Mexican Lasagna

Tasty Mexican Lasagna is a hearty meal with an abundance of flavors from taco seasoned ground beef, onions, garlic, and creamy refried beans with two layers of melted Mexican cheese. This satisfying lasagna serves 10-12 with a couple of sides and can be prepared up to 24 hours prior to baking. 

I love to dress this up with lots of colorful toppings and serve it with Doritos Taco Salad and Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.

Why this recipe works

• From the onions, garlic and seasoned beef to the layers of melted Mexican cheese to the fresh colorful toppings this Mexican casserole is bursting with flavor that everyone will love.
• This recipe can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.  Store covered in the refrigerator.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking.  Add an additional 10 minutes of baking time to ensure everything is heated through.
• This recipe feeds a crowd but if you have a small family like mine leftovers heat up wonderfully in the microwave.  It makes a great lunch for hubby after he has been working hard in the yard.

How to make Mexican Lasagna

Start by boiling your noodles according to package instructions and drain well.  Meanwhile brown the ground beef in a large pan over medium high heat.  About halfway through the browning process add the onion and continue cooking until the beef is cooked through and the onions are soft.  Then reduce the heat and add the garlic cooking for 1 minute and stirring constantly.  Drain any excess grease or simply tilt the skillet and use a paper towel to absorb any excess grease.  Now add the taco seasoning and water simmering for about 10 minutes.  Next add about 1/2 can of salsa style tomatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Now in a small sauce saucepan stir together the refried beans and sour cream.  Heat on low until smooth and warm. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Next assemble the lasagna by spreading a couple tablespoons of salsa style tomatoes in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.  Layer with 3 lasagna noodles, half the seasoned meat mixture, 3 more lasagna noodles, all the refried bean mixture, 3 more lasagna noodles. half the Mexican cheese blend, 3 more lasagna noodles, the remaining seasoned beef mixture, and 3 more lasagna noodles.  Then spread the remaining salsa tomatoes and sprinkle with the remaining Mexican blend.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue baking for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.  Finally remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes.  If desired top with diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, thinly sliced green onions and sour cream.

Recipe notes and tips

• This recipe can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance.  Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking time.  Add an additional 10 minutes of baking time to ensure everything is heated through.
• Short on time?  Cut out the chopped onion and minced garlic as most quality taco seasoning spices already include them to some extent.
• I use a Mexican style pre-shredded cheese from Costco with Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, queso quesadilla and asadero cheese.  It is an all natural cheese using potato starch to prevent caking.  We love it and it tastes delicious. For a little added kick try a little pepper jack.
• Ground beef or ground turkey can be used for this recipe.
• For a change of pace try using corn tortillas or flour tortillas in place of the lasagna noodles. 
• Always let lasagna stand for 12-15 minutes after removing from the oven.  This helps all the layers stay in tack without slipping.
• Top with your favorite toppings like homemade guacamole, diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, thin sliced green onion, sliced black olives, thin sliced red onions or sour cream.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

What to serve with it

• Southwest salad – keep it simple with just a few vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, black beans and a simple spicy southwest ranch.
• Gazpacho Soup – flavor packed chilled Spanish soup with sun-ripened tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, sweet red bell pepper, jalapeno and garlic is made easy in a food processor.
• Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers –  these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers are always a hit with family and friends. Usually a double batch is in order since they are one of the first appetizers to disappear.
• Corn Salad – corn salad brings it all together with fresh corn, green chiles, sweet red bell peppers, sun ripened tomatoes, cilantro, minced jalapeno, chopped scallions and feta cheese all in a lightly sweetened lime vinaigrette.
• Tomato and Cucumber Salad with a simple tangy vinaigrette.

Other Mexican recipes to try!

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