Say hello to the Mexican Lasagna. Layers of tortilla, seasoned ground beef, black beans, spicy diced tomatoes, and cheese. This Mexican Lasagna recipe will become a family favorite!
Optional: 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, scallions, or queso fresco
Optional: Sour cream or guacamole for serving.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 casserole pan with non-stick spray (or use a similar size baking dish).
In a large skillet, saute the minced garlic in the olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, and stir fry over high heat until the meat is mostly cooked and has released some liquid, about 3 minutes.
Drain the liquid released from the meat. Add the chili powder, salt, cumin, and onion powder. Add the drained black beans. Continue to cook until the meat is browned and fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
Assemble the casserole: Spread about ½ of a can of diced tomatoes with jalapeños on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place 3-4 tortillas on top of the tomatoes. I used two whole tortillas and cut one in half to cover the whole casserole dish.
Spread about half of the meat mixture over the tortillas. Spread the rest of the first can of tomatoes over the meat. Sprinkle with about 1 cup of shredded cheese.
Layer the rest of the lasagna: Add a layer of tortillas, the rest of the meat mixture, ½ can of tomatoes, 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with a layer of tortillas, the rest of the tomatoes, and 1 cup shredded cheese.
Place the lasagna in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn up the heat to 425 and bake for 5 more minutes. (no need to wait for it to preheat again, just turn the heat up and set a new timer!)
Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting and handling the hot dish. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, chopped scallions, or crumbled queso fresco or goat cheese to serve.
Notes
The number of tortillas you need will depend on the size/shape of your casserole dish and how much you decide to overlap the tortillas. I find that the casserole tastes even better with several overlapping tortillas.
Check if your chili powder has salt in it, and start with ½ teaspoon salt. Once the ground beef is fully cooked, give it a taste and see if you need more salt.