Cheesy Beef and Pasta Casserole

An easy, healthier pasta dinner:  Cheesy Beef and Pasta Casserole

My husband just about flipped when I served this for dinner the other night… and not in a good way!  He has been eating light, and he’s been trying his hardest to avoid eating an overload of carbs.  We’re pretty much carboholics around my house.

I did my best to change his thinking.  I explained that it was a lightened up recipe in the first place, there’s a good bunch of ZUCCHINI in it, and I’d be serving a very large side salad to go with a smallish portion of pasta.  He eyed me suspiciously, but eventually he gave in to the carb craving.

Eating pasta, you see, can be manageable for a diet.  Just wait until the NEXT day before you go back for seconds 🙂

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Cheesy Beef and Pasta Casserole

This casserole is lightened up with a good bit of zucchini included.

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef, casserole, cheesy, Pasta

Servings: 6 servings (1¼ cups each)

Calories: 466kcal

Author: RecipeGirl.com (adapted loosely from Weight Watchers One Pot Cookbook)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large zucchini, chopped
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¾ pound lean ground beef (7% fat or less)
• 4 cups cooked whole wheat penne (about 2¼ cups dry)
• 2 cups low fat marinara sauce (2g fat or less)
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, garlic and red pepper flakes, cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.  
• Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off any accumulated oil and discard.
• Add the cooked vegetables, penne and sauce to the pan and mix to combine. Spoon the pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is hot and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle fresh basil on top and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 466kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 547mg, Potassium: 642mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 836IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 186mg, Iron: 3mg

Here are a few more pasta casserole recipes you might enjoy:

• Enchilada Pasta Casserole by Table for Two
• Chicken Spaghetti Casserole by RecipeGirl
• Greek Pasta Casserole by Chef in Training
• Creamy Tomato Pasta Casserole by Cook, Crave Inspire