Mexican Lasagna
Mexican Lasagna is the weeknight dinner mashup you didn’t know you needed. Flour tortillas stand in for noodles, layered with seasoned ground beef, black beans, refried beans, Rotel, enchilada sauce, and plenty of melted Colby jack cheese. It’s bold, hearty, and feeds a crowd without much fuss. The whole family will be going back for seconds, and the leftovers the next day are just as good.
Before You Get Started
Drain the Rotel and rinse the black beans well before adding them to the skillet. Extra liquid will make the casserole watery and harder to slice cleanly. When arranging the tortillas, take a second to make sure the layers are covering the pan edge to edge as best you can. That structure is what holds everything together when you cut into it. And don’t skip the broil at the end. Those 2 to 3 minutes are what take the cheese from melted to golden and bubbly, which makes a big difference in the final result.
What You Need To Make Mexican Lasagna
All exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll be working with:
- Lean ground beef and diced onion for a savory, flavorful meat base
- Taco seasoning to bring all the bold Mexican-inspired flavor
- Enchilada sauce to tie the whole filling together
- Rotel, black beans, and refried beans for a hearty, layered filling
- Large burrito-size flour tortillas in place of noodles
- Shredded Colby jack cheese, layered throughout and melted on top
- Sliced green onions to garnish and finish
You’ll also need a cutting board, a large knife, a large skillet, a silicone spatula, a 9×13 inch casserole dish, and aluminum foil.
How To Make Mexican Lasagna
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and diced onion, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.
Stir in the taco seasoning, Rotel, black beans, refried beans, and enchilada sauce. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until everything is warmed through and combined.
Spoon a thin layer of the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish and spread it to the edges.
Cut the tortillas in half. Then cut two of those halves in half again to create smaller quarter pieces for filling in the gaps at the ends of the pan.
Arrange two tortilla halves in the dish with the rounded edges facing the center. Fill in the gap at the top and bottom of the pan with the smaller quarter pieces.
Top with one third of the meat mixture, then sprinkle with one third of the cheese. Repeat for a second layer the same way.
For the third layer, use 4 tortilla halves since the casserole dish widens slightly toward the top. Top with the remaining meat mixture and the rest of the cheese.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Remove from the oven, top with sliced green onions, and let stand for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.
💡 Tip: Run a knife along the edges of the casserole dish before cutting to get cleaner slices. Letting it rest those 5 minutes makes a bigger difference than you’d think.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?
Yes! Corn tortillas give it a more traditional enchilada flavor and hold up well in the oven. They’re a little smaller, so you may need a few extra to cover each layer properly.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely. Assemble the whole casserole, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before baking. Add 10 to 15 extra minutes to the covered bake time if it’s going in cold.
Can I use a different protein?
Of course. Ground turkey, shredded rotisserie chicken, or even just extra beans for a meatless version all work great here. Keep the seasoning the same and it’ll taste just as good.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes. A Mexican blend, Monterey jack, or cheddar all melt beautifully and fit the flavor profile perfectly. Use whatever your family likes best.
How do I keep it from getting watery?
Drain the Rotel and rinse the black beans thoroughly before adding them to the skillet. That’s the main culprit. Letting the filling cook for a few minutes in the skillet also helps cook off any excess moisture before it goes into the casserole dish.
Mexican Lasagna
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Large knife
- Large skillet
- Silicone spatula
- 9×13 inch casserole dish
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 oz packet taco seasoning
- 2 – 10 oz cans enchilada sauce
- 6 large burrito size flour tortillas
- 10 oz can Rotel drained
- 15.25 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 16 oz can refried beans
- 16 oz colby jack cheese shredded
- 2 Green onions to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook the ground beef with diced onion in a large skillet, breaking it up as it cooks, until no longer pink.
- Add the taco seasoning, rotel, black beans, refried beans and enchilada sauce, cook over medium heat for a few minutes until warm.
- Pour a small amount of the mixture in the bottom of a 9×13 inch casserole dish and spread to the edges.
- Cut the tortillas in half, then cut two of the halves in half again..
- Arrange two tortilla halves in the bottom of the pan, rounded edge towards the center. At the top and bottom of the pan, fill in the gap with a quarter size tortilla.
- Top with one third of the meat and sauce mixture, then sprinkle one third of the cheese mixture.
- Repeat steps 6 and 7 again for a second layer.
- For the third layer, you will use 4 tortilla halves as the casserole dish gets a tad wider towards the top. Then top with the remaining meat and sauce mixture and sprinkle the rest of the cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for a few minutes until the cheese is bubbly.
- Remove from the oven, top with sliced green onions and allow to stand a few minutes before cutting and serving.