick of balsamic vinegar.
- Then we have a layer of cannelloni which is ALSO stuffed with the green lentil ragout. The lentils cook so beautifully in this zone that you'll swear they're minced beef.
- Final layer of this vegan cannelloni is the CHEESIEST béchamel sauce ever! It tastes rather similar to my vegan mozzarella recipe and it even has that stringiness. Oh! and if you like your top crispy, whack it under the grill and you'll get some stunning browning action!
Why Cannelloni??
As you might know, I was vegetarian since I was 6, so I've never actually tasted a true meaty cannelloni. I've had spinach and ricotta, and no shade to spinach and ricotta, but I wanted to make a plant-based version of the CHEESIEST most TOMATOEY comfort food pasta ever. It had to be this recipe - it was fate!
I remember going on holiday to Sorrento as a teenager with my family and struggling to come to terms with the fact that MOST of my favourite italian dishes were packed with meat and therefore were off limits. But now I'm a vegan WIZARD, I can take control of my destiny and MAKE THIS STUFF HAPPEN! So..
Here's how you make it happen!
I've made everything as simple as possible for this vegan cannelloni recipe, because what's the point in making comfort food if you need a power nap as soon as you take it out of the oven?? This dish is EASY PEASY, trust me.
I use tinned lentils AND tinned tomatoes which means no soaking, no boiling, no peeling/de-skinning, just crack out that tin opener and you're ready to go!
One thing I will stipulate: PLEASE use Italian peeled plum tomatoes - not chopped tomatoes. Oh and green lentils are the best for this recipe, but any lentils will do really!
What should I serve it with!?
My recommendation is to bite the bullet and go double carb with this! I served mine with some sourdough focaccia and a panzanella salad (which technically makes it TRIPLE carb!) - oh and a nice glass of vegan red wine!
Vegan Cannelloni - Super Cheesy!
Ingredients
For the Lentil Ragout
- ½ red onion ((diced))
- 1 clove garlic ((minced))
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tin green lentils ((drained))
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon brown rice miso paste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tins peeled plum tomatoes
- 2.5 tablespoon vegan bouillon powder
- 250 ml boiling water
For the Béchamel Sauce
- 50 g vegan butter
- 60 g plain flour
- 600 ml soy milk
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon marmite
- 100 g vegan cream cheese
For the Cheesy Topping
- 2 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 55 g soy milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
To Assemble
- 150 g cannelloni pasta
- pinch fresh parsley ((finely chopped))
Instructions
To Make the Lentil Ragout
- Place a large saucepan or cast-iron dutch oven over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and fry for two minutes. Add the smoked paprika, lentils, soy sauce, miso and balsamic vinegar and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, bouillon powder and boiling water. Stir to combine. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, or until nice and thick. While the sauce thickens, make the béchamel.
To Make the Béchamel
- Preheat the oven to 180c
- Place the vegan butter in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Allow the vegan butter to melt fully until it starts to bubble. Add the flour and stir to combine. Keep stirring to allow the flour to cook for around 30 seconds before adding a small drizzle of the milk and whisking vigarously until smooth. Add the rest of the milk in additions, whisking between each one to ensure the béchamel stays smooth.
- Once all the milk is added, add the remaining béchamel ingredients and whisk to combine. Whisking frequently, bring the béchamel to a gentle simmer so that bubbles are rising to the surface - keep whisking until the sauce is thick (around 10 minutes).
To Make the Cheesy Topping
- Using a ladle, remove around ¼ of the béchamel sauce from the pan and place in a small bowl. Separately, in another small bowl, whisk together the tapioca starch, soy milk, garlic powder and onion powder until smooth. Pour into the decanted ¼ of the béchamel sauce and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
To Assemble
- In a baking tray, place a thin layer of the lentil ragout. Using a teaspoon, fill the cannelloni tubes with the remaining ragout, one by one, and place in the tray. Once all the tubes are filled, pour any remaining ragout over the tubes (if you have any left).
