I’m serving a Tortilla Lasagna that’s crispy on top and gloriously gooey inside, the kind of dinner picky eaters actually beg for.
I can’t stop making this Mexican lasagna because it hits every craving in one messy pan. I love the way layers of spicy taco meat and gooey cheese squeak when you cut a slice.
I’m obsessed with the crunch from tortilla edges and the comfort of familiar flavors. This Tortilla Lasagna is the kind of thing I want leftovers.
It’s basically a Mexican Casserole With Tortillas, but better. I always toss in 1 lb (450 g) ground beef and 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed because they make it real.
Turns out, dinner solved. No regrets, seriously.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: hearty protein, gives the lasagna that meaty, comforting bite you’ll crave.
- Vegetable oil: keeps things from sticking, adds a neutral, light mouthfeel.
Basically helpful.
- Yellow onion: sweet and savory base, softens up and smells like home cooking.
- Garlic: punchy aroma, small but mighty for flavor and that warm, cozy vibe.
- Taco seasoning: quick spice mix, makes it taste like tacos without thinking too hard.
- Diced tomatoes: bright acidity, juicy bits that cut the richness a bit.
- Red enchilada sauce: saucy color and tang, ties layers together with bold tomato flavor.
- Black beans: fiber and creaminess, adds heft and makes it feel a bit healthier.
- Corn: sweet pop and texture, gives fun contrasts in almost every bite.
- Flour tortillas: soft layers instead of pasta, comforting and easy to work with.
- Mexican cheese: melty, salty blanket on top that everyone will fight over.
- Sour cream: cool, tangy finish that calms the spice and adds creaminess.
- Cilantro: fresh herbal brightness, optional but it livens things up nicely.
Plus looks pretty.
- Green onions: mild bite and color, great for a quick garnish boost.
- Salt: simple seasoning that actually makes everything taste like itself.
- Black pepper: little heat and complexity, keeps flavors from feeling flat.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning or about 2 tbsp homemade taco blend
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 8 to 10 flour tortillas, 8 inch size
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional but nice
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 375 F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with a little oil.
2. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add 1 lb ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Push beef to one side, add the chopped onion and cook until soft about 4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and stir well so beef and veggies are coated, then add the drained diced tomatoes, 10 oz enchilada sauce, drained black beans, and 1 cup thawed corn. Simmer 5 minutes so flavors meld; taste and adjust salt and pepper.
5. While the filling simmers, warm the tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp towel for 20-30 seconds or heat quickly in a dry skillet so they bend without cracking.
6. Spoon a thin layer of the beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared dish, then place 2 to 3 tortillas to cover (overlap is fine). Spread another layer of beef mixture, sprinkle some shredded cheese, and dollop a few spoonfuls of sour cream spread thinly. Repeat layers until you use up the filling, finishing with a generous layer of cheese on top. Use 8 to 10 tortillas total depending on how many layers you want.
7. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 8 to 12 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.
8. Let the lasagna rest for 8 to 10 minutes so it sets and cuts cleaner. If you try to slice right away it will fall apart.
9. Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions, then serve with extra sour cream or hot sauce if you like.
Equipment Needed
1. 9×13 inch baking dish
2. Large skillet (12 inch works well)
3. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
4. Chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Can opener and fine mesh strainer (for draining tomatoes and beans)
8. Aluminum foil
9. Oven mitts
FAQ
Easy Mexican Lasagna Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Ground beef: ground turkey (leaner, same cook time), ground chicken, plant based crumbles (use same amount), crumbled breakfast sausage for more flavor
- Flour tortillas: corn tortillas (toasted first so they don’t fall apart), tortilla chips layered for crunch, low carb wraps, pita halves in a pinch
- Mexican blend cheese: cheddar or Monterey Jack, pepper jack for heat, queso fresco or cotija sprinkled on top (less melty), vegan shredded cheese
- Sour cream: plain Greek yogurt (same amount, tangier), crema or Mexican crema if you can find it, mayo mixed with a little lemon juice in a hurry
Pro Tips
1) Warm the tortillas good before you layer them, otherwise they crack and the lasagna falls apart. Pop them in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or quickly heat each one in a dry skillet. Don’t skip this it actually makes slicing so much cleaner.
2) Make the beef filling a little wetter than you think you need, especially if your enchilada sauce is thick. A slightly saucy mix helps everything bind, so the layers don’t dry out while baking. If it seems too salty add a splash of water, broth or a little extra canned tomatoes.
3) Use a mix of cheeses if you can, not just the pre-shredded bag. Freshly shredded mozzarella or cheddar melts better and keeps that gooey pull. Also save some cheese to put on top in the last 8 minutes of baking so it browns nicely and doesnt burn.
4) Let it rest at least 8 minutes after you take it out of the oven. I know you wanna dive in but it sets while cooling and you get way cleaner slices. If you cut too soon it turns into a sloppy mess, trust me.
Easy Mexican Lasagna Recipe
I’m serving a Tortilla Lasagna that’s crispy on top and gloriously gooey inside, the kind of dinner picky eaters actually beg for.
8
servings
520
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9×13 inch baking dish
2. Large skillet (12 inch works well)
3. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
4. Chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
7. Can opener and fine mesh strainer (for draining tomatoes and beans)
8. Aluminum foil
9. Oven mitts
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning or about 2 tbsp homemade taco blend
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
8 to 10 flour tortillas, 8 inch size
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, optional but nice
2 green onions, sliced (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 F and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with a little oil.
- Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add 1 lb ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Push beef to one side, add the chopped onion and cook until soft about 4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and stir well so beef and veggies are coated, then add the drained diced tomatoes, 10 oz enchilada sauce, drained black beans, and 1 cup thawed corn. Simmer 5 minutes so flavors meld; taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- While the filling simmers, warm the tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp towel for 20-30 seconds or heat quickly in a dry skillet so they bend without cracking.
- Spoon a thin layer of the beef mixture into the bottom of the prepared dish, then place 2 to 3 tortillas to cover (overlap is fine). Spread another layer of beef mixture, sprinkle some shredded cheese, and dollop a few spoonfuls of sour cream spread thinly. Repeat layers until you use up the filling, finishing with a generous layer of cheese on top. Use 8 to 10 tortillas total depending on how many layers you want.
- Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 8 to 12 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden.
- Let the lasagna rest for 8 to 10 minutes so it sets and cuts cleaner. If you try to slice right away it will fall apart.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions, then serve with extra sour cream or hot sauce if you like.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 273g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 520kcal
- Fat: 29.5g
- Saturated Fat: 12.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.35g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 8.9g
- Cholesterol: 64mg
- Sodium: 643mg
- Potassium: 436mg
- Carbohydrates: 41.4g
- Fiber: 3.7g
- Sugar: 4.1g
- Protein: 22.6g
- Vitamin A: 400IU
- Vitamin C: 4.5mg
- Calcium: 121mg
- Iron: 1.9mg
