Mexican Lasagna Recipe

My simple recipe for Mexican Lasagna is certain to add some fun, flavorful excitement to your taco night. Plus, it’s ready in less than an hour!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Rest Time 10

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 715kcal

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up into small pieces, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until just a few pink spots remain.
Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the taco seasoning, ¾ cup (180mL) water, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is steaming and the sauce coats the meat and vegetables. Remove from the heat.
Place 1 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish and spread into an even layer. Lay 6 of the tortillas over top in a single layer, overlapping slightly. Spread about one-third of the remaining meat mixture in an even layer and sprinkle all over with one-third of the cheese. Repeat the tortilla, meat, and cheese layers two more times.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes more until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the cheese is melty and lightly golden.
Let rest for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with cilantro and sliced green onions. Serve pieces topped with diced tomatoes and sour cream.

Depending on the fat content of the ground beef, you may want to add a drizzle of olive oil to the skillet before cooking. For lean ground beef, chicken, or turkey, I usually start with 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan.
Grate your own cheese if you have time! Not only is it usually cheaper by weight, but it will also melt way better than the pre-shredded kind. I like to use the large holes on my box grater to make short work of grating a cheese block.
Note that taco seasonings can vary widely in terms of heat levels and saltiness, so wait to add any extra seasoning until after the meat sauce has simmered and is cooked through.
If you are making homemade corn tortillas, I recommend pressing them out a little thicker than normal. This will help replicate more of a lasagna noodle consistency.
Allow the cooked lasagna to rest before slicing. This will ensure cleaner slices that don’t easily fall apart, as everything will have a chance to firm up a bit and set.