Best Taco Lasagna Recipe [VIDEO]
Beef Casseroles Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Taco Lasagna is made with taco meat, layers of tortillas, and lots of cheese. This casserole is the perfect combination of Mexican-inspired ingredients, and it also freezes well. It is an easy meal to make for the whole family to enjoy!
This recipe is hearty, cheesy, and delicious. The best thing is that it tastes like a huge burrito. Make sure to serve it topped with sour cream, salsa, and some guacamole for a Mexican feast. We love Mexican-inspired food, and we have a full collection of them on our blog. Make sure to try our very easy-to-make Taco Pasta and also this Instant Pot Taco Soup.
Best Taco Lasagna
This casserole recipe is the ultimate comfort food that my family loves. My most ordered dish at any Mexican place would definitely be a taco plate. Another favorite meal of mine is, of course, lasagna. So combining the two cuisines together in one easy-to-make dish is a dream come true.
This Mexican lasagna combines beef cooked with chunky and spicy salsa, homemade taco seasoning, tortillas, and lots of cheese. I added some veggies into the mix, such as onion, some garlic, and green bell pepper, to lift up the flavors in the dish. Also, to make it a more traditional and authentic Mexican meal, I added a blend of Mexican cheese, and beans.
In addition, the casserole turns out perfectly cooked, juicy, flavorful, and ready in just about one hour, from start to finish. This dish can be served with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, avocado, salsa, fresh cilantro, or some chopped fresh jalapenos for a spicier kick.
Another fun part of this meal is that instead of lasagna noodles, you use flour or corn tortillas. In addition, the recipe is very versatile and you can use whatever veggies or ground meat you have on hand!
Reader’s Feedback:
This recipe is another favorite with our readers! Just check the great feedback that it gets:
“This was a very very delicious meal. My daughters and my son destroyed this dish which makes me happy. Thank you”
“I made this tonight with ground Turkey and medium salsa. I skipped the cornstarch and water. It was delicious!!! Not soggy and set up really well. Definitely going to make it again. Thanks for the recipe.”
“This is a great twist on lasagna! I love Mexican flavors and this sounds delicious. It’s nice to try a new variation on one of our fave meals!”
Ingredients Needed:
Taco Beef:
- Ground beef
- Veggies: onion, garlic, green bell peppers, and diced green chiles.
- Salsa: we prefer to use store-bought as it saves time.
- Seasonings: salt, pepper, and your favorite taco seasoning.
- Cornstarch
- Water
Other layers:
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas or corn tortillas.
- Beans: Refried beans and also pinto or black beans.
- Cheese: We use a Mexican cheese blend.
Topping:
- Salsa
- Mexican cheese blend
How do you make a Taco Lasagna recipe from scratch:
- Prepare the casserole dish: For perfect and uniform cooking, I recommend using a 9×13 non-stick baking pan for this recipe. Also, if you want to double the dish, then go with a larger casserole baking dish.
- Brown the beef: First, start by browning the beef in a large cast-iron skillet, until no longer pink. After that, add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, green chiles, salsa, and taco seasoning. Also, make sure to season everything with salt and pepper.
- Cornstarch slurry: After that, mix the cornstarch with the water until dissolved and add the mixture to the skillet. Stir, until the mixture thickens and after that remove it from heat and set aside.
- Assemble: Finally, start assembling it. Start with a layer of tortillas and after a layer of refried beans. Next, add the beef mixture, followed by black or pinto beans, and cheese. After that, repeat layers and top with remaining cheese and salsa.
- Bake: Lastly, bake it at 350 degrees F until the cheese is melted and bubbly, for about 30 minutes.
- Serve: Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and after that slice and serve it with your favorite toppings.
Recipe Variations:
- Meat: While I used ground beef in this Taco Lasagna. However, you can easily swap the meat by using ground chicken, ground turkey, or even sausage.
- Vegetarian: To make it vegetarian, skip the meat altogether and use more refried beans, canned beans, and veggies.
- Spicier: Alternatively, make it spicer by using a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce or more chiles.
- Gluten-Free: Also, this recipe is easy to make gluten-free, just use corn tortillas and you are good.
- Cheese: Another option is to use your favorite cheese, like cheddar, Fontina, Gouda, or Pepper Jack cheese for a spicy kick.
