Description
This Best Mexican Lasagna recipe combines hearty ground beef with authentic Mexican spices, creamy cheese layers, and a flavorful enchilada-style sauce for a delicious twist on classic lasagna. Featuring layers of soaked noodles, meat filling with beans and corn, and a creamy cheese mixture, this dish is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or make-ahead meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (NOT cayenne pepper)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (4 oz) can mild chopped green chiles
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- A pinch of cinnamon
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn (no need to thaw)
- 1 (6 oz) can chopped black olives, drained
- 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Layers
- 15 regular lasagna noodles (NOT no-boil)
- 2 cups freshly grated Monterrey Jack cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Creamy Filling
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup mild salsa verde
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Soak Noodles: Place lasagna noodles in the bottom of a long pan and pour hot tap water over them until submerged. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, agitating occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9x13-inch pan. Whisk together flour and all seasonings (chili powder through cayenne) in a bowl; set aside.
- Cook Beef: Brown ground beef and chopped onions in a Dutch oven or large skillet until almost cooked through. Sprinkle the flour and seasoning mixture over the meat and cook for two minutes while stirring. Lower heat to low, stir in tomato paste and minced garlic, and cook for one minute.
- Prepare Filling: Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes with juices, green chiles, cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens. Then add beans, corn, olives, and apple cider vinegar. Remove from heat.
- Make Creamy Filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream (or Greek yogurt), softened cream cheese, salsa verde, and salt until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheeses.
- Assemble Lasagna: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer 4 lasagna noodles lengthwise plus part of a 5th noodle to cover. Spread 3/4 cup creamy filling evenly over the noodles followed by 1 cup combined cheese. Repeat two more times with 2 cups meat sauce, 4+ noodles, 3/4 cup creamy filling, and 1 cup cheese for a total of three layers. Finish with remaining meat sauce and cheese on top.
- Bake: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Optionally garnish with fresh tomatoes, olives, avocados, cilantro, and sour cream.
Notes
- This Mexican Lasagna is not spicy despite the cayenne pepper; it's flavorful and suitable for children.
- Use American chili powder, which is a blend including cumin and garlic powder; other countries' chili powders may be pure cayenne and too hot.
- You can substitute corn tortillas for noodles if desired, using regular grocery store tortillas.
- Customize vegetable add-ins such as zucchini, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, or jalapenos by adjusting meat quantity accordingly.
- Black beans can replace pinto beans but add earlier to soften and simmer longer.
- Ground turkey, chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken can be used instead of ground beef.
- Measure all seasonings before cooking to add with the flour all at once for convenience.
- Don’t skip the cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon as they enhance the sauce's flavor.
- Simmer longer for thicker sauce or add broth/water to thin the sauce as needed.
- Top with your favorite garnishes like cilantro, jalapenos, avocado, tomatoes, black olives, and sour cream.
- This dish makes an excellent make-ahead meal; sauce, creamy filling, or the entire lasagna can be prepared in advance.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven covered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or microwave individual portions for 90 seconds plus increments until hot.
- Freeze uncooked assembled lasagna wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months; thaw in refrigerator for 48 hours before baking with added bake time.
- Freeze cooked leftovers similarly; cool completely before freezing and reheat with added bake time.
- Freeze individual servings after baking for convenient reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
