Description
Experience the comforting flavors of Stuffed Pepper Pasta Bake, featuring rotini, sautéed peppers, and seasoned beef in a rich tomato sauce. Perfect for dinners or gatherings!
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 in salted water until al dente, about 7-9 minutes, then drain.
- Sauté onion and chopped bell peppers in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add tomato paste and garlic, cooking for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Crumble in ground beef, cooking until browned, about 7-10 minutes, then drain excess grease.
- Add salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning, stirring to combine.
- Mix in tomato sauce and fire-roasted tomatoes; simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Combine cooked rotini with the beef mixture, folding gently.
- Transfer to casserole dish, top with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
Avoid overcooking the pasta to retain its texture after baking.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Experiment with different cheeses for unique flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 70mg