High Protein Italian Beef and Pasta Bake (Printable)

Hearty Italian-American baked pasta with lean beef, vegetables, and melted cheese. High protein comfort food.

# 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 fl 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
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
17 - Fresh basil for garnish

# 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, approximately 1 minute.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
07 - Mix the cooked pasta with the beef and vegetable sauce mixture until evenly combined.
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 -
  • 33 grams of protein per serving without the guilt—this isn't diet food pretending to be normal, it's genuinely satisfying.
  • Tastes like pizza night but assembled in a baking dish, so you get that nostalgia with actual vegetables hiding inside.
  • Meal prep goldmine because it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day when all those Italian flavors have gotten to know each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the beef properly or you'll end up with a greasy bake instead of a lean one—pour off that fat if it pools.
  • The pasta will continue cooking slightly in the oven, so stopping at al dente is crucial or you'll end up with mushy noodles instead of tender ones.
  • Mozzarella quality matters because cheap versions release water and make the top watery; spending a few cents more on decent cheese changes everything.
03 -
  • Brown your beef in batches if needed instead of overcrowding the pan—crowded meat steams instead of browning, and browning is where flavor happens.
  • Taste your sauce before it goes into the bake and adjust seasoning aggressively because baking mellows flavors slightly—salt and pepper are your friends here.
  • Let it rest 5 minutes before serving so the cheese sets just enough to hold together but stays melted and creamy inside.
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