Taco Lasagna
Taco Lasagna is one of the most mouthwatering Tex-Mex entrees ever! It’s a fabulous layered casserole dish that, unlike most casseroles, is quite healthy. I used my own Homemade Taco Seasoning instead of the packets which have MSG, preservatives, and other fillers. It also has a lot of healthy ingredients including black beans, tomatoes with diced chilies, refried beans, and this version also includes pinto beans, though you can omit them and just use black beans if you prefer.
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I made two batches of this recipe at the same time. Because I ran out of black beans I substituted a can of pinto beans for one of the cans of black beans. This turned out quite nicely, too. This recipe is not difficult at all because you use flour tortillas rather than lasagna noodles (that usually have to be cooked).
I found this great recipe from Taste of Home’s Contest Winning Recipes, 2008. I have modified it slightly by adding a can of enchilada sauce over the top to protect the top layer from drying out too much. We really enjoy this tasty recipe and I think you will, too. It sets up really well after a day in the refrigerator.
Leftovers are great! I usually add more cheese on top and cilantro is a nice touch. It’s great served with guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Salsa or sour cream.
If you’re looking for a Tex-Mex style main dish that’s economical, tasty, and kid-friendly, Taco Lasagna is sure to please. Our family loves this recipe. I bring it to you hoping you will enjoy it too!
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Here’s a serving of Taco Lasagna. Doesn’t it look wonderful?
Taco Lasagna has three layers of tortillas and beef, bean and cheese filling. It’s terrific.
This comes out of the oven really cheesy and gooey. It sets up after about 15-20 minutes.
Here’s what I did.
Brown ground beef. I usually use a 93% lean beef. I was making a double batch of this recipe so the ingredients in these pictures will show twice as much as usual. Add chopped green pepper and chopped onions. Stir to combine and continue cooking until meat is thoroughly cooked. Drain if necessary. Prepare Homemade Taco Seasoning or use 1 packet taco seasoning. Add water and Homemade Taco Seasoning and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, simmer two minutes.
Add diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add rinsed and drained black beans. I substituted a can of rinsed and drained pinto beans because I didn’t have enough black beans for two batches.
Stir to combine and continue cooking.
Meanwhile, cut some of the taco shells in half. Fit whole and cut tortillas into the bottom of a 9×13″ glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Spread one-third of a can of refried beans over top of the flour tortillas.
Spread a third of the meat mixture over top of the refried beans.
Add a cup of cheese.
Layer more tortillas to cover the surface area.
Repeat layers twice: Spread another third of the refried beans over top of the tortillas.
Add another third of the beef and bean mixture.
Cover with another cup of cheese.
Place another layer of tortillas over top of the cheese.
Spread the last third of the refried beans over top of the tortillas.
Add remaining beef and bean mixture.
Add another cup of cheese.
Spread tortillas over top of cheese.
Add a can of enchilada sauce over top of the tortillas.
Bake about 45-55 minutes at 350 or until casserole is bubbly.
Remove casserole from oven. Top with another cup of cheese. (I used closer to two cups).
Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until cheese melts. Serve.
As you can see it’s pretty gooey just out of the oven.
This picture shows the layers of Taco Lasagna clearly. It sets up after it sits out or is refrigerated and reheated as leftovers.
Taco Lasagna is great for leftovers. It heats up nicely. You can see a little of the layers with this side view. There is a layer of tortillas, refried beans, beef & bean sauce, and cheese. These layers are repeated two more times. Yum.
Here’s the recipe.
TACO LASAGNA
(Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Contest Winning Annual Recipes 2008)
Taco Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 large skillet
- 1 hamburger chopper to cut meat down in small pieces while frying
- 1 spatula
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. 93% to 96% lean ground beef
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 medium to large onion chopped
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 pkt. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies undrained
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 16 oz. bag Mexican cheese blend shredded, or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 12 flour tortillas
- 29 oz. can enchilada sauce
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro if desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Use a hamburger chopper to break meat into small pieces while frying.
- Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and Rotel tomatoes.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Place a layer of tortillas to cover a greased 9x13” glass baking dish.
- You will have to break one of them up in half.
- Spread with 1/3 of the can of refried beans.
- Spread with 1/3 of the beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Reserve 1 cup cheese.
- The top layer should be tortillas.
- Pour can of enchilada sauce over top.
- Bake about 25-30 minutes at 350° or until heated through.
- Add remaining cup of cheese and cook another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Can sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa or hot sauce if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef
- 1 large green pepper, chopped
- 1 medium to large onion, chopped
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 envelope taco seasoning or [url href=”http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2012/09/03/homemade-taco-seasoning/” target=”_blank” title=”homemade taco seasoning”]Homemade Taco Seasoning[/url]
- 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained
- 16-oz. can refried beans
- 16-oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend or sharp cheddar cheese
- Flour tortillas
- 1 19-oz. large can enchilada sauce
- fresh cilantro, if desired
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and Rotel tomatoes.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Place a layer of tortillas to cover a greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- You will have to break one of them up in half.
- Spread with 1/3 of the can of refried beans.
- Spread with 1/3 of the beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Reserve 1 cup cheese.
- The top layer should be tortillas.
- Pour can of enchilada sauce over top.
- Bake about 25-30 minutes at 350° or until heated through.
- Add remaining cup of cheese and cook another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Can sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve with sour cream, pico degayo, [url href=”http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2013/04/28/chunky-homemade-guacamole/” target=”_blank” title=”chunky homemade guacamole”]guacamole[/url],[url href=”http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2013/08/24/chunky-homemade-salsa/” target=”_blank” title=”chunky homemade salsa”] salsa[/url] or [url href=”http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2014/04/17/hot-sauce/” target=”_blank” title=”hot sauce”]hot sauce[/url] if desired.
Taco Lasagna is a recipe your whole family will enjoy–especially if you like Tex-Mex.
Taco Lasagna is made with refried beans and black beans. I also used pinto beans in this recipe. This casserole is not too difficult to make. It’s a lot easier than regular lasagna recipes.
Taco Lasagna is a great entree to make for company, especially if you like a little spice in your life!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Taco Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 large skillet
- 1 hamburger chopper to cut meat down in small pieces while frying
- 1 spatula
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. 93% to 96% lean ground beef
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 medium to large onion chopped
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 pkt. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies undrained
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 16 oz. bag Mexican cheese blend shredded, or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 12 flour tortillas
- 29 oz. can enchilada sauce
- 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro if desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Use a hamburger chopper to break meat into small pieces while frying.
- Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and Rotel tomatoes.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Place a layer of tortillas to cover a greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- You will have to break one of them up in half.
- Spread with 1/3 of the can of refried beans.
- Spread with 1/3 of the beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Reserve 1 cup cheese.
- The top layer should be tortillas.
- Pour can of enchilada sauce over top.
- Bake about 25-30 minutes at 350° or until heated through.
- Add remaining cup of cheese and cook another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Can sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa or hot sauce if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Taco Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. 93% to 96% lean ground beef
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 medium to large onion chopped
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 pkt. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies undrained
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 16 oz. bag mexican cheese blend shredded, or sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- flour tortillas
- 29 oz. can enchilada sauce
- fresh cilantro if desired
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the black beans and Rotel tomatoes.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Place a layer of tortillas to cover a greased 9x13” glass baking dish.
- You will have to break one of them up in half.
- Spread with 1/3 of the can of refried beans.
- Spread with 1/3 of the beef mixture; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Reserve 1 cup cheese.
- The top layer should be tortillas.
- Pour can of enchilada sauce over top.
- Bake about 25-30 minutes at 350° or until heated through.
- Add remaining cup of cheese and cook another 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Can sprinkle with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve with sour cream, pico degayo, guacamole, salsa or hot sauce if desired.