Lobster Cannelloni with Pesto, Rosé Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts features freshly cooked lobster meat tossed with bright pesto, folded together with toasted pine nuts, and baked in a delicate rosé sauce. It’s a light, elegant springtime favorite.
This recipe showcases one of the season’s most luxurious ingredients—lobster—in an elegant yet approachable way. Traditional cannelloni can be time-consuming, but by using a few smart shortcuts and top-quality ready-made components, you can create a memorable dish in a fraction of the time without sacrificing flavor.
Shortcuts I recommend: use high-quality dried Italian pasta and excellent ready-made pesto and rosé sauce. While homemade pesto is wonderful, buying the right quantity of fresh basil can be expensive and growing basil isn’t always reliable. A good prepared pesto delivers that same bright basil flavor with far less effort. Likewise, a thoughtfully made rosé sauce adds creaminess and tomato brightness while keeping the dish quick to assemble.
The technique is simple: combine chopped, cooked lobster meat with pesto, chives and toasted pine nuts so the flavors coat the lobster pieces. Arrange the mixture on cooked cannelloni or wide lasagna sheets, roll them up, nestle them in a baking dish with a layer of rosé sauce, top with a little Fontina and Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional), and bake briefly until warm and golden. The restrained use of sauce and seasoning allows the lobster’s delicate sweetness to remain the star.
If you prefer, you can make everything from scratch—rolling fresh pasta and preparing homemade pesto and rosé sauce—but the ready-made route is a perfectly valid and delicious shortcut. The result is a refined, quick-to-prepare cannelloni that feels special enough for company yet easy enough for a weeknight.
Pin Recipe
Lobster Cannelloni with Pesto, Rosé Sauce and Toasted Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 cooked 1 ¼ lb 560 g lobster, meat removed from the shell (about 6.25 oz / 175 g cooked meat)
- ¼ cup 60 ml basil pesto (homemade or high-quality ready-made)
- 1 tbsp 15 ml finely chopped chives
- 1 tbsp 15 ml toasted pine nuts
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1 cup 250 ml prepared rosé sauce (homemade or high-quality ready-made)
- 6 cannelloni pasta sheets flat, wide lasagna sheets also work—avoid quick-cooking pasta
- ¼ cup 60 ml grated Fontina cheese
- 2 tbsp 30 ml grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (omit cheeses to keep the dish dairy-free)
To serve (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Chopped chives
- Extra toasted pine nuts
- High-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Cook the cannelloni sheets according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Chop the cooked lobster into bite-sized pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the pesto, chopped chives and toasted pine nuts. Toss gently so the lobster is evenly coated. Season with freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt, adding kosher salt if needed.
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Pour half of the rosé sauce into a baking dish large enough for six cannelloni and spread to coat the bottom.
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Lay a cooked pasta sheet flat. Spoon about one-sixth of the lobster mixture near one edge, then roll the sheet tightly around the filling. Place the rolled cannelloni seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling.
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Pour the remaining rosé sauce over the arranged cannelloni and sprinkle the Fontina and Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly on top. Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden.
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To serve, divide the cannelloni between two plates. Garnish with fresh basil, extra toasted pine nuts, chopped chives, and a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve warm and enjoy.
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