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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Pam says
Could you freeze any leftovers?
Amanda Davis says
yes
Rachelle says
This is a family favorite now. I sometimes make big batches of the meat mixture and portion it out to freeze. I take it out to thaw the day before and build in a casserole dish to bake.
Melanie says
Used Rotel with chiles already in it because it’s what I had on hand but otherwise followed the recipe exactly – this was great! I was able to half it for just the two of us and we both really enjoyed it! Will make for great leftovers too!
Janet says
I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it. I will definitely add this to one of our favorites.
Karen says
The very best I’ve had…easy and good for my lunch. Better the next day…thank you
Amanda says
Very good. I used flour tortillas, it was still amazing
Missy says
Delicious!!! I love how the recipe is explained. Thank you for putting The ingredients with the directions! Easier to follow. This is a make again!!
Shay says
This was delicious!!! Easy to make and didn’t take long to make. The only thing I would do differently is may add a 1/2 pound more ground beef or even double it. Seemed I had to really try to stretch the filling to cover the tortillas. The flavor is great though!
Teresa says
Delicious! Followed recipe, no substitutions. This is a great recipe to make ahead as well as freeze. There are only two of us so I made this in two of the 8×8 casserole dishes (just split the recipe in half). I froze one for later (about 30days)…pulled from freezer and baked using cooking guidelines from other frozen family meals at grocery, roughly 1 hour covered, remove foil last 10-15 minutes….was perfect!
Pat says
Made this recipe for a church dinner. Every bit of it was eaten. Love it.
Shirley says
This recipe is so easy and delicious! I used soft flour tortillas, and mild rotel tomatoes in the recipe and topped individual servings with diced tomatoes and sour cream. Definitely will make this often!
Charlotte says
Had good flavor, but mine was dry. Would have been best to put sauce on the bottom, needs more moisture to cook those tortillas. The roasted tomatoes gave it a sweet taste, will try salsa or enchilada sauce next time.
Taylor says
Made this as written and it was so good, my two year old ate it up. Thank you!!
Jennifer B says
Made exactly as written. Turned out excellent. Definitely a family pleasing recipe. Will make it again!
Kathi says
Great taste. A tad spicy 🌶️ for us though. I should have used mild salsa or only 1/2 the green chili’s
Amanda says
Any thoughts on how flour tortillas would do?
Amanda Davis says
We haven’t tried it, but it should be fine.
Kacie Mulligan says
This was amazing! I added a sour cream and cottage cheese layer to mimic the ricotta layer in regular Lasagna and it was insane!
Debbie says
Can you fix this in a crockpot?
Amanda Davis says
We have not tested that with this recipe. However, should you decide to experiment we would love to hear your results!