Mexican Lasagna
Mexican Lasagna is awesome. The beef mixture includes refried beans, diced green chilies and taco seasoning and is layered between noodles cheese. Then a salsa mixture is poured over top before baking. And get this, NEWS FLASH: You don’t have to pre-cook the noodles!
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After the casserole is baked the topping is added: sour cream, cheese, green onions, olives and tomatoes, if desired. The taste is utterly amazing. While lasagnas are a little more work than some casseroles, this one is one of the best.
We entertain a lot and I love trying out new recipes on people. I remember we had a houseful of company one evening when I served this and everyone raved over it. In fact, every time I’ve made this recipe it’s been for company! It’s a great recipe to make, especially if you enjoy different types of lasagna and appreciate a Tex-Mex version instead. Not having to pre-cook the lasagna noodles sure is an advantage and definitely saves time.
I made this again yesterday, so I’m going to include updated pictures of how I did this. The recipe is inspired from Taste of Home’s Ground Beef cookbook. This casserole is fantastic and very worthy of being added to your lasagna or Tex-Mex collections.
When I originally posted this recipe in June 2012, I was in the first couple of weeks of food blogging. I updated the pictures again in August 2012, and they were really of poor quality. I was using a cheap iPhone 3 camera at the time, and I didn’t hold the camera very steady, causing blurry pictures. On top of that, I knew next to nothing about food presentation or food photography so the lasagna didn’t show to the best advantage.
I recently remade this fabulous casserole for company again (January 2015), and served it along with Butternut Squash Bake, Corn and Green Bean Casserole and Raspberry Almond Bars along with another dessert. Our guests brought salad, Guacamole and homemade salsa. We had plenty of food and they kept packing it in! 🙂 Even one of the kids said this was the best lasagna he’d ever eaten.
This is a great lasagna but let me provide a few tips before making this so you can have a good outcome. 1) It is crucial that you spread about a cup of the meat sauce on the bottom of a well greased baking dish before layering the noodles. Otherwise the noodles will stick to the bottom of the pan and you will have to use a chisel to get them out! 🙂
2) You can’t add extra layers and noodles to this recipe, because the salsa/water mixture that’s poured over the top is only enough juice to cook about three layers of noodles. I recommend removing the cup (or more) of beef for the bottom layer, then dividing the remaining meat into three portions for each remaining layer. (Don’t just dab the meat on like you see in my pictures).
3) Cover the casserole while baking so the noodles don’t dry out.
4) The casserole should ideally sit out for 10 minutes before cutting into it.
5) If you prefer, you can mix the salsa with enchilada sauce instead of water like I did for this recipe. It will provide even zestier taste. Serve with Guacamole, Hot Sauce, Pico de Gallo, sour cream and tortilla chips and you have a main dish meal to rave over.
Mexican Lasagna is one of the best Tex-Mex style casseroles we’ve ever eaten.
Mexican Lasagna is filled with a Tex-Mex style beef sauce, then it’s layered with sour cream, cheese, olives, tomatoes and green onions for incredibly wonderful taste.
We love this hearty beef entree. The flavors just work so well together.
We served Mexican Lasagna with Homemade Salsa, Guacamole, sour cream and extra cheese.
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
Brown 2 pounds of lean ground beef or sirloin in skillet. Drain off any grease. Add diced chilies, refried beans, taco seasoning, and 2 heaping tablespoonfuls of salsa and stir together.
Stir together and set aside.
Spray a 9×13″ glass baking dish heavily with cooking spray.
Spread at least one cup of beef mixture on bottom of the baking dish to prevent the noodles from sticking.
Place 4 lasagna noodles over top. Spread one-third of the meat mixture over top of the noodles. Sprinkle with 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, Colby Jack or Monterey Jack cheese.
I just dabbed the meat on this layer and ended up using tons of meat on the last couple of layers.
Repeat layer of noodles, meat and cheese.
Repeat layers again.
Here is the fourth layer. Notice how much more beef is on this layer than the first layer! 🙂
Mix remaining salsa with 2 cups water (or use enchilada sauce for zestier flavor). Stir to combine.
Pour salsa mixture over top of casserole.
The salsa and extra water/sauce is added so the noodles will have enough moisture and juice to cook while baking the recipe but without precooking.
Cover casserole tightly with foil and bake in 350 oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (Mine took almost 2 hours to be finished because I was cooking several casseroles at once).
Once the noodles are tender, spread sour cream over top.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Now add sliced ripe olives, green onions and diced tomatoes.
Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Set out about 10 minutes before cutting.
Mexican Lasagna is heavenly if you enjoy a Tex-Mex twist in your food.
Dig in. Oh, this is so good!
Mexican Lasagna is great served with Guacamole and Pico de Gallo.
Every bite is absolutely mouthwatering.
Here’s the recipe.
