Name: Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 Cups of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained.; 500 g or 1 lb Ground beef, pork, chicken or soya; 1 Package of fresh or frozen spinach (I have tried the recipe out using both and they work very well, so choose whatever you can buy!); 1 medium onion chopped; 3 cloves garlic finely chopped; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, or Balsamic Vinegar; 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch; Salt & Pepper; ** I also used a handful of sliced mushrooms for added texture.; You can also add some fresh basil / thyme etc when cooking the meat.; 3 Tablespoons butter; 40 g / 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour; 300 ml / 1 1/4 cups Milk, I used skimmed milk; 300 ml or 1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth; 150 g / 1 1/2 cups grated cheese; Choose your favourite cheese. I used Cheddar.; Salt & Pepper

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Delicious oven-baked beef and spinach pasta casserole, baked in a rich cheese roux sauce to give you a great dinner.Easy to make and very tasty! Freezer Friendly too.

Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake. Delicious oven-baked beef and spinach pasta casserole, baked in a rich cheese roux sauce to give you a great dinner. Easy to make and very tasty!

Ground Beef & Spinach Cheesy Pasta Bake. The smells coming from the oven when this is cooking is simply wonderful!

Here I made a simple pasta bake using fresh ingredients, so it's full of flavor and oh so delicious! I make this often, and simply use whatever pasta I have in the cupboard. You can even use up any odd leftover bags of pasta in the recipe.

It is a very filling dish, so beware! What looks like a small portion on your plate is certainly going to fill your tummy!
Please enjoy!

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You will need an oven proof dish, measuring approx 8 x 10 inches and deep enough to about 4 inches.

Table of Contents 📋 hide

1) Ingredients

2) Instructions

3) Recipe Card

4) Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake

5) Delicious Pasta Recipes

Ingredients

2 Cups of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained.

Meat Sauce

500 g or 1 lb Ground beef, pork, chicken or soya
1 Package of fresh or frozen spinach (I have tried the recipe out using both and they work very well, so choose whatever you can buy!)
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce (or Balsamic Vinegar)
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Salt & Pepper
I also used a handful of sliced mushrooms for added texture.
You can also add some fresh basil/thyme etc when cooking the meat.

Cheese Sauce

3 Tablespoons butter
40 g / 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
300 ml / 1 1/4 cups Milk (I used skimmed milk)
300 ml or 1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth
150 g / 1 1/2 cups grated cheese
Choose your favorite cheese. I used Cheddar.
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Make the meat filling

1. Peel & chop onion, garlic (and mushrooms if using) then add to a pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

2. Lightly fry until the onions are soft and translucent (not brown as this will make them taste bitter)

3. Add your meat and cornstarch and cook, stirring in the pan with the other ingredients. Add the spinach and Worcestershire Sauce and leave to simmer very low whilst you make the cheese sauce. Season if you wish with salt & pepper.

Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake, adding spinach

Make the Cheese Sauce

1. Melt butter in a pan under gentle heat

2. Add Flour and beat until smooth paste and take the pan off the heat.

3. Slowly add the milk and broth (combine them into one jug for ease), a little at a time and combine until smooth, then add a little more of the milk/broth, combine. Continue until all the milk/broth is used.

4. Return to gentle heat, and keep stirring until thick This will take about 5 minutes so be patient and keep stirring!. Season with salt and pepper if you wish. (your cheese may be salty so taste the sauce first!)

5. Add 3/4 of the grated cheese and combine. The remaining 1/4 of the cheese is for the top of the bake.

Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake, making cheese sauce

Build the Pasta Bake

1. Preheat oven to 170 C / 325 F / Gas 3

2. Start with a layer of 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the pan, then a layer of cooked pasta, then cheese sauce.

Repeat these layers, ending with the cheese sauce as the final top layer. Then sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top.

