Recipe
One-Week Pesto Protein Pasta Bake
Large-batch baked pasta with seasoned ground meat and pesto — about 14 portions for a week of minimal daily cooking.
Quick facts
- Yield
- About 14 portions
- Preparation
- About 20 minutes
- Cooking
- About 10 minutes pasta + bake 10 minutes + broil 2–3 minutes at 375°F
- Equipment
- Large pot, Large skillet, Colander, Mixing utensil, Two 9×13-inch baking dishes if needed, Food thermometer, Fourteen storage portions/containers
- Storage
- Refrigerate first 3–4 days; freeze later-week portions
- Tags
- Budget, High protein, Meal prep, Weekly meals, Calorie adaptable, Minimal daily cooking, Beef option, Turkey option, Freezer friendly
Ingredients
Pasta & water
- 2 pounds dry protein pasta
- 8 quarts water
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt for pasta water, or 1 tablespoon table salt
- Up to 1 cup reserved pasta water, only as needed
Meat & aromatics
- 3 pounds 90/10 lean ground beef or lean ground turkey
- 1 large sweet onion, approximately 10–12 ounces, diced
- 1 tablespoon oil or butter
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt for meat/onion mixture
- 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, optional
Sauce & finish
- 2 jars pesto, 6–8 ounces each, 12–16 ounces total
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella or similar cheese, optional
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large skillet
- Colander
- Mixing utensil
- Two 9×13-inch baking dishes if needed
- Food thermometer
- Fourteen storage portions/containers
Instructions
-
Preheat oven
Preheat oven to 375°F.
-
Boil pasta water
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil and season the water.
-
Cook pasta
Cook the protein pasta until almost done—approximately 10 minutes or 1–2 minutes less than package directions.
-
Reserve water
Reserve up to 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
-
Heat skillet
Heat oil or butter in a large skillet.
-
Cook onion
Cook the diced sweet onion until softened.
-
Season meat
Add meat, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and optional Italian seasoning.
-
Brown meat
Brown completely. Ground beef must reach 160°F; ground turkey must reach 165°F.
-
Combine base
Combine pasta, meat, onion, and pesto.
-
Adjust moisture
Add reserved pasta water only as needed to prevent dryness.
-
Pan out
Divide between two 9×13-inch dishes when necessary.
-
Bake
Bake for 10 minutes.
-
Add cheese
Add optional cheese.
-
Broil
Broil for approximately 2–3 minutes while watched continuously.
-
Portion
Rest briefly, then divide into approximately 14 portions.
Storage and reheating
- Cool and refrigerate within two hours.
- Refrigerate only the first 3–4 days of portions.
- Freeze later-week portions.
- Thaw safely before reheating.
- Reheat to 165°F.
- Reheat each portion once.
Safety and allergen notes
- Wheat
- Egg may be present in protein pasta
- Dairy may be present in pesto
- Optional cheese adds dairy
- Verify product labels
Adjust ingredients, portions, and cooking methods based on your needs, allergies, health status, and equipment.
Substitutions
- Use lean ground beef or lean ground turkey.
- Skip cheese for a lighter finish.