Description
This Easy Stuffed Pepper Pasta Bake is a delightful mix of rotini pasta, savory ground beef, and colorful bell peppers, creating a flavor-packed dish perfect for dinner or meal prep. With simple steps and tasty ingredients, you’ll enjoy every bite!
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz uncooked rotini pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper roughly chopped
- 1 orange bell pepper roughly chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese shredded
- optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, as per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell peppers, cover, and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in tomato paste and minced garlic, and cook covered for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks, and cover. Cook for 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked. Drain excess grease, leaving a little for flavor.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir well.
- Pour in tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes, stir, and let it simmer for 3–5 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss until evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute to lightly brown the top, keeping a close watch to prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Garnish with parsley if desired, then serve.
Notes
Feel free to substitute ground beef with turkey or a plant-based option for a lighter version.
Add your favorite vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms for extra nutrition.
This dish can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg