Video: How to Make Mexican Lasagna
What is Mexican Lasagna?
It’s called a Mexican “lasagna” because it’s layered like its distant Italian cousin (very distant). Only in true southwestern style, we are using corn tortillas in place of lasagna noodles, salsa instead of sauce, beans in place of béchamel, and mild cheddar and jack instead of ricotta and Parmesan.
Make-Ahead Casserole for a Crowd
As you can imagine, it is a filling dish, perfect for potlucks and large gatherings of hungry people. You can assemble it ahead of time, refrigerate, and bake it before serving, or you can bake, cool, and warm it back up in the oven (covered with foil). Serve with with guacamole and sour cream.
Storing and Freezing Mexican Lasagna
Mexican lasagna makes great leftovers, too! You can even serve it with eggs for breakfast. The casserole with keep in the fridge for about 5 days. Like traditional lasagna, this casserole also freezes well. Cool the baked casserole, wrap either the whole casserole or individual servings in plastic and foil, then freeze for up to three months. (If you plan on freezing the whole casserole, line the pan with foil or parchment before baking, freeze solid, and then use the foil or parchment to lift the casserole out of the pan and freeze it separately; this frees up your casserole dish!)
More Crowd-Pleasing Casseroles to Try
Tamale Pie Pastelón (Puerto Rican Plantain “Lasagna”) Chile Relleno Casserole Chorizo Mac and Cheese Quesadilla Pie
Sour cream
Avocado
Cilantro
Iceberg lettuce
Sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle on the chile powder, cayenne, cumin, and coriander. Increase the heat to high. Add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Do not stir the meat unnecessarily. Allow the meat to brown on one side, and then stir it so the other side can be browned. As soon as the meat is browned, remove the pan from the burner. The meat will continue to cook in the heat of the pan. Once you are sure that the meat is cooked through, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan to a bowl. Set aside. Add the onions and chopped bell peppers. Cook until onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for an additional 1 minute. Add the diced tomatoes, green chiles and oregano. Bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the tortillas. Cook the tortillas one at a time, for 5 seconds on each side, so that they soften, but don’t get crisp. Remove the tortillas with a metal spatula or tongs and place on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. (If you don’t have time to pre-soften the tortillas, coat the bottom of the pan with some olive oil and spread a little sauce over the bottom before adding the tortillas.) Spread half of bean mixture evenly over tortillas in dish and top with half of meat mixture. Sprinkle one third cheese over the meat and spread half of the sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering of tortillas, beans, meat, cheese, and sauce and top with remaining 4 tortillas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over tortillas. Serve with sour cream, chopped avocado, chopped cilantro, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce on which has been sprinkled vinegar and salt.
