Taco Lasagna

Taco lasagna is the creamiest, cheesiest Mexican-Italian mash-up you’ve ever tasted! If you’re looking for something new on taco Tuesday, this comforting dish is simpler than it seems and the perfect family meal everyone will love.

I don’t make lasagna often. In fact, the last time I did was a year ago for my older neighbors while one of them was sick. It’s typically a labor of love and an involved process. I remember Christmas lasagna dinners taking half a day to make in my grandparents’ kitchen. No one has time for that in the middle of the week.

This taco lasagna is different though. It’s a fun blend of two of the most popular food cultures and it significantly reduces the effort of making lasagna from scratch to something manageable for an everyday meal.

If you love taco night just as much as a carb-filled Italian dinner, this meal is for you. By no means is it authentic to either cuisine but it’s delicious in its own way.

Layering this Mexican lasagna with pasta sheets while flavoring the browned ground beef with taco seasoning, enchilada sauce and salsa creates the perfect marriage between these two favorite dishes.

The addition of black beans in the meat sauce adds bulk and more Mexican vibes in this dish, while the ricotta cheese does an excellent job of holding the layers together and giving you that creamy, Italian comfort food feeling that comes with a traditional lasagna.

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If you love the idea of adding a creative twist to classic Italian lasagna, be sure to also try this simple summer lasagna recipe and these more indulgent, yet healthy butternut squash lasagna roll ups.

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Ingredients You’ll Need For Taco Lasagna

• Olive oil – For browning the ground beef.
• Ground beef – Regular ground beef or lean ground beef if you prefer to reduce the fat content in this dish.
• Seasoning – I’ve used sea salt, ground black pepper and taco seasoning to flavor the ground beef.
• Small onion – Minced for adding flavor to the beef.
• Minced garlic – You can use garlic cloves or store bought minced garlic.
• Can of enchilada sauce and salsa – Use your favorite brand.
• Black beans – Drained and rinsed.
• Lasagna sheets – These should be uncooked for this recipe. One of the best features of this recipe is not having to deal with par-cooking lasagna sheets! Use gluten-free lasagna sheets to easily make this meal gluten-free friendly.
• Ricotta cheese – Ricotta cheese is a great alternative to the traditional white cheese sauce (béchamel) used in some classic Italian lasagna recipes. It’s lighter in texture which helps to offset the richness from the meat sauce and melted cheese topping.
• Egg – Great as a binding agent to prevent the ricotta cheese from becoming runny.
• Shredded cheddar cheese – Always use freshly shredded cheese for the best flavor. It will also melt better compared to pre-shredded cheese. Using cheddar instead of traditional mozzarella gives the lasagna a Mexican twist.

How To Make It

The full recipe can be found below but here’s an overview with some process pictures as I know that’s helpful when making a dish that requires multiple steps.

Start by preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Heat a large pot or skillet with oil over medium heat. Season the ground beef with salt and pepper and then brown the beef for 3 minutes. Drain the excess grease before moving.

Add the minced onion, garlic and taco seasoning to the browned beef mixture. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes, then turn the heat off.

Add enchilada sauce, salsa and black beans into the ground beef and stir to combine. Remove the pot from the stove.

Start to assemble the taco lasagna by first laying ¼ cup of the meat sauce at the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Next, combine the ricotta cheese and egg in a bowl.

Add the first layer of this taco lasagna by placing 4 lasagna sheets down on top of the meat sauce, followed by ⅓ of the ricotta cheese mixture, and ⅓ of the meat sauce.

Repeat this order of ingredients for the second layer.

Add the third and last layer by laying down 4 lasagna sheets, the remaining ricotta cheese mixture, and the remainder of the meat sauce.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake the taco lasagna for another 10 minutes at 400°F.

Open the oven and allow the baked taco lasagna to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. See why this step is important below.

Cut the lasagna into 6-8 equal pieces. Garnish with herbs and serve.

Variations

• Meat: Ground sausage or ground pork are great alternatives to ground beef. For a lean version of this taco lasagna, consider using lean ground beef or even ground chicken or turkey.
• Lasagna sheets: Use flour tortillas (either taco size tortillas or burrito-sized tortillas) instead of the lasagna pasta sheets for an alternative way to make Mexican lasagna. Personally, I think it’s then a stacked enchilada recipe more so than lasagna, but you can take that approach if you want. You may need to tear the round tortillas in order to fit them neatly as you layer and build the lasagna in a rectangular baking dish.
• Shredded cheese: I’ve used cheddar cheese in this recipe, but you can also use a Mexican shredded cheese blend or Pepper Jack. Anything that melts well is a great option. 
• Beans: Pinto beans could be used instead of black beans. You could experiment with refried beans, although this could make the meat sauce overly thick. 
• Ricotta cheese layer: Classic white cheese sauce can be used instead of the ricotta cheese mixture. You could also use cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese, if you prefer. Whipping cottage cheese in a blender or food processor will give it a smoother texture perfect for lasagna layering.

Storage

Once completely cool, store any leftover taco lasagna in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1 month. This recipe stores really well and makes it a great freezer meal option to plan ahead with.

Reheat your leftovers in the microwave for smaller portions or in the oven, covered with foil, until heated through.

More Mexican-Inspired Recipes To Try

This easy Mexican ground beef skillet calls for similar ingredients to this taco lasagna, consisting of ground beef, taco seasoning, beans, melted cheese, and a few other delicious additions! It can be enjoyed with your favorite side dishes or used as a filling in burritos or to stuff vegetables, like these Mexican stuffed onions.

If you’re in the mood for something warm and comforting, give this Mexican vegetable soup a try. It’s a nutritious vegetarian meal that includes quinoa for a healthy boost of protein that will keep you satisfied for longer.

End the meal with this decadent Mexican hot chocolate! It’s rich and creamy with a slightly spicy kick to keep you warm while satisfying those chocolate cravings.