*** you should be able to make 3 layers altogether.

Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake, showing layers

3. Place in the oven for 45 minutes. I would advise placing the bake on a baking tray to catch any drips.

When done, remove and leave to set for 30 minutes. If you try and cut the bake when it is piping hot it is too slushy. Allow to firm up a little then you can make nice portions and get the bake from the pan using a fish slice.

If you enjoy cooking with ground meat, why not try our Poor Man's Stew. It's all made from scratch and absolutely full of flavor! Really easy recipe too!

Poor Man's Stew. A really easy made from scratch recipe, budget friendly. Packed full of flavor and a great family dinner.

Recipe Card

Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Cheesy Beef and Spinach Pasta Bake.
Delicious oven-baked beef and spinach pasta casserole, baked in a rich cheese roux sauce to give you a great dinner. Easy to make and very tasty!

Ingredients

2 Cups of your favorite pasta, cooked and drained.

Meat Sauce

500 g or 1 lb Ground beef, pork, chicken or soya
1 Package of fresh or frozen spinach (I have tried the recipe out using both and they work very well, so choose whatever you can buy!)
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce, or Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
Salt & Pepper
** I also used a handful of sliced mushrooms for added texture.
You can also add some fresh basil / thyme etc when cooking the meat.

Cheese Sauce

3 Tablespoons butter
40 g / 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
300 ml / 1 1/4 cups Milk, I used skimmed milk
300 ml or 1 1/4 cups Chicken Broth
150 g / 1 1/2 cups grated cheese
Choose your favourite cheese. I used Cheddar.
Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Make the meat filling. Peel & chop onion, garlic (and mushrooms if using) then add to a pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Lightly fry until the onions are soft and translucent (not brown as this will make them taste bitter)
Add your meat and cornstarch and cook, stirring in the pan with the other ingredients. Add the spinach and Worcestershire Sauce and leave to simmer very low whilst you make the cheese sauce. Season if you wish with salt & pepper.
Make the Cheese Sauce. Melt butter in pan under gentle heat
Add Flour and beat until smooth paste and take pan off the heat.
Slowly add the milk and broth (combine them in to one jug for ease), a little at a time and combine until smooth, then add a little more of the milk / broth, combine. Continue until all the milk / broth is used.
Return to gentle heat, and keep stirring until thick This will take about 5 minutes so be patient and keep stirring!. Season with salt and pepper if you wish. (your cheese may be salty so taste the sauce first!)
Add 3/4 of the grated cheese and combine. The remaining 1/4 of the cheese is for the top of the bake.
Build the Pasta Bake. Preheat oven to 170 C / 325 F / Gas 3
Start with a layer of 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the pan, then a layer of cooked pasta, then cheese sauce. Repeat these layers, ending with the cheese sauce as the final top layer. Then sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top.
*** you should be able to make 3 layers altogether.
Place in the oven for 45 minutes. I would advise to place the bake on a baking tray to catch any drips. When done, remove and leave to set for 30 minutes. If you try and cut the bake when it is piping hot it is too slushy. Allow to firm up a little then you can make nice portions and get the bake from the pan using a fish slice.

Delicious Pasta Recipes

Here's a great selection of delicious pasta recipes for you to enjoy!

Share your thoughts

3 thoughts shared

Julie
says:
May 24th, 2019 at 10:56 am

Hi I’m looking forward to trying out your recipe! I’m unsure what size package of spinach should be used, as I always purchase it in the large container. About how many oz or handfuls of fresh would you recommend? Thanks!

1. Lovefoodies
  says:
  May 24th, 2019 at 10:56 am
  
  Hi Julie, it doesn’t matter too much how much spinach you’d like to use. I would suggest if you’re using fresh spinach around 5-6 handfuls as it does wilt quite a lot when cooking. Hope that helps!
  
Martin lyons
says:
May 24th, 2019 at 10:56 am

Smelled and tasted great. Velveeta did not brown

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

Cheese Sauce

Instructions

Make the meat filling

Make the Cheese Sauce

Build the Pasta Bake

Recipe Card

Ingredients

Meat Sauce

Cheese Sauce

Instructions

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information: