Description
This Mexican Lasagna is a hearty and flavorful layered casserole combining seasoned ground beef, refried beans, corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, and a blend of melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. It’s a comforting and satisfying dish that brings together classic Mexican flavors with a lasagna-style preparation, perfect for family dinners or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola, grapeseed, or vegetable
- 1 large white or yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels (about 10 ounces)
- 1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
Seasonings and Sauces
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (1-ounce) packet or 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 (10-ounce) cans red enchilada sauce
- Kosher salt, to taste
Dairy and Cheese
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
Other
- 18 (5- to 6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- Chopped fresh cilantro (for serving)
- Pico de gallo (for serving)
- Sour cream (for serving)
- Diced avocado (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Heat the oven to 350ºF to prepare for baking the lasagna to perfection.
- Sauté vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the finely chopped onion and diced red bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
- Cook ground beef and season: Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and taco seasoning; cook until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly, about 2 minutes.
- Add vegetables to beef: Stir in frozen corn kernels and drained diced green chiles, scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Remove skillet from heat.
- Prepare sauce mixture: Reserve 1 cup of enchilada sauce from the two cans. Stir the remaining enchilada sauce into the beef mixture. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed.
- Combine cheeses: Mix shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese together in a medium bowl.
- Assemble lasagna layers: Spread 1/2 cup of reserved enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 corn tortillas evenly over the sauce, allowing some overlap. Dollop and spread half of the refried beans (about 3/4 cup) over the tortillas. Spread half of the beef mixture (about 3 cups) over the beans, then sprinkle with one-third of the cheese blend (about 1 1/3 cups). Repeat layering with tortillas, beans, beef mixture, and cheese. Top with remaining 6 tortillas.
- Add final sauce and cheese topping: Spread remaining 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the top layer of tortillas, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake: Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving to allow it to set. Serve topped with chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, and diced avocado as desired.
Notes
- This recipe is not authentically Mexican but delivers delicious Mexican-inspired flavors in a comforting lasagna form.
- The layering sequence is crucial to ensure even cooking and flavor distribution.
- Using corn tortillas adds a traditional Mexican touch and gluten-free element to the dish.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and enjoyed within 3 days; reheat thoroughly before eating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of recipe)
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 1328.1 mg
- Fat: 27.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.2 g
- Fiber: 7.8 g
- Protein: 27.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
