High Protein Italian Beef Pasta (Printable View)

Hearty pasta bake with lean beef, vegetables, and melted cheese

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz whole wheat penne or rotini

→ Beef & Vegetables

02 - 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
07 - 3.5 oz baby spinach

→ Sauce

08 - 24 oz canned crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried basil
12 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese & Toppings

14 - 5 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
15 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
16 - 1 oz turkey pepperoni slices (optional)
17 - Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms to the skillet. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
07 - Combine the cooked pasta with the beef and vegetable sauce mixture.
08 - Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
09 - Sprinkle mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Arrange turkey pepperoni slices if using.
10 - Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Garnish with fresh basil before serving, if desired.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • This bake delivers serious protein without feeling like diet food, keeping you full for hours
  • The whole wheat pasta and vegetables make it lighter than traditional Italian American pasta dishes while staying incredibly satisfying
02 -
  • Undercook the pasta by about 2 minutes, as it absorbs liquid and softens more during baking
  • Letting the sauce simmer for the full 5 minutes allows the dried herbs to rehydrate and bloom properly
  • The bake needs at least 10 minutes to rest after coming out of the oven or it will be too loose to serve cleanly
03 -
  • Grating your own Parmesan from a block makes a huge difference in flavor compared to pre grated cheese
  • Stir a spoonful of the pasta cooking water into the sauce before combining if it seems too thick
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