This Mexican lasagna is a delicious casserole with layers of savory ground beef, beans, cheese, corn tortillas, and more! It's quick and easy to prepare the beef mixture filling before the oven cooks the lasagna to bubbly deliciousness. Perfect for serving a large and hungry crowd - plus, it's on the table in about an hour!
Easy Mexican Lasagna Recipe
Mexican lasagna is a perfect fusion of two worlds! It combines the rich and savory flavors of traditional Italian lasagna with the zesty flavors of Mexican cuisine!
The best part is that you don't have to worry about boiling noodles! Instead, you can simply layer corn tortillas, seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese, green chiles, and diced tomatoes in a 9x13 baking dish!
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🥘 Mexican Lasagna Ingredients
If you regularly cook Mexican food, you might already have some of these simple ingredients! Feel free to use 1½ cups of your favorite salsa instead of the can of diced tomatoes, if desired.
- Beef - 1 pound of ground beef. Leaner ground beef saves time skimming the fat, but fattier ground beef has more flavor. 😋
- Onion - 1 cup diced yellow or white onion.
- Garlic - 2 teaspoons minced garlic.
- Taco Seasoning - ¼ cup of taco seasoning; see my recipe or use your favorite brand.
- Water - ½ cup of water is needed if you use store-bought seasoning.
- Tomatoes - 14½ ounces of diced tomatoes, but don't drain the juice!
- Green Chiles - A 4-ounce can of diced green chiles but don't drain these either.
- Black Beans - 15 ounces of black beans, drained and rinsed.
- Tortillas - 18 corn tortillas.
- Cheese - 6 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, or use a combination of Monterey Jack, cheddar, and queso quesadilla cheese.
- Optional Toppings - Some of my favorites for serving this dish include 1-2 diced tomatoes, a bunch of green onions (sliced), and either sour cream or Mexican crema. More cheese is always a good thing, too; try some crumbled queso fresco!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Mexican Lasagna
Mexican lasagna is incredibly easy to prepare and assemble before the oven bakes it to bubbly perfection! Take out a 9x13 baking dish, a large skillet, a silicone spatula set, measuring cups, a grater set, and aluminum foil to get started.
This flavorful casserole dish will make about 12 servings! It is hearty and satisfying on its own, but you can serve up a slice with some sides if you'd like!
Prep Casserole Ingredients
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or coat lightly with cooking oil. Set the dish aside for later use.
- Brown. Take out a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add 1 pound of ground beef and 1 cup of diced yellow or white onion and cook until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
- Saute. Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add the ¼ cup of taco seasoning and ½ cup of water and stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is thoroughly coated.
- Combine. Add the 14½ ounces of canned diced tomatoes with juices, 4 ounces of diced green chiles with juices, and 15 ounces of black beans to the skillet with the meat and heat through. Take the mixture off of the heat and set aside.
Assemble & Bake
- Bottom layer. Grab your prepared baking dish and line the bottom with 6 corn tortillas. *You can overlap the tortillas as long as the entire bottom of the dish is covered.
- Assemble casserole. Next, add ⅓ of the meat mixture to the tortillas and use a spatula to spread it in an even layer. Then sprinkle 2 cups of shredded cheese evenly on top of the meat.
- Repeat and cover. Keep adding the rest of the tortillas, meat mixture, and shredded cheese until there are three layers. Then cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.
- Cook. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil. Continue cooking uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
- Set and serve. Add diced tomato and sliced green onions as a garnish on top of the casserole, then let it sit for 10 minutes so that it's easy to slice. Serve with sour cream or Mexican crema if desired.
You can serve your Mexican lasagna with a variety of side dishes! I like to whip up some tasty guacamole and air fryer tortilla chips, but you could also pair it with Mexican rice and refried beans! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Feel free to substitute the ground beef with your favorite ground meats like ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Each teaspoon of minced garlic is approximately equal to 1 clove.
- I used my easy homemade taco seasoning to season the beef. However, you can use any of your favorite brands if you'd like.
- You can substitute 1½ cups of your favorite salsa instead of the diced tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you'd like.
- It's important not to drain the tomatoes, diced green chiles, or salsa, as the liquid helps bring moisture to the casserole and hydrate the corn tortillas.
- You can add frozen or fresh corn to the beef mixture if you'd like with the black beans.
- When cooking this dish, you'll want to bake it for 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil, then remove the foil and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Your casserole is ready when it is bubbly and all the cheese has melted.
- This dish can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge. If you would like to do this to save time, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature before you bake it. Preparing it in advance will make the tortillas softer, and some may prefer the casserole this way.
