This easy Mexican lasagna is a hearty casserole made with layers of tortillas, seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, salsa, and cheese. The family friendly dinner is a great make-ahead option for busy days, for sharing with friends in need, or for serving alongside a crisp green salad, a bowl of tortilla chips, and homemade guacamole!
Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas
This Mexican lasagna is a twist on the classic Italian dish, and it's made with tortillas instead of pasta! In addition to the tortillas, the easy casserole includes layers of taco meat (we like ground beef, but ground turkey would also work), salsa, enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, green chilies, and, of course, plenty of ooey, gooey, melty cheese. Everyone loves Mexican food, and this easy casserole is sure to be a hit at the table!
Garnish each slice with your favorite toppings, and serve this flavorful dish with corn salad, rice, ranch-style beans, or tortilla chips and guacamole for a family-friendly weeknight meal. It's a convenient option that you can prepare in advance, if necessary, and bake it off when you're ready to eat. This also makes it ideal for sharing with friends and family if you need a covered dish that you can gift to someone in need.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a pan of Mexican lasagna. As always, specific measurements and complete step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Lean ground beef: the meat component of the casserole. You can substitute with ground turkey or ground chicken if you like.
- Onion and garlic: for savory flavor and aromatics in the meat mixture.
- Salsa: adds flavor from the tomatoes and other veggies, and thins the meat mixture.
- Taco seasoning: to season the ground beef. I use a packet of store-bought seasoning, but you can use a homemade taco seasoning blend, too.
- Black beans: or substitute with pinto beans or pink beans. Omit the beans and add extra corn if you prefer.
- Corn: I use canned corn here, but frozen, thawed corn will also work well.
- Enchilada sauce: the sauce that brings the meat filling together. Use a mild variety if your family doesn't care for a spicy casserole.
- Chopped green chiles: for even more zesty Mexican flavor. It's fine to omit this ingredient if you don't have them on hand.
- Flour tortillas: I use the smaller 6-inch tortillas (designed for soft tacos and fajitas), but any size will work. You can also use corn tortillas if that's your preference.
- Cheese: we love a Mexican cheese blend that includes Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and queso cheeses. Feel free to substitute with just shredded cheddar cheese, if you like.
How to Make Mexican Lasagna
Similar to a traditional Italian lasagna, you'll cook the meat filling, layer the ingredients in a dish, and then bake the casserole in the oven. You can assemble the entire dish in advance and keep is stored in the fridge or freezer, if necessary. Let's get started!
- Cook the ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drain off the excess fat.
- Stir in the salsa, taco seasoning, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and chiles.
- Spread about 1 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Layer the tortillas, meat mixture, and cheese in the dish.
- Sprinkle cheese on top.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for 10-15 more minutes. The casserole is done when the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted on top.
- Let the casserole rest for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Garnish each serving with desired toppings, such as olives, avocado or guacamole, chopped lettuce, sour cream, chopped red onion or green onion, diced tomato, or fresh cilantro.
What to Serve with Mexican Lasagna
This easy casserole goes well with any of these sides:
- Refried Beans or Ranch-Style Beans
- Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole, or queso
- Easy Pico de Gallo
- Rice
- Simple green salad
- Broccoli and Cheese
Add Toppings!
While my kids like it straight out of the oven, I prefer to pile my plate high with plenty of extra toppings. Serve the casserole with any of these:
- Avocado or guacamole;
- Salsa or pico de gallo;
- Sour cream (or Greek yogurt);
- Green onion, chives, or fresh cilantro;
- Jalapeno peppers;
- Sliced black olives;
- Chopped fresh tomatoes;
- Lime wedges;
- Minced red onion.
Make Ahead
You can assemble the Mexican lasagna in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Allow the dish to come to room temperature before baking. You can also freeze the dish before baking. To do so, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and again in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Storage
Leftover Mexican casserole will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
Refrigerated leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on high power for 1-2 minutes (or until the individual serving reaches the desired temperature). To reheat a larger casserole in the oven, cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through (a bake time of about 20-30 minutes).
How to Freeze
Assemble the casserole as instructed, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature on the counter before it goes in the oven.
Recipe Variations
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Either option will work, so it's really just a matter of personal preference.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Use pinto beans or pink beans instead of the black beans.
- Use different types of cheese. Try just Monterey Jack cheese, just cheddar cheese, or use Colby or Pepper Jack.
- To sneak in some extra veggies, add a diced red bell pepper to the skillet with the ground beef and onion.
- For a smaller casserole, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the lasagna in an 8-inch or 9-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Tips for the Best Mexican Lasagna Recipe
- The tortillas will soften as they combine with the beef and sauce. That's normal! The longer the dish sits, the softer the tortillas will be. If you like them a bit more firm, assemble the casserole just before baking.
- Mexican lasagna with noodles: Instead of the flour or corn tortillas, you can prepare this casserole using traditional lasagna pasta. To do so, you'll need to boil the lasagna noodles in a separate pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Once drained and patted dry, layer the lasagna noodles in the casserole in the same way that you would layer the tortillas.
- Garnish the casserole with all of your favorite Mexican-inspired toppings. Good options include radish, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, diced tomatoes, jalapenos, avocado, sliced olives, or sliced green onion.
More Mexican Casserole Recipes to Try
- Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Taco Bake Casserole
- Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Taco Casserole with Rice
- 5-Ingredient Taco Casserole with Crescent Rolls
- Taco Pasta Casserole
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced and pressed
- 2 cups salsa
- 1 (1 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can corn, drained
- 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I use the “soft taco/fajita size”)
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- Optional toppings: sliced olives, diced avocado or guacamole, chopped lettuce, diced tomato, sour cream, chopped green onion or red onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Drain off the excess fat.
- Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and chiles.
- Spread about 1 cup of the meat mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with a layer of 4 tortillas (overlapping is fine), ⅓ of the remaining meat mixture, and 1 cup of cheese.
- Repeat with another layer of tortillas, another ⅓ of the remaining meat mixture, and another 1 cup of cheese.
- Finally, add another layer of tortillas, the remaining meat mixture, and the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake the casserole, covered, for about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted on top.
- Let stand for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve. Garnish with optional toppings.
Notes
- The tortillas will soften as they combine with the beef and sauce. That's normal! The longer the dish sits, the softer the tortillas will be. If you like them a bit more firm, assemble the casserole just before baking.
- Mexican lasagna with noodles: Instead of the flour or corn tortillas, you can prepare this casserole using traditional lasagna pasta. To do so, you'll need to boil the lasagna noodles in a separate pot of salted boiling water according to package directions. Once drained and patted dry, layer the lasagna noodles in the casserole in the same way that you would layer the tortillas.
- Garnish the casserole with all of your favorite Mexican-inspired toppings. Good options include radish, cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, diced tomatoes, jalapenos, avocado, sliced olives, or sliced green onion.
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Either option will work, so it's really just a matter of personal preference.
- Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Use pinto beans or pink beans instead of the black beans.
- Use different types of cheese. Try just Monterey Jack cheese, just cheddar cheese, or use Colby or Pepper Jack.
- To sneak in some extra veggies, add a diced red bell pepper to the skillet with the ground beef and onion.
- For a smaller casserole, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the lasagna in an 8-inch or 9-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
Anita
Love the recipes, easy and delicious
Blair Lonergan
Thanks, Anita!