- Pour the béchamel over the cannelloni, followed by the cheesy topping. The cheesy topping may have thickened a lot, so you may need to spoon it out, rather than pour.
- Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cannelloni is soft but still holds its shape. If you'd like the top more brown and crispy, place under the grill/broiler for a few minutes before sprinkling with parsley and serving.
beth
Been waiting for this!! Sooooo excited!
beth
Been waiting for this!! Sooooo excited!
Carrie Brandel
Looks amazing! Any substitute for the marmite?
Richard Makin
Hey, you can try with any yeast extract (so marmite, vegemite or promite even) but if not you could try some liquid aminos instead?
Carrie Brandel
Perfect! Will try with aminos. Going to make this weekend. Supposed to be rainy here in British Columbia
Mary
Silly but are the cannelloni boiled or do you put them in uncooked in the oven???
Richard Makin
Not silly at all Mary! No need to pre-cook most cannelloni, you just fill, arrange and bake! Please come back and leave a rating any time - would love to know how they turned out for you!
Kavish
Made this this evening. I can literally still taste the last spoonful in my mouth (I'm writing this at the kitchen table). This is probably the nicest lasagna I've eaten in a while (I basically used lasagna sheets instead of cannelloni because that's what I had in my cupboard). I added some salted and fried baby brinjals, and thinly-sliced marrows to the ragout because, again, I was cupboard clearing and this ragout is a pretty versatile base for experimentation. Finally, I have to say the béchamel and cheesy topping are rich, warm, hearty and homely. So happy to have some of this leftover for lunch tomorrow. Also, I recommend sprinkling some of that panko crizzumb on top before you bake it.
Richard Makin
can't tell you how happy this response makes me! THANK YOU FOR THIS!
Kavish
Made this this evening. I can literally still taste the last spoonful in my mouth (I'm writing this at the kitchen table). This is probably the nicest lasagna I've eaten in a while (I basically used lasagna sheets instead of cannelloni because that's what I had in my cupboard). I added some salted and fried baby brinjals, and thinly-sliced marrows to the ragout because, again, I was cupboard clearing and this ragout is a pretty versatile base for experimentation. Finally, I have to say the béchamel and cheesy topping are rich, warm, hearty and homely. So happy to have some of this leftover for lunch tomorrow. Also, I recommend sprinkling some of that panko crizzumb on top before you bake it.
Jo
Two tins is how many grams???
793g??
kat
hey!!! love your food
is there any reason that you use soy milk?
I m more into coconut rice milk
thanks!
keep it up [:
Alexa
Would this work with freshly made pasta or would it just fall apart? I want to make this so badly but can’t get dried pasta due to the shortages right now.
Jenny
Delicious! Made last night as the perfect autumny weekend dinner. Was pretty easy to throw together though and I took the advice of making some sourdough to mop up all the cheesy goodness. Will definitely be making again !
Jenny
Delicious! Made last night as the perfect autumny weekend dinner. Was pretty easy to throw together though and I took the advice of making some sourdough to mop up all the cheesy goodness. Will definitely be making again !
Sue Charman
Super lush recipe thanks.
Assignment Writing Services
Hey!!! I love your food, I 'm more into coconut rice milk. Thanks for sharing!
keep it up
Assignment Writing Services
Hey!!! I love your food, I 'm more into coconut rice milk. Thanks for sharing!
keep it up
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247 Electric
This look really nice i will try to cook something like this thanks for the recipe.
247 Electric
This look really nice i will try to cook something like this thanks for the recipe.
personal car finance
It's going to be ending of mine day, but before end I am
reading this fantastic article to improve my knowledge.
Kirsten
This is amazing! I’ve made it loads of time and it’s always been complimented! Thank you!
Kirsten
This is amazing! I’ve made it loads of time and it’s always been complimented! Thank you!
247 Electrical Services
This is really tasty thanks
David Mary
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Monique
Absolutely delicious. Just be warned that if you are not a chef, it WILL take you longer. And have a light touch with the salty ingredients.