Description
This Stuffed Pepper Pasta Bake combines classic stuffed pepper flavors in a cozy pasta dish that’s perfection for quick dinners or family gatherings. Enjoy layers of comforting ingredients like rotini, peppers, and savory beef, topped with melted cheese for a delightful meal.
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 oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Cook rotini pasta in salted water until al dente; drain and toss with olive oil.
- Sauté onion and bell peppers in olive oil until softened.
- Add tomato paste and garlic; cook until fragrant.
- Brown ground beef in the skillet until fully cooked.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning; stir in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce, simmering briefly.
- Fold cooked pasta into the meat and vegetable mixture.
- Transfer to the casserole dish, top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly; broil briefly for a golden finish.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Feel free to substitute ground beef with ground turkey or mushrooms for a lighter dish.
This pasta bake can be prepared a day ahead—just refrigerate before baking.
Experiment with different types of cheese for varied flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 65mg