Taco night, but make it a casserole
If your family does taco Tuesday on repeat, this Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas is the version that gets you out of the kitchen earlier and onto the couch faster. Same flavors, half the assembly, twice the leftovers.
I’ve been making this on permanent rotation in our house for years. It’s the dish I default to when I want Mexican night without rolling individual tortillas, building a salsa bar, or babysitting a pan of meat.
It’s also the casserole I keep in my back pocket for when a friend has a new baby or someone in our circle is going through it. Double batch, freeze one for us, drop the second one off with reheating instructions taped to the foil.
What makes the difference?
- Corn tortillas instead of flour (they hold their shape under the sauce)
- Seasoned ground beef instead of taco-seasoning-from-a-packet
- A generous amount of melty cheddar between every layer
- About an hour from start to finish, served alongside Mexican Rice or a quick green salad.
No browning then transferring then layering. No rolling individual tortillas. No 14-step assembly. Just sauté, simmer, layer, and bake.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Ground Beef: Lean 85/15 or 90/10 is the sweet spot, enough fat for flavor without making the casserole greasy. Ground turkey works as a lighter swap with no other adjustments.
- Corn Tortillas: Soft corn tortillas are what you want here. They soak up the sauce without going gummy and hold their shape between layers. White or yellow both work. (See the Corn vs. Flour Tortillas section below if you only have flour on hand.)
- Taco Seasoning: Store-bought is fine, but a quick homemade mix (cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, a pinch of cayenne) is sharper and lets you control the salt.
- Crushed Tomatoes, Black Beans, Corn: Three pantry staples doing the heavy lifting. Drain and rinse the beans and corn so the casserole isn’t watery.
- Veggies: Bell pepper, jalapeño, sweet onion, and garlic, sautéed together for the flavor base. Skip the jalapeño or remove the seeds for a milder version.
- Cheddar Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar is the move. Pepper jack or Monterey Jack also work if you want more heat or a milder melt.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Sauté the veggies.
Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion. Cook 5-7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Brown the beef.
Push the veggies to one side of the skillet and add the ground beef. Crumble with a potato masher and cook 7-8 minutes until no longer pink. (No need to dirty a separate pan.)
Build the sauce.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and taco seasoning. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low, and let simmer 10 minutes to thicken slightly and let the seasoning bloom.
Layer the lasagna.
Spray a 9×13 baking dish. Spread ⅓ of the meat mixture across the bottom. Layer 6 corn tortillas, another ⅓ of the meat, ½ can corn, ½ can black beans, and 1 cup shredded cheddar. Repeat one more time with remaining tortillas, meat, corn, beans, and cheese.
Bake and serve.
Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Top with chopped cilantro before serving.
Make-Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Make-ahead: Assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, add about 5-10 extra minutes since it’s starting cold.
Storing leftovers: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Slices reheat well, the next-day version is arguably better.
Freezing (unbaked): Assemble in a disposable foil pan, cover tightly with two layers of foil, label with the date and “Bake at 350°F for 60-75 minutes covered, then 5 uncovered.” Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen at 350°F (60-75 min covered + 5 uncovered).
Freezing (baked leftovers): Wrap individual portions in foil, freeze up to 2 months, reheat at 350°F for 25 minutes from frozen or 15 minutes thawed.
FAQs
Same dish, different names. Some recipes use “Mexican lasagna” for the version with crushed tomatoes and beans (more lasagna-like), and “taco lasagna” when it leans more taco-seasoned. This recipe is both.
Yes, though corn is sturdier and holds its shape better under the sauce. Flour tortillas will give you a softer, more enchilada-like texture. See “Corn vs. Flour Tortillas” above for the full breakdown.
Yes. Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Add 5-10 extra minutes to the bake time since it’s going in cold.
Absolutely, it’s one of the best freezer casseroles on rotation. Assemble in a disposable foil pan, wrap tightly with two layers of foil, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or bake from frozen at 350°F for 60-75 minutes covered.
Yes. Swap the ground beef for an extra can of black beans plus a can of pinto beans, or use a plant-based ground meat substitute. The taco seasoning carries the flavor either way.
A green salad, Mexican Rice, Refried Black Beans, or a quick Pico de Gallo all pair naturally. For a margarita pitcher and full menu, see the What to Serve section above.
Why This Recipe Travels Well: Meal Trains, Potlucks, and Make-Aheads
Some casseroles fall apart between your kitchen and someone else’s table. This one doesn’t, which is why it’s the dish I bring to friends with new babies, the potluck I get asked to repeat, and the freezer meal I keep on standby for nights nobody planned to cook.
For the meal-train drop-off: Bake the casserole, let it cool 20 minutes (cuts cleanly when warm but not piping hot), cover tightly with foil, and tape the reheating instructions to the top. Most recipients can bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes from cold to reheat. Bring a small container of chopped cilantro and a side of sour cream alongside.
For the potluck: Make it the day before, refrigerate covered, and reheat at the host’s oven for 25-30 minutes at 350°F. The flavors actually deepen overnight.
For the freezer: Assemble the lasagna in a disposable foil pan (so you can hand it off later if needed), cover tightly with two layers of foil, label with the date and reheating instructions, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking, or bake from frozen at 350°F for 60-75 minutes covered.
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Taco Lasagna with Corn Tortillas
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 bell pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and finely diced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef 85/15 or 90/10
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn drained
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- chopped cilantro optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil, bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and continuing cooking for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.1 tablespoon avocado oil, 1 bell pepper, 1 jalapeño pepper, 1 medium onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet and add the ground beef to the other side. Continue cooking, crumbling the meat with a potato masher to break it up, for 7-8 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.1 ½ pounds ground beef
- Pour in crushed tomatoes and taco seasoning and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stir, and let simmer for an additional 5 minutes.1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Begin layering with ⅓ of the meat mixture, then add 6 tortillas on top. From there, add another ⅓ of the meat mixture, ½ can of corn, ½ can of beans, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, meat, corn, beans and cheese.12 corn tortillas, 1 (15.25-ounce) can corn, 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and continue baking for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Serve with cilantro, if desired.chopped cilantro
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Notes
- Use sturdy corn tortillas. Soft corn tortillas work best since they soak up flavors without getting too soggy. Avoid flour tortillas, as they can become gummy when baked.
- Spice: Add extra jalapeños, or sub in a spicier pepper.
- Make it ahead. Assemble the lasagna up to 24 hours in advance, cover it tightly, and refrigerate. Bake as directed, adding 5 extra minutes if baking straight from the fridge.
- Freezing instructions. Wrap the unbaked lasagna tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to Serve with Mexican Taco Lasagna
The lasagna is filling on its own, but if you want to build the full Mexican-night plate, here’s the playbook.
Sides: Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, or Refried Black Beans all pair naturally. A simple green salad with lime vinaigrette balances the cheese-and-beef richness.
Toppings: Set out a bowl of Pico de Gallo, sour cream, sliced avocado or guacamole, and chopped cilantro. Let everyone build their own plate.
Drinks: A pitcher of margaritas, a Mexican 75, or just a cold beer with a lime wedge. Bonus points for sangria.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
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