Easy, cheesy Mexican lasagna is made with a seasoned beef mixture that’s layered between corn tortillas and a blend of jack and cheddar cheese then baked until bubbly in a casserole dish.
Why this recipe works
Instead of a mixture of Italian sausage, ground beef, and noodles you would typically find in an Italian lasagna, this Mexican lasagna switches up the game with corn tortillas, ground beef, and black beans.
You may also know it as taco lasagna and Mexican casserole, but no matter what you call it, this dish is clearly a winner every time it’s made! It’s built the same as your tried and true lasagna, just with different ingredients. In fact, it’s quite similar to our chicken enchilada casserole which also uses corn tortillas as a base. Everyone will love this layered Mexican casserole, it’s packed with savory, comforting flavors and is quick and easy to prep for the oven.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
GROUND BEEF – If desired, you can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. You can even use shredded beef, chicken, or pork if that suites your tastes better.
TOMATOES – Instead of fire roasted tomatoes, feel free to use regular canned diced tomatoes or substitute with salsa. I would recommend 1 1⁄2 cups of salsa if you go this route. The juices in the tomatoes (or the salsa) provide the necessary moisture for the dish. Since we’re layering with corn tortillas, the filling needs that moisture.
TORTILLAS – Corn tortillas are an excellent base for Mexican lasagna. They don’t get soggy yet soak up just enough moisture to be supple. Flour tortillas can be used as well, it comes down to individual preference and is tasty either way!
SEASONING – Homemade taco seasoning or store-bought will work just fine. To equal 1/4 cup of taco seasoning you will need 2 packets of store-bought.
ADDITIONS – You can easily add in canned or frozen corn, chopped bell peppers, or diced jalapenos for additional heat. Add any fresh veggies to the skillet with the beef and onion to soften.
How to Make Mexican Lasagna
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is browned and the onions softens.
- Add minced garlic to the skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Add taco seasoning and water and stir over medium heat until well combined.
- Stir the tomatoes (juices included), green chiles, and black beans into the meat mixture and heat through.
- Line the prepared baking dish with 6 corn tortillas, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Spread 1⁄3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese over the meat mixture.
- Continue layering corn tortillas, meat mixture, and cheese to form three layers total.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is fully melted.
- Garnish with diced tomatoes and green onion. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes for easy slicing and serving.
- Serve with sour cream.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Pop it in the microwave or reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
Yes, you can prepare the Mexican lasagna a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. I would recommend allowing the dish to sit at room temperature until the chill is off before popping it in the oven. Do note that preparing the lasagna in advance will allow the tortillas to soak up more moisture, which means they will be softer when baked. Some may even prefer this, it’s up to you!
Serving Suggestions
Garnish Mexican lasagna with green onions and fresh chopped tomatoes. Serve with sour cream on the side for dipping. I think this would also be delicious drizzled with salsa verde or restaurant-style salsa.
More Related Recipes
- Taco Casserole
- Taco Empanadas
- Chicken Tostada Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
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Mexican Lasagna
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- ¼ cup taco seasoning 2 packets
- ½ cup water
- 14.5 ounce fire roasted diced tomatoes do not drain
- 4 ounce green chiles 1 can
- 15 ounce black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
- 18 corn tortillas divided
- 6 cups shredded jack and cheddar cheese divided
- 1 medium tomato 1-2 tomatoes diced for garnish
- 1 bunch green onions sliced for garnish
- sour cream for serving
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- You can use salsa instead of the fire roasted tomatoes – I would recommend 1 1⁄2 cups of salsa. The juices in the tomatoes (or the salsa) provides the necessary moisture for the dish. Since we’re layering with corn tortillas, the filling needs that moisture.
- If desired, you can substitute ground turkey for the ground beef. You can even use shredded beef, chicken, or pork if that your tastes better.
- Frozen or canned corn can be added to the meat mixture in the skillet if desired.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Cook ground beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is browned and the onions softens.1 pound ground beef, 1 medium yellow onion
- Add minced garlic to the skillet and saute for 1-2 minutes longer.2 teaspoons minced garlic
- Add taco seasoning and water and stir over medium heat until well combined.1/4 cup taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water
- Stir the tomatoes (juices included), green chiles, and black beans into the meat mixture and heat through.14.5 ounce fire roasted diced tomatoes, 4 ounce green chiles, 15 ounce black beans
- Line the prepared baking dish with 6 corn tortillas, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.18 corn tortillas
- Spread 1⁄3 of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese over the meat mixture.6 cups shredded jack and cheddar cheese
- Continue layering corn tortillas, meat mixture, and cheese to form three layers total.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30-40 minutes until casserole is bubbly and the cheese is fully melted.