Topping Suggestions:
- Bacon crumbs or chopped bacon
- Cheddar cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Chopped green onion
- Parsley or cilantro
- A dollop of sour cream
- Crema Fresca
- Fresh salsa
- Chopped jalapenos
- Guacamole
- Crumbled cotija cheese
How to freeze a lasagna:
Freeze:
- First, let it cool to room temperature, after that, it can be frozen in a freezer-safe dish. Actually, most glass or ceramic casserole dishes are fine for this purpose.
- If it has been but into individual pieces, refrigerate it first, for the layers to settle. It makes wrapping them easier.
- Next, cover the dish with freezer-safe plastic wrap. Make sure to wrap the plastic around the entire dish, to make sure there are no gaps in the wrap where air could get in and cause freezer burn. Also, cover well in aluminum foil.
- In addition, the slices can be individually wrapped in freezer-safe plastic wrap and foil or added to freezer-safe bags. This is a great alternative for those who don’t want to thaw an entire lasagna or want to cook smaller food portions.
- Freeze for up to 3 months for the best flavor. But, it will keep good for 6 months or more.
Thaw:
- The night before you intend to have it for dinner, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge and thaw it overnight.
- Once thawed cook it or reheat if it has been already cooked.
- If you try to bake it while it’s still frozen or partially frozen, it will cook unevenly and it won’t be as good.
More Mexican Recipes:
What is a Taco Lasagna?
This is a comfort casserole dish that uses corn tortilla in combination with ground beef, taco seasoning, cheese, and veggies. All layered together then baked till bubbly and golden brown.
Recipe Tips:
- Use quality ground beef. This will make the dish more flavorful.
- Also, to shave off a few calories, substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or chicken. In addition, I would recommend using reduced-fat cheese.
- For a healthier version, try my zucchini lasagna. It is equally delicious.
- For a fresh burst of vibrant flavor and color, toss a palmful of minced cilantro, fresh basil, or parsley on top of this casserole before serving.
- Similarly, you could use reduced-fat cheese. Also, you can use your preferred cheese in this recipe.
- Add more or fewer veggies upon discretion. I like to use one green bell pepper, but a cup of zucchini would work great as well.
- While I have used tortillas instead of lasagna noodles, you can also make this Taco Lasagna with traditional lasagna noodles.
- Feel free to use your favorite cheeses or a mix of a few varieties. Just go with what you like the most.
Taco Lasagna Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 flour or corn tortillas (8 inch ones)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black or pinto beans (rinsed and drained)
- 2 cans (16 ounces) refried beans (refried beans)
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Beef Layer:
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 green bell pepper (finely diced)
- 1 can (7 ounces) diced green chiles
- 3 cups salsa
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons water
Topping:
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a baking rack in the middle of the oven.
- Lightly grease a 9x13 inch deep casserole dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
Beef Layer:
- Place a large skillet or cast iron pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot add 2 tablespoons of oil to it.
- Next, add the beef to the skillet and cook unmoved for 1 minute, so it gets a nice sear. After that, use a wooden spoon to break the beef.
- Cook stirring for about 5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Drain grease from the pan, leaving only about 2 tablespoons.
- Add diced onion, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, diced green chiles, 3 cups of salsa, and taco seasoning. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir and bring to a simmer, simmer for 2 about two minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes.
Cornstarch Slurry:
- Mix cornstarch with water until cornstarch is dissolved and add to the beef mixture. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Make sure you stir, to avoid the beef from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove the skillet from heat and set it aside.
Assembling the lasagna:
- Add two tortillas to the prepared pan. Cut 1 tortilla into quarters and add each quarter to the corners of the pan, to cover any empty spaces there. Cut 1 tortilla in half, and add each half to each side of the pan, straight side touching the pan and covering the empty space.
- Add half of the refried beans and carefully spread them on top of the tortillas, trying to avoid moving the tortillas.
- Add half of the beef mixture and spread it evenly.
- Add half of the black or pinto beans, on top of the beef mixture.
- Top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
- Repeat with another layer of tortillas, remaining refried beans, remaining beef mixture, remaining black or pinto beans, and 1 1/2 cups cheese.
- Top with another layer of tortillas, spread 1 cup of salsa over the final layer of tortillas, and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Mexican blend cheese.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let the lasagna cool for 30-40 minutes, before slicing and serving.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.
Video
Nutrition
More recipes you might love
Comments
Leave a reply