Brazilian Bake with GoodWheat Rotini

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This dish has been a favorite in Camila's home for years!

We have teamed up with GoodWheat to bring you this Brazilian Bake, made better for you with GoodWheat Rotini! Plus use our code: WOT to enjoy 20% off any pasta throughout the month of October.

After trying this recipe, it will be easy to see why it has been one of Camila’s family favorites. Packed with fresh and wholesome ingredients, this makes for the perfect healthy weekday meal. The added vegetables in the sauce are great for picky eaters because they cook down and blend in well. The GoodWheat Rotini pasta is the perfect healthy addition to this recipe because their fiber-packed pasta is always al dente and sneaky delicious!

This dish can also be made vegetarian by using a meat substitute or leave the meat out completely. Plus, you can substitute the mozzarella for vegan cheese too.

Brazilian Bake with GoodWheat Rotini

Servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1½ cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1-1½ lbs 80/20 ground beef
Flake salt
Black pepper
28 oz can crushed tomatoes with or without basil
½ cup water
Drizzle of Honey
3 basil leaves
12 oz GoodWheat Rotini
2 cups mozzarella, shredded (divided)
1 cup smoked ham, sliced or chopped into small cubes (divided)

Optional

2 tbsp green olives, finely chopped
¼ cup corn kernels

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, onions, and pinch of flake salt. Cook the onions down a little bit and then add the garlic. Cook until the onions become clear, then add the chopped plum tomatoes and cook the tomatoes until the water from the tomatoes cooks off and the tomatoes take on a slight paste consistency.
Add the chopped spinach and cook for one minute. Then add the grated carrot to the skillet. If the mixture becomes dry or sticks to the skillet, add a little olive oil to the middle of the skillet and stir the mixture with the olive oil.
Increase heat to medium-high and add the ground beef. If the meat becomes lumpy while cooking, grab a potato masher to break apart the meat.
While ground beef is browning, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a teaspoon of salt to the boiling water if desired.
Add black pepper and flake salt to the ground beef that is browning. Season the meat well.
Once the beef is browned, add the crushed tomatoes to the skillet. Add a ½ cup of water to the sauce and cook on low heat and add a drizzle or two of honey.
Add the basil leaves and let the sauce simmer while you cook the GoodWheat Rotini pasta.
*If your family loves green olives and corn, you can add these optional ingredients while the sauce is simmering.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To the large pot of boiling water, add 12oz of GoodWheat Rotini and cook for 14-17 minutes, GoodWheat is always al dente.
Drain the rotini well. Return the drained pasta to the empty pot and add one cup of the sauce to the rotini. Stir to combine.
In an oven-proof skillet or a 9x13 baking dish add half of the rotini to form the bottom layer. Top the rotini with half of the amount of the remaining sauce, then evenly sprinkle ½ cup of the cubed ham and top the bottom layer with 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Repeat the same for the top layer and bake for 30 minutes.
**If assembling ahead of time and the Brazilian Bake has been refrigerated, bake covered in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes or until the rotini bake is heated through.**