High Protein Italian Beef Pasta Bake (Printable)

Hearty beef and vegetable pasta bake with melted cheese, modified for high protein and lower calories.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 10.5 oz whole wheat penne or rotini pasta

→ 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 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 0.5 teaspoon 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

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and allow to reach temperature.
02 - Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Add diced onion, minced garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms to skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened.
05 - Stir in baby spinach and cook for about 1 minute until completely wilted.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
07 - Mix cooked pasta with beef and vegetable sauce mixture until evenly coated.
08 - Pour pasta mixture into lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish and spread evenly.
09 - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan evenly over top. Arrange turkey pepperoni slices on surface if using.
10 - Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
11 - Remove from oven and garnish with fresh basil if desired. Allow to cool briefly before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent enough to feel like comfort food, yet delivers 33g of protein per serving without any guilt.
  • Meal prep becomes genuinely easy when you've got six portions of this ready to reheat through the week.
  • The cheese gets bubbly and slightly crispy on top, which is exactly the kind of detail that makes you want seconds.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta just shy of fully tender—it's the difference between creamy bake and mushy disappointing pasta.
  • The cheese needs direct contact with the sauce layer below, or it'll separate during baking and turn greasy instead of melty.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick skillet for browning the beef so you can actually see when it's done without constantly stirring and breaking up the texture.
  • Don't skimp on the tomato paste—those two tablespoons do the heavy lifting for depth of flavor that makes people ask if you've been simmering this for hours.
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