In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the pot over medium-high heat. Add in the lean ground beef and cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking it apart with a spatula until browned and no longer pink.

Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle in the onion powder, sugar, dried oregano, Italian seasoning, salt, and optional crushed red pepper flakes. Mix everything well.

Pour in the beef broth and crushed tomatoes, stirring until everything is evenly combined. Increase the heat to bring to a vigorous boil.

Once boiling, add the uncooked rotini pasta to the pot, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Lower the heat and cook for about 12 minutes until al dente.

Remove the pot from heat. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over the top and cover the pot with a lid for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

Gently toss the melted cheese into the pasta, mixing well while seasoning with freshly ground pepper and more salt if needed.