Cajun Cannelloni

Louisiana meets Little Italy in one gloriously overstuffed baking pan.

These cannelloni shells get packed with a filling that would make both a Cajun grandmother and a Sicilian nonna proud: crawfish tails, crab meat, Italian sausage, smoked sausage, and a creamy blend of ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella. Jalapeños and hot sauce bring that bayou fire.

The sauce simmers for an hour with mushrooms, garlic, red wine, and tomato paste until it’s thick and deeply concentrated.

Bake it all together until bubbling, then hit it under the broiler to get that cheese topping golden and blistered.

Chef Tips

• Start the sauce first. It needs a full hour of simmering, and you can prep everything else while it cooks down.
• Cook the cannelloni shells until firm, not soft. They’ll finish cooking in the oven and mushy pasta is a tragedy.
• Let it rest for 10 minutes after baking. This gives the filling time to set so the shells don’t fall apart when you serve them.
• The broiler step at the end is non-negotiable. Those browned, bubbly cheese edges are half the reason to make this dish.