My 71-year-old Grandma, Viola, always said the best meals are the ones that bring everyone to the table. But what happens when half the family wants tacos and the other half wants Italian? Well, this Taco Lasagna is the delicious answer! It's the ultimate comfort food mashup, a Mexican lasagna with layers of seasoned beef, cheese, and tortillas, that's a total crowd-pleaser.
It's the best of both worlds! Taco Lasagna is the perfect crowd-pleasing casserole made with tortillas, taco meat, salsa, and cheese! I first made this taco lasagna easy version after Adam asked if we could have "taco night but different." Now taco lasagna is one of my family's favorite dinners, and it's become our go-to for potlucks and busy weeknights alike.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Taco Lasagna
- Ingredients for Taco Lasagna
- How to Make Taco Lasagna
- My Top Tips for This Recipe
- Making Taco Lasagna with My Family
- Substitutions for Taco Lasagna
- Variations on Taco Lasagna
- Equipment for Taco Lasagna
- Storage Tips for Taco Lasagna
- Adam's Tip for Taco Lasagna
- FAQ about Taco Lasagna
- Conclusion
- Related
- Pairing
- recipe
Why You'll Love This Taco Lasagna
- Ultimate comfort food mashup: This crowd-pleasing Mexican-inspired casserole combines two beloved dishes into one satisfying meal that everyone requests.
- Easy to make: The taco lasagna recipe layers flour tortillas with seasoned ground beef, making it simpler than traditional lasagna since there's no boiling pasta required.
- Perfect for feeding a crowd: This weeknight Tex-Mex dinner bake serves 8 to 10 people and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for potlucks or meal prep.
Ingredients for Taco Lasagna
This taco lasagna recipe with layers of corn tortilla, salsa, seasoned ground beef uses simple ingredients you probably already have. The combination of sharp cheddar and pepper Jack cheese blend creates the perfect melty, flavorful topping. You can make this as a taco lasagna with tortillas recipe or even try taco lasagna with noodles for a fun twist.
What You'll Need
For the Taco Meat:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa
- ½ cup water
For the Layers:
- 12 to 15 flour tortillas (8-inch size)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles (optional)
For Serving:
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sliced jalapeños
- Fresh cilantro
- Additional sour cream
- Sliced black olives
Why These Ingredients Matter
- Flour tortillas as lasagna layers: These replace traditional pasta noodles and create soft, flavorful layers that soak up all the delicious taco flavors.
- Taco-spiced beef and black bean sauce: The combination of seasoned meat and beans creates a hearty, protein-packed filling that's better than any restaurant version.
- Sharp cheddar and pepper Jack cheese blend: This combination gives you both sharp flavor and a little kick of heat that makes every bite exciting.
How to Make Taco Lasagna
Step-by-Step Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onions & peppers sautéed together for 8 to 10 minutes until the beef is browned and vegetables are softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, black beans, salsa, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Layer 4 to 5 tortillas over the meat, overlapping them to cover the bottom completely.
- Spread about one third of the remaining meat mixture over the tortillas.
- Dollop one third of the sour cream over the meat and spread gently.
- Sprinkle about 1 cup of the cheese blend over the sour cream.
- Repeat the layers two more times: tortillas, meat, sour cream, cheese.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with customizable taco toppings (jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, cilantro).
Hint: For taco lasagna with ricotta cheese, mix 1 cup of ricotta cheese with the sour cream for an even creamier texture that's more like traditional lasagna.
My Top Tips for This Recipe
Let the lasagna rest for at least 10 minutes after baking before cutting into it. This allows the layers to set and makes serving much easier. If you cut into it too soon, the layers will slide apart and you'll end up with a messy plate instead of neat slices. This patience pays off with beautiful, Instagram-worthy servings. Just like with our crispy beef and cheese chimichangas, proper resting time makes all the difference in presentation.
Making Taco Lasagna with My Family
Last Tuesday, Adam helped me layer the tortillas for this Taco Lasagna is the ultimate Mexican-themed dinner. He carefully arranged each tortilla, making sure they overlapped just right. "This is like building with food," he said, concentrating hard on getting it perfect.
When we served it for dinner, Adam took a huge bite and declared, "This is like if tacos and lasagna had a baby, and the baby was awesome!" Grandma Viola, who was visiting, laughed and agreed. "This taco lasagna recipe layers flour tortillas with seasoned ground beef so cleverly," she said. "It's comfort food with a fun twist. I'm making this for my book club next week."
Substitutions for Taco Lasagna
- Protein: Use ground turkey, chicken, or make it vegetarian with extra beans and vegetables for easy vegetarian Mexican recipes.
- Tortillas: Try corn tortillas for a more authentic flavor, or use taco lasagna with noodles by substituting lasagna noodles for a traditional Italian-Mexican fusion.
- Cheese: Use all Mexican cheese blend, or add queso fresco for authentic flavor.
- Beans: Swap black beans for pinto beans or refried beans for different textures.
Variations on Taco Lasagna
- Doritos version: Make taco lasagna with doritos by crushing 2 cups of Doritos and sprinkling them between layers for extra crunch and flavor.
- Chicken version: Create chicken taco lasagna using shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground beef for a lighter option.
- Enchilada style: Turn this into an enchilada lasagna recipe by adding enchilada sauce between layers and topping with more sauce before baking. Check out this Mexican lasagna recipe for more inspiration.
Equipment for Taco Lasagna
- 9x13-inch baking dish: The perfect size for layering and serving 8 to 10 people.
- Large skillet: For cooking the taco meat with plenty of room to brown everything evenly.
- Aluminum foil: Essential for covering during the first part of baking to prevent the top from burning.
- Sharp knife: For slicing through the layers cleanly once it's rested.
