Open Shop Sorted

Dinner recipe

Smoky Beef and Bean Pasta Bake with Spinach

No ratings yet

A smoky beef and kidney bean pasta bake with tomato, spinach, and melted cheddar.

Start planningStart cookingIngredients
90 min635 kcal4 base servingsBakedFamily FavouriteComforting
ContainsGluten, Milk
Allergy and dietary checks

Shop Sorted can help flag food rules, but it cannot guarantee that a meal or product is allergen-free or suitable for your needs. Always check retailer labels, product packaging, ingredients and substitution notices before buying, cooking or eating.

Recipe and nutrition estimates

Recipe times, servings, calories and nutrition notes are estimates for planning. They are not medical or dietary advice. Check food is cooked safely and adjust recipes for your household's needs.

Focus ingredients: beef mince, beans

Dietary fit: No diet tags added for this recipe yet

Serving tip: Cool leftovers in shallow portions and refrigerate within 1–2 hours at 0–5°C. Use within 48 hours or an earlier ingredient use-by limit. Reheat once only until steaming hot throughout.

Beef Bean Pasta Bake plated and ready to serve.

Image: Shop Sorted generated asset

Ingredients

What you need

  • 220g penne pasta
  • 500ml passata
  • 30ml tomato puree
  • 400g beef mince
  • 1 × 400 g tin kidney beans
  • 150g onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 80g cheddar
  • 80g spinach
  • 15ml olive oil
  • 2000ml water

You'll also need

30cm 4l saute pan, 4l pasta saucepan and colander, 35 × 25cm 4l ovenproof dish, scales, measuring jug, knife, board, grater and clean probe thermometer

Method

Step by step

Up to 8 clear steps
  1. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 1: Get prepped.
    Step 1

    Prepare ingredients

    For more than four servings, repeat batches of no more than four. Divide displayed ingredients and measured method quantities between batches; keep pan sizes, batch limits, dish depth and per-batch times fixed. Allow extra elapsed time for further batches. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional/180°C fan. Finely dice the onion, crush the garlic and drain and rinse all kidney beans. Chop spinach and grate cheddar. Keep raw mince chilled until cooking.

  2. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 2: Start cooking.
    Step 2

    Cook penne

    Bring 2000ml water to a boil in a 4l saucepan. Add all dry penne and cook 10–12 minutes or according to the packet until just tender. Drain well and discard the water. Start the sauce while pasta cooks.

    12 min
  3. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 3: Build the flavour.
    Step 3

    Cook mince and sauce

    Measure 7.5ml oil for the two equal beef batches. Heat half in a 30cm 4l pan over medium-high heat, using the other half for the second batch. Fry the mince, no more than 200g at a time, for 6–8 minutes per batch, breaking it into small crumbs. Check the meat reaches 75°C for 30 seconds with a clean probe; continue and recheck if needed. Transfer cooked mince to a clean bowl. Add remaining 7.5ml oil and all onion; cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until softened. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in all garlic, smoked paprika and tomato puree for 1 minute. Return all cooked mince and its juices, then add all passata and drained beans. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats a spoon.

    42 min
  4. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 4: Bring it together.
    Step 4

    Assemble

    Add all spinach and heat for 3 minutes until wilted. Fold in all drained penne. Transfer the mixture to the 35 × 25cm 4l dish, spreading no deeper than 3cm; use a second dish if needed.

    3 min
  5. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 5: Finish the dish.
    Step 5

    Bake

    Scatter all cheddar evenly over the top. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden, bubbling and steaming hot in the centre.

    20 min
  6. Beef Bean Pasta Bake cooking step 6: Serve.
    Step 6

    Rest and serve

    Rest for 3 minutes, then divide all the bake equally between the intended servings.

    3 min