MEXICAN LASAGNA
(Recipe inspired from Taste of Home’s Ground Beef Cookbook)
Mexican Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 deep dish 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 large skillet
- 1 hamburger chopper to cut meat down in small pieces while frying
- 1 spatula
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 93% or 96% lean ground beef
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 4 oz. can green chilies chopped
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 16 oz. bag Colby Jack cheese shredded, divided use
- 16 oz. box uncooked lasagna noodles
- 24 oz. jar mild or medium chunky salsa divided use (or your favorite salsa)
- 2 cups water see note below
- 16 oz. ctn. sour cream
- 2.25 oz. can ripe olives sliced, drained, for garnish
- 3 green onions chopped, for garnish
- 3 small roma tomatoes chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
- Use a hamburger chopper to break meat down in small pieces while frying.
- Add the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and 2 heaping tablespoonfuls salsa; mix well.
- Heat through over medium heat about 5 minutes.
- In a well greased deep dish 9x13” baking dish, spread at least a cup of the meat mixture on the bottom to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Layer a row of four uncooked noodles and spread with one-third of the remaining beef mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Combine remaining salsa and water in a small bowl; pour over top.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and a half, or until noodles test fork tender.
- Uncover; top with sour cream, then cheese, then olives, then onions, and finally tomatoes.
- Bake 5-15 minutes longer—until cheese melts.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Recipe inspired from Taste of Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- 2 lbs. 93% lean ground beef
- 16-oz. can refried beans
- 4-oz. can chopped green chilies
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 2 8-oz. bags shredded Colby-Jack cheese, divided
- 16-oz. uncooked lasagna noodles
- 24-oz. jar [url href=”http://www.pacefoods.com/?pd=yes” target=”_blank” title=”pace chunky salsa”]Pace[/url] mild or medium chunky salsa, divided use
- 2 cups water (see note below)
- 16-oz. sour cream
- 2 ¼-oz. can sliced ripe olives, drained
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 3 small roma tomatoes, chopped
- In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
- Add the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and 2 heaping tablespoonfuls salsa; mix well.
- Heat through over medium heat about 5 minutes.
- In a well greased 9×13” baking dish, spread at least a cup of the meat mixture on the bottom to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Layer a row of four noodles and spread with one-third of the remaining beef mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Combine remaining salsa and water; pour over top.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and a half, or until noodles test fork tender.
- Uncover; top with sour cream, then cheese, then olives, then onions, and finally tomatoes.
- Bake 5-15 minutes longer—until cheese melts.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Every bite of Mexican Lasagna is amazing. I love the flavors of salsa, Pico de Gallo, Taco Seasoning and refried beans which give this casserole a superb flavor.
Mexican Lasagna is a great company casserole. Our guests sure loved it.
Prepare to drool!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Mexican Chicken, Beans and Rice Skillet
Mexican Lasagna
Equipment
- 1 deep dish 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 large skillet
- 1 hamburger chopper to cut meat down in small pieces while frying
- 1 spatula
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 sharp knife to cut vegetables
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 93% or 96% lean ground beef
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 4 oz. can green chilies chopped
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 16 oz. bag Colby Jack cheese shredded, divided use
- 16 oz. box uncooked lasagna noodles
- 24 oz. jar mild or medium chunky salsa divided use (or your favorite salsa)
- 2 cups water see note below
- 16 oz. ctn. sour cream
- 2.25 oz. can ripe olives sliced, drained, for garnish
- 3 green onions chopped, for garnish
- 3 small roma tomatoes chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
- Use a hamburger chopper to break meat down in small pieces while frying.
- Add the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and 2 heaping tablespoonfuls salsa; mix well.
- Heat through over medium heat about 5 minutes.
- In a well greased deep dish 9×13” baking dish, spread at least a cup of the meat mixture on the bottom to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Layer a row of four uncooked noodles and spread with one-third of the remaining beef mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Combine remaining salsa and water in a small bowl; pour over top.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and a half, or until noodles test fork tender.
- Uncover; top with sour cream, then cheese, then olives, then onions, and finally tomatoes.
- Bake 5-15 minutes longer—until cheese melts.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Recipe inspired from Taste of Home.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. 93% or 96% lean ground beef
- 16 oz. can refried beans
- 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning or Homemade Taco Seasoning
- 2 8-oz. bags Colby Jack cheese shredded, divided use
- 16 oz. box uncooked lasagna noodles
- 24 oz. jar Pace mild or medium chunky salsa divided use (or your favorite salsa)
- 2 cups water see note below
- 16 oz. ctn. sour cream
- 2.25 oz. can ripe olives sliced, drained, for garnish
- 3 green onions chopped, for garnish
- 3 small roma tomatoes chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.
- Add the beans, chilies, taco seasoning and 2 heaping tablespoonfuls salsa; mix well.
- Heat through over medium heat about 5 minutes.
- In a well greased 9x13” baking dish, spread at least a cup of the meat mixture on the bottom to prevent noodles from sticking.
- Layer a row of four noodles and spread with one-third of the remaining beef mixture.
- Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese.
- Repeat layers twice.
- Combine remaining salsa and water; pour over top.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour and a half, or until noodles test fork tender.
- Uncover; top with sour cream, then cheese, then olives, then onions, and finally tomatoes.
- Bake 5-15 minutes longer—until cheese melts.
- Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting.