Transport yourself straight to the Mediterranean with this Greek-inspired twist on a classic Italian cannelloni. Filled with spiced lamb, layered with rich tomato sauce and creamy béchamel, and topped with feta for a salty tang, this dish is hearty, flavourful, and worth every bit of effort. Perfect for a special family meal or when you want to bring those European summer vibes into your kitchen.
Time-Saving Notes
- Make the entire dish in advance and reheat when needed.
- Prep the meat and tomato sauce earlier in the day, then assemble and bake later.
- Use store-bought tomato sauce to save even more time.
Budget Notes
- Stretch the lamb mince by mixing in canned lentils – more fibre, less cost!
Protein Swaps
- Replace lamb with beef, chicken, or a plant-based mince.
- Lentils work brilliantly for a vegetarian option.
Notes
Greek Cannelloni is a labour of love – but so worth it. Get the kids involved in stuffing the pasta tubes for some kitchen fun.
Not in the mood for stuffing tubes? Use penne or another short pasta, toss it with the tomato and meat sauce, then layer it up with béchamel.
Don’t skip the feta or spinach – they give this dish its authentic Greek character.
Baked Greek Lamb Cannelloni
The ultimate fusion of Greek flavours and Italian comfort. Packed with seasoned meat, spinach, and feta, this Greek Cannelloni bake is a cheesy, golden, and incredibly satisfying weeknight win.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 500 grams lamb mince
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp oregano or mixed herbs
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock
- salt and pepper
- 250 gram box of cannelloni tubes
- 1 cup baby spinach
Tomato Sauce
- 500g jar passata
- 2 cloves garlice crushed
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
Béchamel
- 50 grams butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- salt and pepper
Topping
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 100 grams feta cheese
Instructions
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Heat a large fry pan over a medium high heat, add a drizzle of oil, add onion and garlic. Sauté for a couple of minutes to soften. Add lamb mince and brown for about five minutes. Add tomato paste, oregano, cinnamon, sugar and season with salt & pepper.
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Add stock and simmer for 5 minutes, add spinach and stir until wilted. Turn off heat and set aside.
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For the tomato sauce add all ingredients to a saucepan and warm over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
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To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the flour and whisk for a minute to cook the flour out. Pour in the milk in a slow steady stream whisking to combine, season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to low and simmer for about five minutes, stirring regularly.
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To assemble the dish, pour half the tomato sauce into a baking dish, stuff the cannelloni tubes with the meat filling ( yes it will get messy, but we like messy) and lay the tubes on the bed of tomato sauce. Pour over any remaining stock/meat sauce then pour over remaining tomato sauce.
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For the final layer pour the béchamel over the cannelloni and top with the cheeses.
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Cover with foil and place in a 180C Fan Bake oven for 50min, remove the foil for the final 20 minutes of cooking.
Recipe Notes
TIME SAVING NOTES
Make the whole dish in advance and just reheat when cooking. Make the meat sauce and tomato sauce in advance and heat, assemble and cook when ready. Alternatively use a store bought pasta sauce instead of making your own tomato sauce.
BUDGET NOTES
Cut down on the amount of mince used & top it up with some canned lentils.
PROTEIN CHANGES
Instead of lamb you can make this with beef or chicken, lentils or a meatfree mince alternative
NOTES
Cannelloni is a labour of love and well worth the effort so this isn't a quick midweek meal. Get the kids involved with the process and enjoy taking the time to create a special meal for the family. If you really aren't up for stuffing some pasta tubes, use a pasta like penne, toss the pasta through the tomato sauce & layer up with the meat sauce. My kids love the flavours on this one so don't be tempted to omit the feta & spinach.
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