Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Ground Beef Alfredo Bake
Beef and penne under a melted cheese top make a generous dinner to scoop into bowls. The Alfredo sauce coats the pasta, with browned beef giving each forkful a savory bite.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 10 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef
- Cuisine
- Italian American · Italian
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 31–60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Shorten the first pasta cook
Cook penne one minute less than its package's al dente directions, since the pasta also spends time baking in the sauce.
2. Crumble while browning
Break the ground beef apart as it browns in the skillet, draining excess fat if a lot collects before adding seasonings.
3. Add pasta while hot
Drain the penne and put it straight into the Alfredo mixture while hot, tossing well before spreading the filling evenly.
Get to know the ingredients
Divided mozzarella
Half the mozzarella melts into the sauce with beef. The other half goes over the top with Parmesan before baking.
Alfredo sauce
Lower the skillet heat to medium before adding the sauce. You can use homemade Alfredo, too.
Optional chili flakes
The crushed red pepper flakes are optional, cooked with garlic and Italian seasoning after browning the beef.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Ground Beef Alfredo Bake
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Bake until bubbling
Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly, then broil if desired to brown the cheese before serving the warm pasta.
A little more help as you go
Keep the rack high
Move the oven rack to the top third before preheating, ready for the brief bake and optional broiling finish.
Season before sauce
Cook the garlic and herbs with a little salt and pepper for about a minute before adding the Alfredo and cheese.
A few questions you might have
What if my skillet is not oven-safe?
Transfer the combined filling to an eight-by-eight-inch baking dish before adding the topping cheeses.
Does the Parmesan go inside the sauce?
The directions put Parmesan on top with the remaining mozzarella after the beef, pasta and Alfredo are combined.
Is the dish covered for baking?
Bake uncovered for ten minutes until hot and bubbly, with an optional broiler finish if you want browned cheese.
When should I reduce the skillet heat?
Lower to medium after the garlic-and-seasoning stage, before stirring in Alfredo sauce and half the mozzarella to the beef.
Can the pasta sit while I make sauce?
The directions drain it and add it straight to the skillet while hot, then toss and spread the mixture evenly.
Any more cooking tips?
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer it to an 8×8 baking dish prior to topping with the cheeses. You can use my homemade Alfredo sauce if you prefer. See more details in the substitutions & variations section of the blog post.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: saltandlavender.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
