Mexican Lasagna

Mexican lasagna is a delightful fusion dish that brings together the comforting layers you see in a traditional lasagna with the vibrant, bold flavors of Mexican/Tex-Mex cuisine. It’s so fun to eat, perfectly paired with a side salad, refried beans, and/or Mexican rice. And you can make it as family-friendly as you’d like by choosing the chili pepper (and its heat) that best suits you and your guests.

Mexican Lasagna
Mexican lasagna, layers of Tex-Mex flavors between tortilla

Jalapeño peppers are a natural pairing here and are likely the go-to for many for this recipe. Their low-medium heat (2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units) and bright grassy flavor are natural fits to the flavors here. Both green and red jalapeños work (with those reds providing a little extra sweetness to the chili’s flavor.) Though, you could opt to simply use bell peppers instead and enjoy the low-key warmth from the paprika here. Or go big and pull out those habaneros (but be sure to warn your friends!)

Mexican lasagna keeps relatively well, too. You could make this dish on a Sunday and portion it out for a few lunches during the week. It’ll keep up to four days when refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheating, you can either microwave or reheat in the oven. We prefer oven reheating as it gives the tortilla a little renewed firmness, but either work.

Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:

50 Easy Jalapeño Recipes ebook cover

50 Easy Jalapeño Recipes

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Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 4 servings
Calories 673 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 chili pepper your choice, chopped
  • 1 lime 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 3/4 cup canned white beans
  • 2/3 cup cocktail tomatoes cherry tomatoes work, too
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salsa roja
  • Pinch Salt or to taste
  • 5 wheat tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a high-sided pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.
  • Add the sliced onion and chopped garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until vegetables are almost softened.
  • Add the ground beef and cook, stirring often until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened.
  • Add the chopped chili pepper, tomatoes, lime zest, lime juice, paprika, Mexican oregano, taco seasoning, water, and salsa roja to the pan. Stir to combine and allow the mix to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  • Add the beans, stir to combine, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.
  • Grease a ceramic baking dish with olive oil. Lay out a tortilla. Cover it with filling and sprinkle with cheese. Then add a tortilla on top. Repeat alternating layers until the filling and tortilla are done.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
  • Let the Mexican lasagna rest for 5 minutes prior to cutting. This will cool the ingredients enough to better set in place.
  • Cut and serve.

Notes

Serve toppings on the side. Additional chopped chilies, bell pepper, and avocado (or guacamole) are all good choices.
Pair this dish with a side salad or go Tex-Mex with some Mexican rice and refried beans.

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 34gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 672mgPotassium: 681mgFiber: 8gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 735IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 331mgIron: 6mg
Did you make this?Mention @PepperScale or tag #PepperScale so we can see what you made!

UPDATE NOTICE: This post was updated on June 20, 2024 to include new content.
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
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