Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This cheesy Mexican lasagna is sure to please the whole family, with layers of veggies, ground beef, salsa, cheese, and corn tortillas. Add your favorite toppings and devour!
How long it takes: about 1 hour
Equipment you’ll need: skillet, casserole dish
Servings: 8
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThis Mexican lasagna is not your traditional Italian-inspired lasagna! (It’s not skillet lasagna or lasagna soup either.) Here, corn tortillas take the place of noodles, we use salsa instead of marinara, and there’s lots of Tex-Mex flavor in every bite.
This is a dinner that’s packed with protein—ground beef or turkey, black beans, AND cheese—and it’s every bit as satisfying as traditional lasagna. It’s not quite as heavy or rich as Italian lasagna; I think skipping the ricotta filling helps with that!
Mexican Lasagna Casserole
Something a little different. If you were to combine enchiladas, taco bake, and lasagna in one casserole, you’d get this Mexican lasagna recipe. It’s a fun way to switch up your dinnertime routine!
Family-friendly. I don’t know how it is at your house but at mine, Mexican food is always a guaranteed winner. The adults love it, the kids love it, and everyone can choose their own toppings to put their own spin on their meal. This recipe makes a large casserole so there’s enough for 8 good-sized servings, plenty for a family.
Layers of flavor. With seasoned beef (or turkey), lots of veggies, sweet corn, zippy green chilies, salsa, and tons of melty cheese, this is the kind of dinner that you just don’t want to end. Good thing it makes plenty so you can cut yourself another slice or look forward to it for lunch tomorrow!
Ready to eat in 1 hour. Like most lasagnas, this Mexican lasagna recipe will take a bit of time to pull together but the effort is worth it. The lasagna needs about forty minutes in the oven but that’s all hands-off time. You can also get a jump start on the recipe by prepping some of the ingredients in advance to make it doable for a weeknight.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef or turkey: Seasoned ground meat is used for the “taco” meat. If you happen to have a batch of my healthy taco meat in the freezer, it can be substituted for the meat, vegetables, and taco seasoning. I love to keep ready-to-use taco meat on hand for meals like this.
- Onion and bell pepper: You can use any color bell pepper or type of onion. The aromatic vegetables are cooked with the meat to infuse it with flavor.
- Taco seasoning: I like to use homemade taco seasoning but you can buy a taco seasoning packet from the store, too. Fajita seasoning is a good substitute.
- Black beans: This is another ingredient where you have options. I like black beans but pinto beans would also work.
- Corn kernels: I use canned corn but if you have frozen corn on hand, feel free to swap that in. Thaw it under hot running water first.
- Diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes would be excellent in this recipe but regular works, too. Lightly drain off the excess juice.
- Diced green chilies: You’ll find canned chiles in both mild and hot versions so choose whichever one appeals to you.
- Cilantro: If you’re on team cilantro-tastes-like-soap, you can simply omit this.
- Salsa: You want a traditional tomato-based salsa that comes in a jar. Fresh salsa (pico de gallo) won’t work as well. Avoid unique salsas like pineapple or peach salsa; save those types of salsa for tortilla chips!
- Corn tortillas: Flour tortillas can be substituted (the recipe will no longer be gluten-free) but we prefer the way corn tortillas soften and also find the taste to be superior in this recipe. Flour tortillas can become a little bit gummy or pasty in a recipe like this.
- Mexican blend shredded cheese: Most packaged Mexican blends consist of Monterey Jack, cheddar, and Asadero, and sometimes mozzarella. If you like your tacos with cheddar, you can substitute it; however, in my opinion, sharp cheddar is a bit too assertive for this Mexican lasagna. Plain mozzarella would probably be a better choice.
- Garnishes: I would say garnishes are arguably one of the best parts of any recipe! This Mexican lasagna has plenty of flavor but if you’d like, garnish it with your choice of cilantro, sliced green onions, chopped onions, jalapeño, avocado, sour cream, or additional salsa or pico de gallo.
How to Make Mexican Lasagna
Brown the meat. Add the ground beef or turkey to a large skillet set over medium-high heat, along with the onion and bell pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks; continue cooking until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink.
Finish the filling mixture. Stir in the black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, green chilies, and taco seasoning. Cook until the mixture is heated through. Season to taste, then stir in the chopped cilantro.
Start layering. Spread ½ cup of salsa on the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, then top with 6 corn tortillas, overlapping them as necessary.
