Mexican Lasagna

Mexican. Lasagna. Mexican. Lasagna. Mexican…Lasagna? On their own, these words respectively conjure comfort and satisfaction. What could possibly be wrong with a dish that combines them?

Mexican and Tex-Mex foods are among my favorites. I love a good Mexican restaurant, but just as much, I love to make my own Mexican food at home. It’s simple and versatile – a few standard ingredients can become any number of different dishes. It’s also the food genre I turn to most often when I need something quick and off-the-cuff, because I always seem to have the right ingredients already on hand. Nachos, enchiladas, and simple tacos are all regular visitors at my dinner table. So when I discovered a recipe for an easy, layered Mexican “Lasagne” in Nigella Kitchen, I jumped on it.

The concept is just what you’d expect: fresh tortillas and familiar Mexi ingredients, layered lasagna-style, then baked with a satisfying layer of cheese on top and served sliced into wedges or squares depending on the shape of the pan. Yum.

Nigella’s version is vegetarian, and you can certainly make it that way, but since I was making this for both myself and Eli (who would have noticed the lack of meat and raised that testy left eyebrow of his at me), I added seasoned ground venison to the filling and reduced the amount of the other layers to compensate. As with almost any Mexican dish, it’s easy to make this whatever you want it to be. Don’t like beans? Leave ’em out. Prefer black olives? Scatter some on before strewing the final layer of cheese on top. Love those grilled fajita-style onions and peppers? Add a layer of them.

This worked perfectly in my 10-inch cast iron skillet, but you could also make it in a deep pie dish or casserole, as you would a standard Italian lasagna.

Mexican Lasagna


For the sauce:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (I only use cold-pressed oil)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small can diced green chiles
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon dried cilantro, or 2 tablespoons fresh, chopped
28 ounces diced tomatoes
1-1/2 cups water

For the filling:
1 pound ground beef, venison, or turkey (or cooked, shredded chicken)
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
1-1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2-3 cups shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
8-10 flour tortillas

Sour cream for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saute pan placed over medium-high heat, saute the garlic, onion, and bell pepper in the olive oil until soft. Add the chiles, salt, and cilantro.

Add the canned tomatoes and water and simmer 10-15 minutes while you prepare the filling.

In a skillet over high heat, cook the meat. Drain off any fat, and add the taco seasoning plus 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has cooked off. Remove from the heat, and add the beans, corn, and most of the cheese, mixing well (set aside enough cheese to sprinkle over the top before baking).

To assemble:

Spoon a cupful or so of sauce into the bottom of your deep pie plate or casserole. Layer on two or three tortillas, overlapping them, so that you have a layer that covers most of the bottom of the pan. Add 1/3 of the filling, then then another cupful or so of sauce. Repeat two more times, beginning with the tortillas and ending with the sauce. Top with any remaining sauce and the reserved cheese.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until bubbly at the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve with sour cream on the side.