Mexican Lasagna Recipe
When you want an easy dinner, this Mexican Lasagna Recipe should be at the top of your list. It’s ready in 45 minutes and loaded with flavor!
Why We Love Mexican Lasagna
- This Mexican Lasagna is the ultimate combination of taco meat and veggies all layered with tortillas and gooey cheese. It’s a delicious weeknight meal you’ll want to make again and again!
- It’s so incredibly easy to make! This recipe has become a go-to when I don’t know what I want to make and the family is staring at me like they haven’t eaten in a week. I always have the ingredients on hand.
- While this recipe is called “lasagna” there’s no pasta to be found. I’m using the term loosely for this layered casserole. Instead of noodles, we’re using corn tortillas as the starch, and let me tell you, it’s pretty magical!
What is Mexican Lasagna made of?
MEAT: Grab 1 pound of lean ground beef. I used 85/15 blend until the last few years, and let me tell you… Splurging for the 93/7 blend is 100% worth it! Everything you make with ground beef tastes yummier.
PANTRY ITEMS: You will need corn tortillas, taco seasoning, canned corn, canned black beans, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and salsa. If you want a kick, you can add a can of diced green chiles too.
TOPPINGS: To top everything off we’re using shredded cheddar cheese or a Mexican cheese blend and sliced green onions. My family likes to add some sour cream, sales, and/or guacamole on individual slices. So put out whatever taco condiments your family likes.
How to Make Mexican Lasagna
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grab a small bowl and stir together the taco seasoning ingredients. Then place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook until browned. Add the taco seasoning and stir to coat the beef.
STEP 2 Pour the corn, black beans, tomatoes, and 1/4 cup of salsa into a large mixing bowl. Then add the taco meat to the bowl and stir everything together.
STEP 3 Place 2 tablespoons of salsa in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Spread it around to coat the bottom of the dish. Then place a layer of tortillas so they cover the bottom, you may need to rip some in half. Spread half of the filling mixture over the tortillas, top with 1 cup of cheese, and repeat.
STEP 4 Place 1 more layer of tortillas on top to cover the lasagna. Spread some more salsa over the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling.
STEP 5 Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes. Then cut it into 6 slices, plate, and top with sour cream and sliced green onions.
Tips & Tricks
- I make my own taco seasoning blend for the ground beef, but you can use a taco seasoning packet from the store if you prefer.
- You don’t HAVE to use fire-roasted tomatoes. Regular diced tomatoes will work fine. Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra flavor that’s really yummy though.
- If you want to change things up, swap in seasoned chicken and green salsa for a verde chicken Mexican lasagna.
Mexican Lasagna Recipe FAQs
What’s the difference between enchiladas and lasagna?
Lasagna is typically meat layered with cheese and cooked flat sheets of pasta in a dish and then baked.
Enchiladas are tortillas rolled up around a meat filling in a baking dish. They’re smothered in sauce and topped with cheese before baking.
So this Mexican Lasagna is kind of like unrolled enchiladas in the layered style of lasagna. There’s a dish called Pastel de Moctezuma that is really similar to this recipe.
What to serve with Mexican Lasagna?
You can serve all your favorite taco night sides with this meal and they’ll be a great match. Our default is refried beans, but black beans, Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, or even a side salad would be good options.
Other Recipes You May like
- Pork Chilaquiles
- One Pan Beef Burrito Skillet
- Sopapilla Cheesecake
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Instant Pot Al Pastor Tacos
- Slow Cooker Pork Tinga
- Restaurant-Style Blender Salsa
- Mexican Mule
Mexican Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (recipe below)
- 15 ounces canned corn drained
- 14.5 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes drained
- 15 ounces canned black beans drained & rinsed
- ½ cups salsa
- 15 corn tortillas
- 2 ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream for garnish
- Green onion thinly sliced, for garnish
Taco Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned and no longer pink. Do not drain.
- Add taco seasoning to beef and stir until combined.
- Add corn, tomatoes, black beans, and 1/4 cup salsa to the ground beef and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Place 2 tablespoons salsa in the bottom of a 9-inch x 13-inch pan and spread to cover the bottom. Layer with 5 tortillas (4 whole and one cut in half to fill in the gap.)
- Add 1/2 of the beef mixture over the tortillas and then sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers – tortillas, remaining beef mixture, and 1 cup cheese.
- Top lasagna with 5 tortillas just like the previous layers. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons salsa over the tortillas. Sprinkle on remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lasagna is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 6-8 slices, plate lasagna, and top with sour cream and green onion for garnish if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute 1 store-bought taco seasoning packet if you prefer.
- Use whichever salsa you like for this recipe. It’s a great way to add extra heat or keep things mild depending on your taste preference.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.