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Dinner recipe

Herby Beef and Carrot Pasta Bake with Pesto

5.0(1 rating)

A richer mince and tomato pasta bake with grated carrot, spinach, pesto, and cheddar.

Start planningStart cookingIngredients
50 min650 kcal4 base servingsBakedFamily FavouriteComforting
ContainsGluten, Milk
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Recipe and nutrition estimates

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Focus ingredients: beef mince, carrot

Dietary fit: No diet tags added for this recipe yet

Serving tip: Let the bake stand for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles around the pasta.

Beef Carrot Pasta Bake plated and ready to serve.

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Ingredients

What you need

  • 220g pasta
  • 700ml passata
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 400g beef mince
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 carrot
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • 80g cheddar
  • 80g spinach
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

You'll also need

pan, pot

Method

Step by step

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

    Heat the oven

    Heat the oven to 200C and set out a medium baking dish.

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

    Cook the pasta

    Cook the pasta in boiling water with a pinch of salt for 8-10 minutes until just tender, then drain and keep a mug of pasta water.

    10 min
  3. Beef Carrot Pasta Bake cooking step 3: Build the flavour.
    Step 3

    Prep the filling

    Finely chop the onion, cut the carrot into bite-sized pieces and roughly chop the spinach. Keep the beef mince chilled and break it up with a spoon as it cooks.

  4. Beef Carrot Pasta Bake cooking step 4: Bring it together.
    Step 4

    Build the sauce

    Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the beef mince for 5-8 minutes until piping hot. Stir in garlic for 1 minute, then add passata, tomato puree and pesto. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper, and a small pinch of sugar only if the tomatoes taste sharp.

    8 min
  5. Beef Carrot Pasta Bake cooking step 5: Finish the dish.
    Step 5

    Combine the bake

    Fold in the pasta and onion, carrot and spinach, loosening with a splash of pasta water if needed, then spoon everything into the baking dish.

  6. Beef Carrot Pasta Bake cooking step 6: Serve.
    Step 6

    Bake until bubbling

    Scatter over the cheddar and bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.

    20 min