- Garnish with diced tomatoes and green onion. Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes for easy slicing and serving.1 medium tomato, 1 bunch green onions
- Serve with sour cream.sour cream
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can prepare the Mexican lasagna a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. I would recommend allowing the dish to sit at room temperature until the chill is off before popping it in the oven. Do note that preparing the lasagna in advance will allow the tortillas to soak up more moisture, which means they will be softer when baked. Some may even prefer this, it’s up to you!
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Pop it in the microwave or reheat in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
Nutrition
Lindsay Formaro
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Tami says
Followed recipe.. I did add 2 pounds of hamburger meat.. And boneless Chicken Thighs.. I made the taco season from scratch and it was the best taco seasoning I’ve ever had., I did double up on the taco seasoning since I doubled up on the meat. The family loved it this recipe is definitely a keeper😊
David says
What size tortillas do you use?
Amanda Davis says
Corn tortillas generally come in one size, 6-inch. There are also “street taco” size, which are smaller, so NOT those.
Laura Curl says
This was so good!! I was looking for a recipe to use up some ground beef and really wasn’t super excited. I just thought it’s another Mexican dish but it was very very good!! I will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing it!
Peggy says
This was delicious my family loved it and was a quick easy weekday meal!
Sandy says
Great recipe , whole family loved it I am going to use the salsa suggestion next time I make this 🙂
Nicole M. says
Great starter recipe! We were unfortunately out of chiles, so I used a combo of fire-roasted tomatoes and rotel. Next time I’ll puree the tomatoes first since my oldest son didn’t care for the big tomato chunks. ;) I also added way more garlic and topped it with diced avocado and cilantro in addition to the fresh tomatoes. This will definitely go into our regular weeknight dinner rotation!
Heather says
Is this your recipe? In my search, I found the same one, including the same photos and instructions on The Girl Inspired. So not sure if it’s yours or hers but I thought it wise to get it out there for copyright protections. Whoever has “borrowed” the content should be attributing it to the right author.
Here’s the link if you want to sort it out: https://thegirlinspired.com/mexican-lasagna-recipe/
Amanda Formaro says
It’s mine. The blogger at The Girl Inspired made it for my blog and has the rights to use it on hers as well. Thanks for checking!
Nancy OBrien says
Hi!
Is this recipe for Mexican lasagna gluten free?
Amanda Davis says
Yes, assuming that there is no gluten in the taco seasoning you buy.
Jamie says
Husband and I both loved this. Easy to make and tasty!
Cari says
Very good and simple!
Miranda says
Just made it, followed the recipe exactly as written, it was great. Family loved it. I served it with shredded lettuce, lime wedges, shredded cheese, sour cream, hot sauce and made elote as a side.
Adriana says
I made it with ground turkey and my family love it good flavor. Less calories if you make it with turkey instead of ground beef but that a choice.
Julie says
Can you use flour tortillas instead of corn?
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sure that would be fine
Shawn says
I used flour tortillas and it was amazing! Also, I spread red enchilada sauce on the tortillas before I put the meat mixture down. Garnished with tomatoes, green onions, black olives and sour cream. It was delicious!!
Fran says
This recipe is a keeper! Delicious!
Joan says
Delicious as written!!! Thank you!
Shannon says
Very good I added some extra stuff but my family loved this!!😋😋
Kim says
Soooo delicious!
Susan Cella says
I used ground lean turkey. I haven’t baked it yet but I am concerned it might be dry as it seemed the last layer did not have enough to cover the tortillas so I only used three tortillas on the last layer. We will see
Robert harsh says
Can this be made then frozen for use in a week or so by just popping it in the oven?
Amanda Formaro says
While we haven’t tested this recipe by freezing it first, most casseroles can be frozen and then baked at a later time. If you decide to experiment, we would love to hear your results!
Rochelle says
I always make a double batch of the mixture and then I freeze half of it. When I want to make it again, I just assemble the casserole on that day.. I personally have not had good outcomes with freezing corn tortillas they come out a little mushy. I found this method works best.
Dawn Barela says
Looks delish. but that is what is called flat enchiladas here in New Mexico!!
Shannell says
I looked at several Mexican lasagna recipes. I wasn’t really planning on actually cooking it but for some reason. I kept going back to this one. So glad I did. I made this yesterday. It was so much easier than making enchiladas. This will definitely become a regular meal. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Emily says
I made this and it is soooo good!