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Pasta

Lentil and Cotechino Cannelloni

Lentil and Cotechino Cannelloni: a rich, original first course for the holidays, with savory cotechino, traditional lentils and a light béchamel.
Recipe Lentil and Cotechino Cannelloni
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 40 minutes
  • Cooking 45 minutes
  • Servings for 4 people

Imagine sitting down at the table and letting yourself be pampered by a burst of comforting flavors, typical of the big winter occasions. This lentil and cotechino cannelloni recipe is the perfect union of the delicate creaminess of legumes and the rich, intense flavor of cotechino (a large, slow-cooked Italian pork sausage), for a true food experience that wins you over from the first bite. Making these cannelloni stuffed with cotechino and lentils is not only a refined way to celebrate Christmas lunch or the New Year’s Eve dinner, but also one of the best ways to make creative, tasty use of leftovers, with an elegant dish that surprises every guest.

With this creamy filling wrapped in rough-textured pasta, every bite reveals the perfect harmony between the savory cotechino and the sweetness of the lentils, a symbol of luck and plenty for the holidays. Silky béchamel completes the dish without weighing it down, while a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano gives the irresistible golden crust typical of baked cannelloni with cotechino.

Perfect as cannelloni for a winter lunch (perhaps during the holidays or to welcome friends and family in a convivial atmosphere), these cannelloni with a creamy legume and meat filling show how easy it is to turn traditional ingredients into a modern, eye-catching course. With a little planning, you can also make your easy stuffed cannelloni recipe ahead of time: nothing stops you from cooking the lentils and béchamel the day before, so assembly becomes extremely practical.

If you love variations on the theme, we also suggest taking a look at dishes such as Polenta Canapés with Lentils and Cotechino, the classic Cotechino with Lentils or the very tasty Cotechino Ragù, all perfect for holiday tables. And if you love legumes, try Lentil Meatballs or a comfort food such as Stewed Lentils. Now all that’s left is to discover how to make cannelloni with lentils and be won over by one of the best holiday cannelloni recipes, perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to cook cannelloni with cotechino effortlessly and with great satisfaction.

Ingredients for 4 people

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Method

  1. To make the Lentil and Cotechino Cannelloni, start by soaking the dried lentils in plenty of water for about 12 hours (we recommend doing this the night before), then rinse them well under running water.
  2. In a large saucepan, make a soffritto (a gently sautéed vegetable base) with the carrot, onion and celery stalk, peeled and cut into small dice; add the sage, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil as well, and let it cook for about 5 minutes to build flavor.
  3. Now add the tomato paste and the drained lentils, season with salt and pepper and cover with vegetable broth until it comes about two fingers above the lentils.
  4. Stir well and let cook for about 40 minutes (or use a pressure cooker to cut the time), until the lentils are tender but not mushy; once cooked, turn off the heat and let them cool completely.
  5. Meanwhile, make the light béchamel: heat the milk in a small saucepan and thicken it with the flour, whisking constantly to avoid lumps, then season with salt and flavor with nutmeg until you have a smooth cream.
  6. Now take the precooked cotechino, still in its sealed package, place it in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and let it cook for 20 minutes.
  7. Drain the cotechino, cut a corner of the package to let the preserving liquid drain out, then take it out, pat it dry with paper towels, remove the casing and cut it into small pieces.
  8. Transfer the cotechino pieces to a food processor and pulse for a few seconds until you have a crumbly mixture, not a purée, then pour it into a large bowl.
  9. Add the now-cold lentils (well drained of their cooking liquid), the grated Parmigiano and two ladlefuls of your béchamel to the cotechino, mixing carefully to combine the whole filling.
  10. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a wide tip (or use a teaspoon) and generously fill the uncooked cannelloni.
  11. Take a baking dish (about 22×28 cm / 9×11 inches), spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom and arrange the filled cannelloni on top in a single neat layer.
  12. Cover the cannelloni completely with the remaining béchamel and sprinkle the top with plenty of grated Parmigiano.
  13. Bake in a conventional oven preheated to 190 °C (375 °F) for about 30 minutes, or until a lovely golden crust has formed on top.
  14. Take your cannelloni out of the oven and let them settle for a few minutes before serving them piping hot. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you don’t like cotechino, you can replace it with fresh sausage, crumbled and browned in a pan, then deglazed with a little white wine.

Tips

If you want to get ahead, you can assemble the whole dish the day before and keep it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap, then bake it about 30-40 minutes before serving.

Storage

You can store the baked cannelloni in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 2 days. You can freeze them either baked or unbaked (if the starting ingredients were fresh).

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