Turkey Cannelloni

Turkey Cannelloni is a comforting, hearty bake that brings together tender turkey, creamy sweet potato and vibrant kale inside soft pasta tubes, all tucked into a rich tomato sauce and finished with a silky homemade béchamel.

This turkey cannelloni recipe leans into the natural sweetness of the vegetables to balance the savory filling, giving you that cozy fall and winter feel without needing anything complicated. The combination of turkey and sweet potato creates a filling that stays juicy as it bakes, while the kale adds just enough freshness to keep every bite interesting. For something bold on the side, a dish like Steak Fajitas adds a zesty contrast that works beautifully with this sweet potato cannelloni.

• What Makes This Recipe So Good
• What Goes Into Turkey Cannelloni
• How To Make Turkey Cannelloni
• Tips For Making Turkey Cannelloni
• Recipe FAQ’s
• Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Cannelloni Recipe

What Makes This Recipe So Good

This Turkey Cannelloni stands out because the filling stays creamy and moist without needing loads of cheese or heavy cream. The way the turkey and sweet potato cook together creates a naturally rich texture, so every bite feels satisfying while still letting the flavors of the herbs and tomato sauce come through.

What really sets this turkey cannelloni recipe apart is how balanced it feels. The sweet potato adds a gentle sweetness, the kale keeps it from feeling heavy, and the turkey gives it that hearty, comforting backbone you want in a baked pasta. It is exactly what makes this sweet potato cannelloni feel both cozy and fresh at the same time.

What Goes Into Turkey Cannelloni

This Turkey Cannelloni uses simple, everyday ingredients that come together into a rich, cozy bake without feeling heavy

• Extra Lean Ground Turkey: Lean turkey keeps the filling light but still hearty, soaking up the herbs and tomato sauce so every bite stays juicy without becoming greasy.
• Sweet Potato: This is what gives the filling its natural creaminess and gentle sweetness, turning the turkey and sweet potato mixture into something that feels indulgent without needing loads of cheese.
• Fresh Kale: Kale adds texture and a subtle earthiness that balances the sweetness of the potato, keeping this sweet potato cannelloni from tasting flat or one-note.
• Condensed Tomato Soup: Using condensed soup creates a thick, velvety sauce that clings to the pasta and filling, helping the whole Turkey Cannelloni bake together beautifully instead of drying out.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

How To Make Turkey Cannelloni

1. Preheat The Oven: Preheat to 200°C | 390°F and lightly grease a large oven proof baking dish so the cannelloni does not stick while baking.

1. Cook Turkey Filling: Sauté onion in a lightly oiled pan until soft, then add the ground turkey and garlic, breaking it up as it cooks until lightly browned and fragrant.

1. Add The Vegetables: Stir in the sweet potato and kale and cook just until the leaves wilt, then mix through the parsley and basil and remove from the heat.

1. Mash And Combine: Gently mash the sweet potato into the turkey mixture with a fork until the filling becomes creamy and evenly blended.

1. Make The Tomato Sauce: In a separate pan, cook the onion, garlic and capsicum until softened, then stir in the condensed tomato soup and stock powder and simmer until slightly thickened.

1. Prepare The Béchamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, then slowly add the milk while stirring until smooth and lightly thickened, seasoning with salt.

1. Fill And Assemble: Spoon the turkey and sweet potato filling into the cannelloni tubes, arrange them in a single layer in the baking dish, and pour the tomato sauce evenly over the top.

1. Bake And Finish: Sprinkle with Parmesan, cover with foil and bake until the pasta is tender, then uncover and grill until the cheese is golden before serving with extra sauce and herbs.

This Turkey Cannelloni is rich, cozy, and full of savory depth from the turkey and sweet potato, so it pairs best with sides that bring either crunch, freshness, or a little indulgent contrast. Something like Caprese Garlic Bread is perfect for soaking up the extra tomato and béchamel, while Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese adds a creamy, cheesy bite that plays beautifully against the herby filling.

For a bolder, more playful spread, Steak Fajita Grilled Cheese gives you that smoky, zesty kick that cuts through the richness of the turkey cannelloni recipe, making the whole meal feel more exciting without overpowering the main dish.

Tips For Making Turkey Cannelloni

• If you want an even creamier Turkey Cannelloni, I sometimes mash the sweet potato while it is still warm so it blends more smoothly into the turkey and coats every bite just a little better.
• When stuffing the cannelloni, a piping bag or even a zip top bag with the corner snipped off makes the whole process way less messy and saves a lot of time.
• Let the bake rest for about 5 minutes before serving so the turkey and sweet potato filling has time to set and you get clean slices instead of a saucy pile on the plate.
• If you are making this ahead, keep the béchamel separate until just before baking so the sweet potato cannelloni stays creamy instead of soaking up too much sauce overnight.

