High-Protein Pizza Pasta Bake (Print View)

Creamy beef and pepperoni pasta baked with melted mozzarella for a protein-packed comfort food dish.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz high-protein penne or rotini pasta

→ Meats

02 - 8 oz lean ground beef
03 - 2 oz turkey or regular pepperoni, sliced

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 cup sliced mushrooms

→ Sauce

08 - 2 cups low-sodium marinara sauce
09 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2% or fat-free
10 - 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
14 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
15 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Topping

16 - 1/2 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1 oz pepperoni, sliced for topping
18 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through. Add chopped onion and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms; sauté another 3 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
05 - In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan until smooth and well combined.
06 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, beef-vegetable sauce, sliced pepperoni, and yogurt-cheese mixture. Toss thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and additional pepperoni slices.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.
09 - Let rest 5 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil or parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The Greek yogurt swapped in for heavy cream means you get that creamy, rich sauce without the guilt or the bathroom scale getting angry at you.
  • Thirty minutes in the oven while you shower, do laundry, or just sit down and breathe—the whole thing practically cooks itself.
  • One pan, one dish, zero leftovers because six servings disappear faster than you'd think possible.
02 -
  • Don't use fat-free Greek yogurt—it curdles when it heats and you'll end up with a separated, grainy sauce that looks like something went wrong.
  • The pasta being slightly undercooked matters more than you'd think because it keeps the dish from turning into mush when the yogurt and sauce soak in.
  • Draining the ground beef fat is essential unless you want the sauce separating on top of your pasta after it bakes.
03 -
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after baking—it lets the sauce set and makes serving so much cleaner.
  • If you're making this for people with dairy issues, lactose-free Greek yogurt and cheese work exactly the same way and nobody will know the difference.
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