High-Protein Baked Spaghetti: An Easy Meal to Fuel Your Training

Eating to support your training doesn’t have to mean chicken, rice, and broccoli on repeat.

One of the biggest things I teach my nutrition clients is that consistency gets a lot easier when the food you’re eating actually fits your life. You can eat meals you enjoy, feed your family, and still get plenty of protein and nutrients to support your goals.

This High-Protein Baked Spaghetti is a perfect example.

It’s easy to prep ahead, makes enough for leftovers, and gives you a solid combination of protein and carbohydrates — two things your body needs when you’re training regularly.

And yes, pasta can absolutely be part of a nutrition plan.

Why Protein + Carbs?

If you’re doing CrossFit, running, lifting, or simply trying to build and maintain muscle, protein matters.

Protein helps support muscle repair and recovery, while carbohydrates help provide the energy your body needs to train and replenish what you’ve used during your workout.

The goal isn’t to eliminate foods like pasta. It’s to build meals that are more balanced and supportive of what you’re asking your body to do.

This recipe does exactly that.

High-Protein Baked Spaghetti

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 oz Barilla Protein+ Spaghetti
• 1½ lb 93/7 lean ground beef
• 2 cups marinara sauce
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh basil or parsley, optional

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions, but pull it about 1–2 minutes before it is completely done. It will finish cooking in the oven.

While the pasta cooks, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain any excess fat if needed.

Add the marinara, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir and allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes.

Blend the cottage cheese until smooth. Stir it into the meat sauce along with ¼ cup of the Parmesan.

Add the cooked spaghetti and toss everything together until the pasta is evenly coated.

Transfer the mixture to a lightly sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan over the top.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, then let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Approximate Nutrition Per Serving

450–475 calories
40–45g protein
A great balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat for an active lifestyle.

Pair it with a salad or your favorite vegetable and you have an easy, complete meal that works just as well for a busy weeknight as it does for meal prep.

Nutrition Doesn't Need to Be Complicated

The best nutrition plan isn't the one that's the most restrictive.

It's the one you can actually repeat.

Learning how to build meals around foods you already enjoy — while making sure you're eating enough protein, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, and overall calories to support your goals — is where sustainable progress happens.

And your nutrition should be individualized to you: your goals, your training, your schedule, and your life.

Ready to Work on Your Goals?

Whether you want to improve your nutrition, get stronger, feel better, or you're simply not sure where to start, we'd love to sit down and talk about it.

Book a free No Sweat Intro at Celebration CrossFit.

We'll talk about where you are now, where you want to go, and how we can help you get there.

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