No, dry cannelloni works perfectly in this turkey cannelloni recipe as long as the tubes are fully covered with sauce, which allows them to soften properly while baking.

You can easily swap the kale for spinach or silverbeet in this turkey and sweet potato filling, using the same amount and stirring it in just until wilted.

Make sure the pasta is fully coated in sauce and keep the dish covered with foil for most of the baking time so the Turkey Cannelloni stays moist and tender.

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IngredientsUSMetric1x2x3x

Filling:

• ▢ 1 large brown onion chopped
• ▢ 16 oz extra lean ground turkey mince
• ▢ 1 medium sized sweet potato pre cooked/roasted or steamed and soft
• ▢ 2 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 4 cups fresh kale shredded
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable stock powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped (optional)
• ▢ 30 tubes dry cannelloni pasta

Tomato Sauce:

• ▢ 1 large brown onion chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ ½ red capsicum/bell pepper
• ▢ 2 cans condensed tomato soup
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder
• ▢ 1 pinch salt to season

(Optional) Bechamel Sauce:

• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flour
• ▢ 1 pinch salt to season
• ▢ 1 cup milk of choice at room temperature

Topping:

• ▢ 3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200℃ | 390℉.

Filling:

• Cook the onion in a pan sprayed with cooking oil until translucent. Add the ground turkey and garlic powder, breaking up the turkey with your wooden spoon and cook until browned. Add in the sweet potato and the kale, and stir until leaves begin to wilt. Add in the herbs and set aside to cool slightly.
• Mash the sweet potato with a fork and mix through the turkey.
• While that’s cooking, make sauce:

Tomato Sauce:

• In a separate pan, fry onion, garlic and capsicum/bell peppers until onion is translucent. Add the soup and stock powder and simmer on low heat. Once slightly thickened reduce heat until all flavours are combined and cooked through.Turn off heat.

Optional Bechamel Sauce:

• To make sauce, melt butter in a medium sized saucepan on very low heat. Add the flour and cook stirring for about 1-2 minutes until smooth.
• Take off heat and gradually add the milk stirring constantly until combined and completely smooth. Slowly add the rest of the milk while stirring continuously until the mixture is smooth. Return to the heat to cook while stirring with a wooden spoon until sauce begins to boil and thicken while coating the back of your wooden spoon (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir through salt.

Cannelloni:

• Stuff filling into each cannelloni tube until full. Repeat with all cannelloni and arrange into an oven-proof dish in a single layer. Pour the sauce evenly over the cannelloni, turning them slightly to coat in sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover the tray with foil and bake the cannelloni for 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is soft. Remove foil and change oven settings to grill/broil for a further 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden.
• Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking tray and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Cannelloni

Ingredients

Filling:

• 1 large brown onion chopped
• 16 oz extra lean ground turkey mince
• 1 medium sized sweet potato pre cooked/roasted or steamed and soft
• 2 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 cups fresh kale shredded
• 2 tablespoons vegetable stock powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves chopped (optional)
• 30 tubes dry cannelloni pasta

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 large brown onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ red capsicum/bell pepper
• 2 cans condensed tomato soup
• 1 tablespoon vegetable stock powder
• 1 pinch salt to season

(Optional) Bechamel Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 pinch salt to season
• 1 cup milk of choice at room temperature

Topping:

• 3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200℃ | 390℉.

Filling:

• Cook the onion in a pan sprayed with cooking oil until translucent. Add the ground turkey and garlic powder, breaking up the turkey with your wooden spoon and cook until browned. Add in the sweet potato and the kale, and stir until leaves begin to wilt. Add in the herbs and set aside to cool slightly.
• Mash the sweet potato with a fork and mix through the turkey.
• While that’s cooking, make sauce:

Tomato Sauce:

• In a separate pan, fry onion, garlic and capsicum/bell peppers until onion is translucent. Add the soup and stock powder and simmer on low heat. Once slightly thickened reduce heat until all flavours are combined and cooked through.Turn off heat.

Optional Bechamel Sauce:

• To make sauce, melt butter in a medium sized saucepan on very low heat. Add the flour and cook stirring for about 1-2 minutes until smooth.
• Take off heat and gradually add the milk stirring constantly until combined and completely smooth. Slowly add the rest of the milk while stirring continuously until the mixture is smooth. Return to the heat to cook while stirring with a wooden spoon until sauce begins to boil and thicken while coating the back of your wooden spoon (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir through salt.

Cannelloni:

• Stuff filling into each cannelloni tube until full. Repeat with all cannelloni and arrange into an oven-proof dish in a single layer. Pour the sauce evenly over the cannelloni, turning them slightly to coat in sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover the tray with foil and bake the cannelloni for 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is soft. Remove foil and change oven settings to grill/broil for a further 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden.
• Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking tray and garnish with fresh herbs.

Notes

Nutrition

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