High Protein Pasta Bake
A hearty and protein-packed pasta bake combining lean beef, turkey pepperoni, and cheesy goodness for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- 1 green pepper green pepper (finely diced)
Meat
- 1 pound 96/4 ground beef (cooked and drained)
- 24 ounce tomato sauce
- 60 grams turkey pepperoni (about 34 pepperonis, quartered)
Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (divided into 1 tbsp + 1 tbsp)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Pasta
- 12 ounces Banza penne pasta (or other pasta variety)
Cheese and Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups 2% cottage cheese
- 2 cups part skim shredded mozzarella (divided into 1 cup + 1 cup)
- 1 egg egg
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Dice the onion, garlic, and green pepper; set aside.
- Cook ground beef until no longer pink, then remove and set aside. Sauté veggies in the same skillet until soft.
- Add cooked beef, tomato sauce, quartered pepperoni, half of Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the veggies. Simmer on low.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, then drain.
- Mix cottage cheese, half of mozzarella, egg, and remaining Italian seasoning in a bowl.
- Layer sauce, pasta, and cheese mixture in a greased 9x13 dish, topping with remaining mozzarella and parmesan. Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until golden.
Notes
For extra spice, add more red pepper flakes or hot sauce.