Description
This Easy Stuffed Pepper Pasta Bake combines savory ground beef, colorful bell peppers, and gooey cheese over pasta, making it a delightful option for a quick and satisfying meal. Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish delivers hearty flavors with simple preparation.
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. Set aside.
- Boil salted water in a large pot. Cook the rotini pasta until al dente as per package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Add onion and bell peppers, cover, and cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic, cover, and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart while cooking. Cover and cook for 7–10 minutes until fully cooked. Drain excess grease, keeping some for flavor.
- Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir well.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes, stir again, and let simmer for 3–5 minutes.
- Add cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing until well coated.
- Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Broil for 30 seconds to 1 minute to brown the top, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Notes
For added spice, consider adding red pepper flakes to the meat mixture.
If you’re short on time, use pre-cooked ground beef for faster assembly.
This recipe can be made ahead of time and refrigerated before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg