High-Protein Pizza Pasta Bake (Printable)

A wholesome pasta dish featuring lean beef, pepperoni, and a creamy cheese sauce baked golden and bubbly.

# What Goes In:

→ 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 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 - ½ tsp dried oregano
13 - ½ tsp dried basil
14 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
15 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ Topping

16 - ½ cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
17 - 1 oz pepperoni, sliced for topping
18 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
02 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
03 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef until browned, breaking it apart as it cooks. Add onion and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms; sauté for 3 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in marinara sauce, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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 pasta evenly.
07 - Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining ½ cup mozzarella and extra pepperoni slices.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • 31 grams of protein per serving means you get full faster and stay satisfied way longer than regular pasta night.
  • Greek yogurt swapped for heavy cream gives you that creamy sauce without the guilt or the heaviness before bed.
  • Tastes like pizza in pasta form, so your brain gets the comfort food satisfaction while your muscles get what they actually need.
  • Ready in under an hour from start to table, perfect for weeknights when you're tired but hungry.
02 -
  • Greek yogurt can break if you overmix it with hot sauce before combining everything, so whisk it gently and fold everything together with a spatula rather than aggressively stirring.
  • Don't skip the five-minute rest after baking or you'll have creamy pasta that slides off your fork instead of bake that actually holds together.
  • Drain your cooked ground beef thoroughly because any excess fat will make the final bake greasy instead of creamy.
03 -
  • Slightly undercook your pasta by one minute because it'll continue cooking in the oven and finish perfectly tender instead of turning into mush.
  • Whisk your yogurt mixture until it's completely smooth before mixing it with the hot beef sauce to prevent any grainy texture in the finished bake.
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