Description
This Mexican Lasagna is a flavorful layered casserole featuring seasoned ground beef, refried beans, corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, and a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. Baked to bubbly, cheesy perfection and served with fresh toppings like cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, and avocado, it’s a delicious, family-friendly meal that’s easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (1-ounce) packet or 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels (about 10 ounces)
- 1 (7-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
- 2 (10-ounce) cans red enchilada sauce
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- 18 (5- to 6-inch) corn tortillas
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
Optional Toppings
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 350ºF to prepare for baking the lasagna.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the finely chopped onion and diced red bell pepper, cooking and stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent and slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the lean ground beef to the skillet and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and taco seasoning, cooking for another 2 minutes until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
- Add Corn and Chiles: Stir in frozen corn kernels and the drained diced green chiles, scraping up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Mix Enchilada Sauce: Reserve 1 cup of enchilada sauce from the cans. Stir the remaining sauce into the beef mixture, and season with kosher salt to taste.
- Prepare Cheese Blend: In a medium bowl, mix shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses together.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 corn tortillas evenly over the sauce (they can overlap). Dollop and spread half of the refried beans (about 3/4 cup) over the tortillas. Spread half of the beef mixture evenly over the beans, then sprinkle with one-third of the cheese blend (about 1 1/3 cups). Repeat this layering process with tortillas, beans, beef mixture, and cheese. Top with the remaining 6 tortillas, spread the remaining enchilada sauce over them, and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake: Place the baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the filling bubbles, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Rest and Serve: Let the lasagna cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, sour cream, and diced avocado as desired.
Notes
- This dish is not authentic Mexican lasagna but offers a delicious and comforting fusion twist.
- Using corn tortillas adds a traditional Mexican flavor compared to pasta sheets.
- Adjust the heat level by choosing mild or spicy taco seasoning and enchilada sauce according to preference.
- Leftovers store well and taste great reheated the next day.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with plant-based crumbles or sautéed vegetables.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10 of recipe)
- Calories: 526
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 1328 mg
- Fat: 27.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 13.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.2 g
- Fiber: 7.8 g
- Protein: 27.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
