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cheesy vegan cannelloni
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5 from 7 votes

Vegan Cannelloni - Super Cheesy!

This vegan cannelloni is plant-based comfort food at its finest! Stuffed with green lentil ragout and topped with a super cheesy vegan béchamel sauce - it's your new favourite pasta!
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cannelloni recipe, vegan cannelloni, vegan pasta
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 547kcal
Author: Richard Makin

Equipment

  • no specialist equipment required

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 tbsp 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 1748mg | Potassium: 1205mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1422IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 334mg | Iron: 8mg