Keep layering. Spread half of the meat/vegetable mixture over the tortillas, followed by a cup of shredded cheese.
Finish the assembly. Add 6 more tortillas, the remaining meat mixture, and another cup of cheese. Layer on the remaining 6 tortillas, ½ cup salsa, and another cupe of shredded cheese. Cover the baking dish with a sheet of foil coated with nonstick spray (so the cheese doesn’t stick).
Bake. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes more, or until the cheese is golden and the sauce is bubbling up along the edges.
Serve. Let the Mexican lasagna set for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Much like Italian-style lasagna, this lasagna will be easier to serve if you allow time for it to firm up. Cut the lasagna into squares, and serve it with your favorite toppings.
Tips and Variations
Get a head start. Make the filling mixture up to 2 days in advance; then, when you’re ready to bake the Mexican lasagna, you only have to layer everything and pop it in the oven. You can also assemble the entire casserole up to a day in advance and bake it when you’re ready (see the recipe card for details).
Make it vegetarian. Use your favorite plant-based ground beef substitute. You’ll need to add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet to keep it from sticking since it’s leaner than ground beef and turkey.
Spice it up. For more heat, use hot salsa, spicy green chilies, and serve with hot sauce. You can also use poblano peppers or jalapeños instead of bell peppers, or garnish with pickled jalapeños.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad. A salad with Tex-Mex flavors like black bean and avocado salad would be perfect.
- Homemade toppings. These pickled red onions and homemade guacamole are delicious added to Mexican lasagna. A drizzle of jalapeño ranch dressing is good, too.
- Cornbread. If you serve garlic bread with traditional lasagna, try serving this healthy cornbread recipe with Mexican lasagna.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen Mexican lasagna before reheating.
To reheat: Warm up leftovers in a covered baking dish at 350ºF in the oven, or heat individual portions in the microwave until warmed through. Check the center of the lasagna to make sure the layers are completely heated through. Sometimes the top will feel warm but the layers underneath are still cold.
More Tex-Mex Dinner Recipes
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup finely diced onion (1 medium onion)
- 1 cup finely diced bell pepper (1 medium pepper, any color)
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz.) corn kernels, drained
- 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles, undrained
- 1 packet (1 oz.) taco seasoning (see note)
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro (leaves and small stems)
- 1 cup salsa, divided (canned, not fresh)
- 18 small corn tortillas, divided (5-inch diameter)
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- optional toppings: sliced avocado, sour cream, chopped green onions, salsa, cilantro, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into crumbles, until meat is cooked through, and vegetables are softened.1 pound ground beef or turkey, 1 cup finely diced onion, 1 cup finely diced bell pepper
- Stir in black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, green chiles, and taco seasoning. Cook for a few minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Stir in chopped cilantro.1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (15 oz.) corn kernels, drained, 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained, 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles, undrained, 1 packet (1 oz.) taco seasoning
- Spread ½ cup salsa in bottom of prepared baking dish. Arrange 6 corn tortillas on top of the salsa, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom.
- Spoon half of the meat and vegetable mixture over the tortillas, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese over the meat mixture.
- Add another layer with 6 tortillas, remaining meat mixture, and 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Top with 6 more tortillas, ½ cup salsa, and 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (spray foil lightly with nonstick spray so the cheese doesn’t stick to it). Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Cooling the lasagna helps the layers firm up so it’s easier to cut into squares to serve.
- Serve hot, garnished with your favorite toppings such as sliced avocado, sour cream, chopped green onions, and salsa.
Notes
- Taco seasoning: If you prefer, substitute 3 tablespoons homemade taco seasoning for the package of seasoning.
- Storage: Leftover lasagna can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. If you like, freeze individually wrapped servings of lasagna for a quick lunch or dinner in the future.
- Make ahead: The lasagna can be prepared ahead (not baked); refrigerate it overnight or wrap it securely and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as instructed. Add 10 minutes to the baking time since the lasagna is chilled. I usually check the internal temperature of the casserole with a instant read thermometer to make sure it’s heated all the way through (165°F or more).
- Previously published: This recipe was originally posted as Healthy Mexican Lasagna with Swiss Chard. We’ve retested and revised the recipe (2/2025).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
sounds like a party for your mouth
100% a party in your mouth!
That is a gorgeous batch of enchiladas! I’ve never used a chipotle sauce on mine, but that sound wonderful.
It adds really great flavor!