Easy and Festive Mexican Lasagna

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Easy and Festive Mexican Lasagna

My family absolutely adores the classic Italian lasagna with its comforting blend of meat, cheese and a hearty sauce. But wait until you try this exciting Mexican lasagna! It elevates the dish with taco-seasoned ground beef, juicy diced tomatoes and flavorful green chilies, all beautifully layered between corn tortillas with black beans and corn. Topped with melted cheese and salsa, it’s not only delicious but fun to make.

Can I make this meal ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can make it the day before. Place it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat it in the oven, covered, at 375 degrees F for about 30-40 minutes. You can also build it in Aluminum Pans Half Size, 9X13, Extra Heavy Duty Disposable Foil Pans, and place in the freezer up to 6 weeks. Remove it from the freezer the day before you want to cook it and place it in the fridge to thaw. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 40 minutes to serve.

Can I freeze this Mexican Lasagna? 

If you choose to freeze this meal to make at a later date, ensure that it is properly sealed to maintain freshness. Although I try to avoid using a lot of plastics and foil in the kitchen, sometimes you have to. When I make freezer meals, I prefer using Glad’s Press’N Seal to cover the pans and then add a layer of additional foil to ensure it is double-sealed. This helps to prevent freezer burn and maintain a fresher product. Make sure it is tightly sealed by firmly pressing it along all sides.

I try to avoid foil when I can (although not always possible), purchasing Stainless Steel Food Containers is a great alternative. Make sure you buy high-quality ones that can go in the freezer and straight into the oven. These will not warp or crack over time while producing less waste since they’re reusable.

Substituions

Meat – When using ground beef, I prefer a 90%/10% mix, but you can go as low as 80%. You can also substitute ground chicken,  ground turkey or even ground elk if you like. This dish can also be made vegetarian by replacing the meat with pinto beans and adding some diced bell peppers, making it heartier.

Tortillas – You can use flour tortillas, but know that they do not hold up as well as the corn tortillas. I would recommend cooking and serving right away if you must use flour tortillas.

Salsa – You can replace the salsa with enchilada sauce for a thicker, spicier bite.

Recommended Equipment/Ingredients

Pyrex Deep 9×13-Inch Glass Baking Dish

Riega Organic Taco Seasoning

I love Late July, Salsa Thick And Chunky Medium Organic, but you can use whatever you like

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 packet of your favorite taco seasoning (or 3 tbsp if a large container of taco seasoning)

1/2 cup water

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 (4 oz) canned green chiles

1 (15.5 oz) canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15.25 oz) canned corn, drained and rinsed

18 corn tortillas

16 oz shredded cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack 

Jar of your favorite salsa

Serve with cornbread and Mexican rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9×13 casserole dish and set aside.
2. Place a pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of butter. Once melted, add ground beef. Break meat up with a wooden spoon. Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and cooked through. Salt and pepper.
3. When meat is cooked through, add taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, diced tomatoes, green chiles, beans and corn. Stir to combine, drop the heat to low and let this simmer while you prepare the casserole dish.
4. Take 1/2 cup of your favorite salsa and spread it along the bottom of the casserole dish. This layer of moisture helps prevent tortillas from sticking to the baking dish and burning, while also providing overall moisture to the dish. Layer 6 corn tortillas across the bottom, overlapping slightly to ensure the bottom is covered.
5. Spread 1/3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Add a layer of shredded cheese over the meat. Add six more tortillas on top of the shredded cheese. Repeat this process until you have three layers.
6. Cover with foil and bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove foil and cook an additional 8-10 minutes or until cheese browns slightly.
7. Top with sour cream, your favorite taco sauce and shredded lettuce.

TIPS

-Allow Mexican Lasagna to cool on the counter for about 10 minutes before slicing. This will help it to set and prevent it from collapsing when sliced. 

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