High Protein Italian Beef Pasta Bake (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian-American bake with lean beef, whole wheat pasta, vegetables, and melted cheese for a protein-packed satisfying meal.

# What You 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 fl oz canned crushed tomatoes
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1 tsp dried basil
12 - 0.5 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

# Directions:

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 to 7 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a sneaky high-protein meal that tastes indulgent but keeps you satisfied without the afternoon slump.
  • Meal prep gold because it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day when flavors have settled in.
  • Feels like comfort food without the guilt since whole wheat pasta and lean beef do most of the heavy lifting.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta early—if it sits in its cooking water while you finish the sauce, it'll absorb too much liquid and turn mushy during baking.
  • Taste your sauce before it goes in the oven, because you can't adjust seasoning once everything's baked together; trust your palate, not the recipe measurements.
03 -
  • Use a nonstick skillet when browning the beef—it prevents sticking without requiring extra oil, which keeps calories honest and cleanup easy.
  • Let the baked dish rest for 5 minutes after pulling it from the oven so the cheese sets slightly and you get cleaner, less soupy servings.
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