Storage Tips for Taco Lasagna
- Refrigerator: Store covered in the baking dish or transfer to an airtight container for up to 4 days. This is perfect as a make ahead taco lasagna for busy weeks.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, or reheat the whole dish covered with foil at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
This taco lasagna bake is one of those Mexican quick meals that's perfect for meal prep. Make it on Sunday and you'll have easy dinners ready all week. It pairs beautifully with our creamy tomato pasta when you're planning a week of diverse easy dinner recipes.
Adam's Tip for Taco Lasagna
"Make sure you put extra cheese on top. Like, way more than you think you need. The crispy cheese edges are the absolute best part, and you can never have too many of those."
FAQ about Taco Lasagna
What exactly is taco lasagna?
Taco lasagna is a Mexican-inspired casserole that uses flour tortillas as lasagna layers instead of pasta noodles. It's filled with seasoned ground beef (the taco-spiced beef and black bean sauce), cheese, and taco toppings like salsa and sour cream. The dish is layered tortillas, salsa, and sour cream in a baking dish, then baked until hot and bubbly. It's essentially a deconstructed taco in lasagna form, making it easier to serve a crowd than individual tacos.
What are the ingredients for Mexican lasagna?
The ingredients for Mexican lasagna include tortillas (flour or corn), seasoned ground beef or chicken, taco seasoning, black beans, salsa, cheese (usually cheddar and pepper Jack), and sour cream. Some versions add refried beans, enchilada sauce, or green chiles. The taco lasagna recipe with layers of corn tortilla, salsa, seasoned ground beef can be customized with your favorite taco toppings. Basic ingredients are tortillas, protein, cheese, and sauce, but you can add as many customizable taco toppings (jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, cilantro) as you like.
What kind of cheese is best in taco lasagna?
The best cheese in taco lasagna is a combination of sharp cheddar for flavor and pepper Jack for a little heat. The sharp cheddar and pepper Jack cheese blend melts beautifully and creates that perfect stretchy, gooey texture. You can also use Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or queso quesadilla. Avoid using only mozzarella as it doesn't have enough flavor for this dish. For best results, shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre-shredded.
What goes with taco lasagna?
What goes with taco lasagna includes classic Mexican side dishes like Spanish rice, refried beans, or a simple green salad with lime vinaigrette. Serve with tortilla chips and guacamole, pico de gallo, or queso dip on the side. Fresh toppings like chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, and black olives let everyone customize their portion. For a complete weeknight Tex-Mex dinner bake meal, add Mexican street corn or a simple avocado salad.
Conclusion
Here's to a meal that proves you never have to choose between your favorites again! This Beef Taco Lasagna – Cheesy, Meaty, and Irresistible! combines the best of Mexican dishes and Italian comfort food into one incredible crowd-pleasing Mexican-inspired casserole. The layered tortillas, salsa, and sour cream create something truly special that brings smiles to everyone at the table.
I hope this fun, hearty, and "Grandma-approved" cheesy mashup brings your whole family to the table with a smile. Whether you make it as taco lasagna easy style or try the taco lasagna with doritos variation, it's always a winner. If you're looking for more lasagna inspired dishes and Mexican food recipes authentic, try our big mac wraps or creamy white cheddar chicken pasta for variety. Let me know how your tacos lasagna turns out! Enjoy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Taco Lasagna:
recipe
Easy Taco Lasagna Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13-inch baking dish Perfect for layering and baking evenly
- 1 Large Skillet For browning the meat and sautéing vegetables
- 1 Wooden spoon Ideal for stirring the taco filling
- 1 Aluminum foil Cover the lasagna while baking to prevent over-browning
- 1 Sharp knife Makes neat slices once the lasagna has rested
Ingredients
For the Taco Meat
- 2 pounds ground beef Substitute with ground turkey for a lighter version
- 1 medium onion Diced finely
- 1 bell pepper Diced
- 3 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning Store-bought or homemade
- 1 can(15 oz) black beans Drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa Choose mild or spicy depending on preference
- ½ cup water Helps blend the seasoning and salsa together
For the Layers
- 12 flour tortillas (8-inch) Cut in half for easier layering
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese For sharp, bold flavor
- 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese Adds a little kick
- 1 cup sour cream Mix with ricotta for creamier texture
- 1 can(4 oz) diced green chiles Optional, for extra spice
For Serving
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes Fresh and juicy
- 1 sliced jalapeños Optional, for spice lovers
- 1 fresh cilantro `Chopped finely
- 1 cup sour cream For topping
- ½ cup sliced black olives Adds saltiness and texture
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.(Olivia always helps me with this part, she loves saying, “Mom, I’m in charge of the oven!” even though I do the actual preheating.)
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown 2 pounds of ground beef with diced onions and bell pepper for about 8–10 minutes until tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.(This is when our kitchen smells like Taco Tuesday magic. Olivia usually comes running to stir and ask if it’s “taste test time.”)
- Stir in the taco seasoning, black beans, salsa, and water. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened.(A quick mom tip: simmering brings out those deep, cozy flavors, don’t skip it!)
- Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture on the bottom of the dish. Layer flour tortillas, then meat, then sour cream, and top with cheddar and pepper Jack cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with cheese on top.(This is Olivia’s favorite part, she calls it “food stacking.” It’s messy, but we make memories with every tortilla.)
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10–15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.(We always peek through the oven window together, it’s like watching a gooey, cheesy volcano.)
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing to help the layers set. Garnish with sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeños.(This is the hardest part for Olivia, waiting! But it’s worth it for those perfect layers.)
Notes
- For a lighter version, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- You can make this ahead of time, just assemble, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Freeze leftovers in portions for easy weeknight reheating.
- Add crushed Doritos between layers for extra crunch, Olivia’s favorite twist!
- Serve with a side of Spanish rice or Mexican street corn for a complete family meal.
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