High Protein Italian Beef Pasta (Print Page)

Hearty baked pasta dish with lean beef, vegetables, and melted cheese perfect for family dinners and meal prep.

# 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 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 - 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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent and pizza-inspired while packing 33 grams of protein per serving, which means you're actually satisfied, not hunting the kitchen an hour later.
  • Meal prep becomes effortless because it reheats beautifully and tastes even better the next day when flavors have settled into the pasta.
  • You control every ingredient, so there's no mystery sodium or weird additives hiding in store-bought versions.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the pasta thoroughly—any excess water clinging to it will release into the baking dish and make your beautiful creation watery instead of rich.
  • If you're adding cottage cheese or ricotta for extra protein, fold it in gently before the final assembly so it doesn't get overworked and turn grainy.
  • The bake will continue cooking slightly after you pull it from the oven, so aim for melted cheese rather than bubbling at the very edges—it'll be perfect when you serve it.
03 -
  • Toast your whole wheat pasta in a dry pan for two minutes before cooking it—this sounds weird but it deepens the nutty flavor and prevents that slightly bitter taste some whole wheat pasta gets.
  • If you're making this ahead, assemble everything except the cheese, refrigerate it, and top with cheese right before baking so the cheese doesn't dry out sitting on top overnight.
  • Use a nonstick skillet for browning the beef and you'll genuinely drain less fat, which keeps your macros cleaner without sacrificing any flavor.
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