This is a one-pot-plus-oven bake: ground beef, fusilli, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cooked together and finished under high heat until the cheese bubbles. It feeds five people for around 548 calories a serving, with 35 grams of protein per plate. If you need a filling weeknight dinner that doesn’t require much cleanup or planning, this is a reliable choice.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter here. First, cooking the tomato sauce separately in the same pan — after the beef is done — lets it reduce and concentrate before it hits the pasta. A watery sauce makes the bake soggy; cooking it until the oil rises to the surface is the visual cue that it’s ready. Second, mixing half the mozzarella into the pasta before it goes into the dish means the cheese binds the whole thing together from the inside, not just on top. The reserved half that goes on the surface is what gives you the melted, slightly browned top layer. Both steps take maybe five extra minutes and make a real difference in the final texture.
Storage and reheating
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. For longer storage, portion the bake into individual servings, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to three months — label with the date. To reheat from the fridge, add a splash of water or extra tomato sauce to the portion before microwaving, cover loosely, and heat in 90-second intervals until the center reaches 165°F (74°C). From frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge first, then reheat the same way. Reheating the whole dish in the oven at 350°F (175°C) covered with foil for 20–25 minutes also works well and keeps the pasta from drying out.
Troubleshooting
- Pasta clumps together after draining: Toss the drained fusilli with a small drizzle of oil immediately after draining if you’re not combining it with the beef right away. Pasta sitting in a colander for more than a few minutes will stick.
- Cheese burns before it melts: At 500°F the oven runs very hot — check the bake at the four-minute mark. If your oven runs hot or you’re using a dark casserole dish, pull it at five minutes even if the cheese looks pale; it will continue melting from residual heat.
- Bake turns out dry: This usually means the tomato sauce was reduced too far, or the pasta was overcooked before baking. Pull the pasta at al dente — it finishes cooking in the oven. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish — and use that time to make sure the sauce is still saucy before combining.
- Ground beef stays gray and steams instead of browning: Overcrowding the pan traps steam. If your pan is small, brown the beef in two batches, or increase the heat. Gray beef is still safe once it hits 160°F (71°C), but it won’t add as much flavor to the finished dish.
- Bake is bland despite seasoning: The seasoning cubes and tomato sauce both vary a lot by brand in salt and intensity. Taste the combined pasta mixture before it goes into the casserole dish — that’s the last easy point to adjust salt, pepper, or spices before the oven locks everything in.
Ground Beef Pasta Bake (Cheesy, One-Pan Easy)
Equipment
Ingredients
15 oz fusilli pasta - about 425g
1 lb ground beef (minced beef) - minced beef, about 450g
1 jar Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions – pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish) - 24 oz / 680g, tomato pasta sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded ; 115g, divided- 2 pieces seasoning cubes - such as Knorr or Maggi (chicken or beef flavour), crumbled — or substitute 2 teaspoons bouillon powder
½ tsp salt - or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper - or to taste
1 small yellow onion - chopped
1 small red onion - chopped- 2-3 tbsp cooking oil - 30-45ml, vegetable or canola
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp curry powder - optional
Instructions
- In a large pot, add enough water to boil the pasta. Salt the water generously and bring it to a boil. Add the fusilli and boil for 6 to 7 minutes or until just under al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and set the pasta aside. (Optional: reserve ½ cup / 120ml of the starchy pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.)15 oz fusilli pasta, 1/2 tsp salt
- Heat 1-2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped yellow and red onions and sauté until they start to get translucent. Then add the ground beef and stir, breaking it up into small pieces. Season with one crumbled seasoning cube, salt, pepper, and curry powder (optional). Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked and no pink remains. Transfer the cooked ground beef mixture into the pasta pot.2-3 tbsp cooking oil, 1 small yellow onion, 1 small red onion, 1 lb ground beef (minced beef), 2 pieces seasoning cubes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp curry powder
- In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat over medium heat. Then add the marinara sauce and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Season with the remaining seasoning cube, salt, pepper, onion powder, curry powder (if using), and dried thyme. Cook until the oil visibly rises to the surface — this means the sauce has concentrated enough — but do not cook it completely dry because you need as much of that tomato sauce as possible.2-3 tbsp cooking oil, 1 jar Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions – pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish), 2 pieces seasoning cubes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp curry powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- Pour the tomato sauce into the pot with the pasta and ground beef and stir until properly combined. Add half the mozzarella cheese (about ½ cup / 55g) and mix well until melted and evenly distributed.1 jar Marinara sauce (tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and onions – pasta sauce in southern hemisphere for Italian seafood dish), 15 oz fusilli pasta, 1 lb ground beef (minced beef), 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch (33x23cm) casserole dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the top to cover the entire surface. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and beginning to turn golden brown in spots.1 cup mozzarella cheese
- Let the bake rest for 5 minutes, then serve while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
How do I know the ground beef is fully cooked?
Ground beef is safe to eat once it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Visually, it should show no pink — the recipe’s 5–7 minute cook time is a guide, but a meat thermometer is the reliable check, especially if your pan runs cool.
Can I use a different pasta shape?
Yes — penne, rigatoni, or rotini all work well because their ridges or tubes hold the sauce. Avoid very small shapes like ditalini or long pasta like spaghetti; they don’t distribute evenly in the bake and can clump.
Can I add vegetables to make this a more complete meal?
Diced zucchini, frozen spinach (squeezed dry), or canned drained corn can all go in when you combine the pasta and beef — no extra cooking needed. Stick to vegetables with low water content or pre-cook watery ones like mushrooms first, otherwise the bake gets soggy.
What can I use instead of mozzarella?
Cheddar melts well and adds a sharper flavor. A mix of cheddar and mozzarella gives you both melt and stretch. Avoid very dry aged cheeses on their own — they don’t melt smoothly at this temperature.
Can I assemble this ahead of time?
Yes — assemble the unbaked dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 5–8 extra minutes to the bake time since it’s going in cold, and check that the center is heated through before serving.
Is one jar of ketchup or tomato sauce enough liquid for this amount of pasta?
It depends on the jar size and how much you reduce the sauce. A standard 24 oz (680g) jar is the right ballpark for 425g of pasta. If the mixture looks dry when you combine everything, stir in a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water before it goes into the casserole dish.
If you liked this one
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- Beef Ricotta Lasagna Rolls
- Ultimate Cheesy Beef Bake
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