High-Protein Pizza Pasta Bake (Printable)

Hearty casserole with pizza flavors, lean beef, pepperoni, and creamy yogurt-cheese sauce

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 10.5 oz lean ground beef
02 - 2 oz turkey or regular pepperoni, sliced

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz high-protein pasta (penne or fusilli)

→ Cheese & Yogurt Sauce

04 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (0–2% fat)
05 - 1½ cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
06 - ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1 large egg

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
11 - 1 red bell pepper, diced (optional)
12 - 3.5 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped (optional)

→ Spices & Seasonings

13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
15 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
16 - Salt and black pepper to taste
17 - Olive oil for sautéing

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray.
02 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add high-protein pasta and cook until just al dente according to package directions. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and diced bell pepper if using. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
04 - Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until aromatic.
05 - Add lean ground beef to the skillet, breaking apart with a spoon. Cook over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, approximately 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
06 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, chili flakes if desired, and baby spinach if using. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
07 - In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, half of the shredded mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
08 - In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta, beef-tomato mixture, and yogurt-cheese sauce. Fold together gently until evenly distributed.
09 - Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded mozzarella and arrange pepperoni slices evenly over the surface.
10 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • 37 grams of protein per serving, so you actually feel full for hours, not ravenous by 3 PM.
  • Tastes indulgent and cheesy while staying lighter than traditional baked pasta because Greek yogurt does the heavy lifting.
  • Takes less than an hour from kitchen to table, which means weeknight dinners that don't feel rushed.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the excess fat from the ground beef; it keeps the dish from becoming greasy and lets the yogurt sauce shine instead of sliding around in oil.
  • Greek yogurt can split if you dump it into a hot pan, so always mix it in a bowl at room temperature first, then fold it gently into the pasta away from direct heat.
03 -
  • Cook your pasta slightly undercooked because it continues to soften in the oven and you don't want mushy pasta by the time it's done.
  • Let the baked dish rest for those 5 minutes before serving; it sounds like a small thing but it helps the yogurt sauce set so your serving spoon doesn't just sink through into liquid.
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