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Cheesy baked pasta with beef and mozzarella

Cheese Meat Pasta Bake

Creamy baked pasta layered with seasoned ground beef, tomato sauce, homemade white sauce, and mozzarella, finished golden and bubbly.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
chill time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 612

Ingredients
  

Beef sauce
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 bell pepper chopped
  • About 2 tbsp olive oil 25 g
  • About 10 1/2 oz ground beef 300 g
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • About 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce 300 g
White sauce
  • About 2 tbsp butter 30 g
  • About 3 tbsp all-purpose flour 25 g
  • About 2 cups + 1 tbsp milk 500 ml
  • About 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella 50 g
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Assembly
  • About 12 oz dry pasta 350 g
  • About 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella 150 g

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Chef’s knife
  • Large skillet
  • Saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Wooden spoon or spatula
  • Large pot (for pasta)
  • Colander
  • Baking dish

Method
 

  1. Boil pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until softened. Add bell pepper and cook 2–3 minutes.
  3. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until no longer pink.
  4. Stir in salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and oregano.
  5. Add tomato sauce, stir well, and simmer a few minutes until thickened.
  6. Make the white sauce: melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour until smooth, then slowly whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, until thick. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg. Stir in 50 g mozzarella until melted.
  7. Assemble in a baking dish: spread a layer of white sauce, add pasta, spoon on beef sauce, add more pasta, then finish with remaining white sauce.
  8. Top with 150 g mozzarella and bake until melted and golden. Rest 5–10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 612kcalCarbohydrates: 58.6gProtein: 32.3gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.8gMonounsaturated Fat: 10.7gTrans Fat: 0.9gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 727mgFiber: 3.5gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 588IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 3mg

Video

Notes

 
  • For the best texture, slightly undercook pasta so it holds up after baking.
  • If the white sauce gets too thick, whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it.
  • Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken if desired.
  • Nutrition values are an estimate and will change based on brands used.

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