High-protein garlic beef pasta is 'so filling' and has under 480 calories

10 January 2024 , 10:00

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The pasta recipe is a rich source of protein (Image: Getty Images)

With the festivities well and truly out of the way, many Brits are making healthier lifestyle changes, such as getting fit and improving their eating habits.

When it comes to post-gym meals, high-protein foods such as chicken and beef play an important role in repairing and building muscle growth. According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), the recommended daily protein intake is 0.75g per kilo of body weight.

It can be difficult to make high-protein meals that are both tasty and low in calories, so fitness expert Jalal Sameja has shared his creamy garlic beef pasta recipe, which boasts 47g of protein and just 477 calories. The health guru, who goes by @jalalsamfit online, kicked off the TikTok video with footage of the hearty dish - which is the perfect winter warmer.

He said: "This dish has less than 500 calories, so much flavour and so easy to meal prep." Jalal then shared the recipe, which can be found below.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 600g raw lean beef mince
• 250g fusilli pasta
• 150g light cream cheese
• Two tsp Italian herbs
• Two tsp paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Four garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 ½ medium tomato (chopped)
• One medium red bell pepper (chopped)
• ½ cup of pasta water
• Garnish parsley
• Sprinkle of parmesan cheese

Method

• To start making this high-protein meal, simply bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the pasta. This should be cooked in accordance with the packet instructions.
• Drizzle olive oil into a hot saucepan and add the garlic, tomato, bell pepper, one tsp Italian herbs, one tsp paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for five minutes until soft, making sure to stir regularly.
• Once cooked, spoon the contents into a blender cup. Then add the cream cheese and pasta water, and blend until smooth. In the saucepan, add the beef mince and season with one tsp Italian herbs and one tsp paprika. Cook for eight minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the pasta and creamy sauce into the saucepan, mixing until fully combined. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese. The simple dish is now ready to serve. Enjoy!

The viral video has amassed one million likes, and followers rushed to the comments section to share their responses. One user gushed: "Just made this and it’s BOMB. Super fast and easy dish!" While a second penned: "I just made this! Soya cream instead of cream cheese. It was so good and really filling."

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Another wrote: "I tried this recipe with high protein pasta and a few extra ingredients to give it a spicy flavour. This will defo become a regular meal prep." A third advised: "Please allow the ingredients to cool before blending! It’s dangerous to put hot mixture in those blenders, you could also use a hand blender."

Freya Hodgson