🥡 Storing
Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in your fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Reheating Mexican Lasagna
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then transfer your casserole leftovers to a baking dish. Reheat in the oven until the casserole is warmed through to your liking.
Alternatively, you can reheat individual pieces on a microwavable plate in 30-second increments.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Mexican lasagna is a variation of traditional Italian lasagna that incorporates Mexican flavors and ingredients! Also called taco lasagna or Mexican casserole, this dish has layers of corn tortillas with seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese, and salsa (or diced tomatoes).
Yes, you can freeze Mexican lasagna! Allow the lasagna to completely cool, then either wrap the entire casserole with plastic wrap and foil or individual pieces. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in your fridge overnight, then follow the reheating instructions above.
Absolutely! You can assemble the dish in advance and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking it. Alternatively, you can go ahead and bake the lasagna, let it cool, and then refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Reheat the Mexican lasagna in the oven or heat individual pieces in the microwave before serving.
🇲🇽🌵🌶️ More Tasty Mexican Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos - These chicken tacos are so effortless and delicious to prepare on any busy weeknight!
- Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce - Whenever you have some leftover chicken to use, these chicken enchiladas are just the thing to make!
- Ground Beef Taquitos - An easy and flavorful Tex-Mex dish that is made with rolled corn tortillas and a perfectly seasoned beef mixture!
- Huevos Rancheros - A tasty Mexican-inspired breakfast that consists of eggs, salsa, and tortillas!
- Chicken Quesadillas - An incredibly easy chicken quesadilla recipe that's perfect for lunch or dinner!
- Shrimp Fajitas - These amazingly flavorful fajitas are made with juicy shrimp, onions, and green bell pepper!
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📖 Recipe Card
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup yellow onion (diced, or use white onion)
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup taco seasoning (see recipe or use your favorite brand)
- ½ cup water
- 14½ oz diced tomatoes (1 14.5-ounce can, do not drain)
- 4 oz diced green chiles (1 4-ounce can, do not drain)
- 15 oz black beans (1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- 18 corn tortillas
- 6 cups cheddar cheese (shredded, or use a combination of Monterey Jack, cheddar, and queso quesadilla)
- 1 medium tomato (optional - diced, use up to 2 tomatoes, for garnish)
- 1 bunch green onions (optional - sliced, for garnish)
- sour cream or Mexican crema (optional - for serving)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) then spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set the dish aside for later use.
- Take out a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add in the 1 lb ground beef and 1 cup yellow onion and cook until the meat is browned and the onion has softened.
- Add 2 teaspoon garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Then add the ¼ cup taco seasoning and ½ cup water and stir with a wooden spoon until the meat is thoroughly coated.
- Add the 14½ oz diced tomatoes with juices, 4 oz diced green chiles, and 15 oz black beans to the skillet with the meat and heat through. Take the mixture off of the heat and set aside.
- Grab your prepared baking dish and line the bottom with 6 corn tortillas. *You can overlap the tortillas as long as the entire bottom of the dish is covered.
- Next, add ⅓ of the meat mixture on top of the tortillas and use a spatula to spread it out in an even layer. Then sprinkle 2 cups of the shredded cheese on top of the meat evenly.
- Keep adding the rest of the tortillas, meat mixture, and shredded cheese until there are three layers. Then cover the lasagna with aluminum foil.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
- Add 1 medium tomato and 1 bunch green onions as a garnish on top of the casserole then let it sit for 10 minutes so that it's easy to slice. Serve with sour cream or Mexican crema if desired.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute the ground beef with your favorite ground meats like ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Each teaspoon of minced garlic is approximately equal to 1 clove.
- I used my easy homemade taco seasoning to season the beef. However, you can use any of your favorite brands if you'd like.
- You can substitute 1½ cups of your favorite salsa instead of the diced tomatoes or fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you'd like. It's important not to drain the tomatoes, diced green chiles, or salsa, as the liquid helps bring moisture to the casserole and hydrate the corn tortillas.
- You can add frozen or fresh corn to the beef mixture if you'd like with the black beans.
- When cooking this dish, you'll want to first bake it for 30 minutes covered with aluminum foil, then remove the foil and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Your casserole is ready when it is bubbly and all of the cheese has melted.
- This dish can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge. If you would like to do this to save time, take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature before you bake it. Preparing it in advance will make the tortillas softer, and some may prefer the casserole this way.
- To store: Place any leftovers in an airtight container and store them in your fridge for up to 2-3 days.
- To reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then transfer your casserole leftovers to a baking dish. Reheat in the oven until the casserole is warmed through to your liking. Alternatively, you can reheat individual pieces on a microwavable plate in 30-second increments.
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