Delish Mexican Lasagna Recipes

This Mexican lasagna is not technically lasagna, but tell that to the stack of saucy tortillas, melty cheese, and sassy beans holding hands like a casserole that pays its taxes. It’s the love child of taco night and Sunday bake-day: tortillas instead of noodles, a cozy blanket of enchilada sauce, and enough cheese to make you say “who needs self-control?” It’s special because it forgives your sins—burnt edges, chaotic layering, and the “oops, that was the mild salsa, not the hot” moment. You should try it if you like flavor, leftovers, and recipes that still slap even when you eyeball half the measurements.

Last week I made this for dinner, and my husband did that supportive-but-alarmed look when I used a 9-inch pan for what was obviously a 9×13 situation. Yes, this pan is too small. No, I won’t wash fewer dishes. The kids argued over which corner had the most cheese like tiny lawyers with sticky hands. The middle child declared beans “suspicious,” then ate two servings when I called it “taco pie.” Meanwhile, I tried to look confident while scooping out a molten square that looked like a culinary Jenga collapse—and it still disappeared faster than their interest in homework. Victory, thy name is casserole.

Time-Saving Hacks

– Use rotisserie chicken and jarred enchilada sauce. Is it cheating? Yes. Do I care? No.
– Don’t sauté an onion—use frozen diced onions. They’re oniony and already cold from your life choices.
– Layer with street-taco tortillas so you don’t have to cut anything to fit. Geometry is canceled.
– Mix the beans, corn, and meat in one bowl, then plop and spread. Precision is for surgeons.
– Line the pan with foil for a drama-free cleanup. Or don’t, and live with your choices.
– Microwave tortillas 30 seconds with a damp towel so they don’t tear and expose your structural weaknesses.

Serving Ideas

– A quick slaw with lime and salt—because you’re a responsible adult who knows what cabbage is.
– Chips and guac if you’re doing the “balanced meal” of carbs with your carbs.
– Serve with wine if the kids drove you nuts. Serve with tequila if they also hid your phone.
– Sour cream and hot sauce bar—let everyone ruin their own plate so you don’t have to.
– Or just slice and serve straight from the pan, standing at the counter like a raccoon with standards.

What to Serve It With

– Cilantro-lime rice or Spanish rice (the carbs are friends).
– Simple pinto or black beans with a squeeze of lime.
– Grilled corn, elote-style if you’re feeling extra and/or dramatic.
– A crisp green salad to pretend we’re balanced.
– Agua fresca for daytime, margaritas for “I survived bedtime.”

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Warm your tortillas so they don’t crack and perform a tragic slide under cheese.
– Don’t over-sauce the bottom layer unless you enjoy tortilla soup cosplay.
– Let it rest 10–15 minutes before slicing. Impatience equals ooze cubes.
– Shred your own cheese if possible—it melts better than the bagged sawdust confetti.
– Season each layer. Bland in, bland out. Salt is flavor; be brave.
– Bake covered first, then uncover to brown the top so it’s bubbly, not burnt.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
– Fridge: 3–4 days, tightly wrapped. Reheat at 350°F until hot and melty, or hit it with the microwave and pretend it’s the same.
– Freeze: Wrap individual squares for future you. Thaw overnight, reheat covered so it doesn’t turn into cheesy parchment.
– Lunchbox tip: Pack with a lime wedge and hot sauce packet so you look like you tried.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Protein: Ground beef, turkey, shredded chicken, chorizo, or all-bean for a veg win.
– Tortillas: Corn for gluten-friendly vibes, flour for soft layers, or a mix if chaos is your love language.
– Sauce: Red enchilada for classic, green for tangy, chipotle for smoky drama, salsa if that’s what you have.
– Cheese: Cheddar + Monterey Jack are safe; pepper jack if you like danger; dairy-free melts if needed.
– Add-ins: Corn, olives, sautéed peppers, zucchini—clean out the crisper and call it “market-style.”
– Spice: Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika. Taste as you go, unless chaos tastes better.
– Lazy-night special: Stack tortillas, sauce, and cheese only. Call it “deconstructed” and move on.
– Sweet vs. savory swaps: Sugar ↔ honey for your quick pickled onions, soy sauce ↔ tamari in any side you’re faking. It still counts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Mexican Lasagna Recipes

All the flavors of your favorite enchiladas stacked like a cozy lasagna. Tender flour tortillas are layered with spiced ground beef, beans, corn, zesty enchilada sauce, and plenty of melty cheese for a weeknight-friendly bake the whole family loves.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil for sautéing
• ▢ 1 cup yellow onion, diced about 1 medium
• ▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
• ▢ 3 clove garlic, minced
• ▢ 1.5 pound lean ground beef 90 percent lean if possible
• ▢ 2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 can black beans 15 ounce can, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 cup corn kernels frozen thawed or canned, drained
• ▢ 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles 10 ounce can, undrained
• ▢ 2 cup red enchilada sauce divided
• ▢ 8 piece flour tortillas 8 inch tortillas
• ▢ 3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or cheddar and Monterey Jack
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
• ▢ 0.25 cup green onions, sliced for garnish
• ▢ 1 piece jalapeño, thinly sliced optional
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream for serving
• ▢ 1 piece lime cut into wedges for serving

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 0.5 minute.
• Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
• Season the beef with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute until fragrant.
• Stir in black beans, corn, and the diced tomatoes with green chiles. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Spread 0.5 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
• Assemble layer 1: Arrange tortillas to cover the sauce (cut to fit as needed). Spoon half of the beef mixture over tortillas, drizzle with 0.5 to 0.75 cup enchilada sauce, and sprinkle with 1.0 cup cheese.
• Assemble layer 2: Repeat with another layer of tortillas, remaining beef mixture, 0.5 to 0.75 cup sauce, and 1.0 cup cheese. Top with a final layer of tortillas, remaining sauce, and the remaining 1.0 cup cheese.
• Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until bubbly and lightly browned.
• Rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro and green onions. Serve with jalapeño, sour cream, and lime wedges.

Notes

Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate; add 5 minutes to bake time. For a lighter version, swap half the beef for sautéed mushrooms or use ground turkey. Corn tortillas also work; lightly warm them to prevent tearing. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated or up to 2 months frozen.