High-Protein Pizza Pasta Bake (Printable)

Protein-packed pasta bake with beef, pepperoni, and creamy sauce baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - ½ teaspoon dried basil
14 - ¼ teaspoon 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
18 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Add chopped onion and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms; sauté for an additional 3 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Add marinara sauce, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan until smooth and fully combined.
06 - Transfer cooked pasta to a large mixing bowl. Pour beef-vegetable sauce over pasta and add sliced pepperoni. Pour yogurt-cheese mixture over all ingredients. Toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
07 - Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Top with remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese and additional pepperoni slices.
08 - Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
09 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley. Serve warm.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Packs nearly 31 grams of protein per serving without tasting like you're being punished for caring about your body.
  • Greek yogurt makes the sauce silky and rich while keeping it lighter than traditional cream-heavy versions.
  • Comes together in 50 minutes flat, including oven time, so it actually fits into real life.
  • Tastes even better reheated, which means leftovers that don't feel like an afterthought.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the ground beef because fat will pool on top and make the whole dish feel greasy instead of creamy.
  • Greek yogurt curdles if it gets shocked by extreme heat, so fold it into the warm sauce mixture rather than dumping it into boiling marinara.
  • The pasta cooks again in the oven, so pulling it out at al dente instead of fully cooked makes the difference between tender and mushy.
03 -
  • Mix the pasta with the sauce mixture while it's still warm so the noodles absorb the flavors instead of sitting coated on the surface.
  • If your Greek yogurt seems too thick, whisk it with a splash of the pasta water to loosen it before folding in, which prevents lumps.
  • Let the assembled bake sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before baking, because cold ingredients can extend cooking time and dry out the top.
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