Mexican Lasagna
Enjoy all your favorite burrito flavors in a comforting casserole with this easy cheesy Mexican Lasagna. The burrito bake comes together quickly with mostly pantry staples, making it the perfect midweek meal during the cooler months.
Burritos are a staple in our house and this is my go-to beef burrito recipe, simply assembled in a casserole dish. Sometimes you just have to rebrand and tweak a recipe slightly for the family to fall in love with a staple all over again!
Don’t miss some handy tips below the recipe.
If you loved this Mexican Lasagna Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating below. Thank you!
Mexican Lasagna
Enjoy all your favorite burrito flavors in a comforting casserole with this easy cheesy Mexican Lasagna.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tbsp burrito seasoning or taco seasoning
- 14 oz diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice or cooked white rice
- 14 oz corn canned, fresh, or frozen
- 14 oz mixed beans pinto or black beans
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped, + 1 tbsp as garnish
- 5 whole wheat tortillas or white flour tortillas, burrito size
- 14 oz refried beans
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350C (180C). Grease a large round casserole dish (min. 12 inches) with 1 tbsp of olive oil.2 tbsp olive oil
- To make the beef mixture, add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to a preheated large skillet. Add the ground beef and burrito seasoning. Brown the beef on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, breaking it apart as you're cooking it.1 lb ground beef, 3 tbsp burrito seasoning
- Add the diced tomatoes, drained corn, and beans, followed by the cooked rice and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, ground black pepper, chili flakes, or hot sauce to taste.14 oz diced tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice, 14 oz corn, 14 oz mixed beans, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- To assemble the Mexican lasagna, add 1-2 tbsp of refried beans to a tortilla. Spread the beans across the whole tortilla and add it to the casserole dish. It's easier to spread the refried beans onto the tortilla before adding it to the dish.5 whole wheat tortillas, 14 oz refried beans
- Add 1/5 of the ground beef mixture onto the tortilla and spread it out evenly, Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of cheese. Repeat this process 4 more times so you have 5 layers in total. Add the remaining 1/2 a cup of cheese at the top for a cheesy topping.1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
- Place the casserole into the preheated oven and bake it for 20 minutes. Switch on the broiler for the last 5 minutes if the cheese doesn't have enough color.
- Remove the Mexican lasagna from the oven and let it sit for at least 15 minutes for the layers to settle. It'll be easier serving it. Garnish with extra fresh cilantro and serve with sour cream, salsa, guacamole, or your favorite Mexican sides.
Notes
Casserole dish: You can also make the Mexican lasagna in a standard 8×12 inches casserole dish by overlapping the tortillas. Alternatively, you can make it in a large cake tin or pie dish.
Storage: Leftovers stores really well, in fact it’s one of those dishes that gets better over time and makes an excellent meal prep item. Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer as a whole or in convenient portions for up to 3 months. You can also assemble it and bake it a day later.
Nutrition
Calories: 472kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 28gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 716mgPotassium: 633mgFiber: 10gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 527IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 5mg
Loved this recipe?Please leave a review!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Beef – I use lean ground beef with 10% fat but you can use any mix you like. Ground lamb, chicken, or turkey make a delicious protein-rich filling too.
- Tomatoes – I use a can of diced tomatoes but crushed, or oven-roasted tomatoes are great options too. Just make sure they don’t have any added flavors.
- Burrito seasoning – I use my homemade burrito seasoning mix but you can opt for store-bought seasoning or a DIY taco mix as well. Season to taste the beef mixture with salt, pepper, and extra chili if you like it hotter.
- Cheese – You’re after a quick melting cheese. I use mozzarella cheese but a Mexican cheese mix would obviously work great too.
- Rice – I use cooked brown rice but white rice or a quinoa rice mix works well too.
- Tortillas – You’ll need large burrito-size flour tortillas for this recipe unless you’re making it in a rectangular baking dish in which case taco-size tortillas would work better. I use whole wheat tortillas but white flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or low-carb tortillas would work too.
Key steps: Mexican lasagna
1. Once the filling is heated through for 5 minutes you can assemble the burrito bake as it will continue to cook in the oven.
2. Make sure the retired beans are spread all the way to the edge to ensure every bite is flavorsome.
3. Again, spread the sauce and cheese evenly.
4. Top the burrito lasagna with 1/2 cup of cheese for a nice golden cheese topping.
My top 5 tortilla lasagna tips
- Grease the casserole dish well to ensure the lasagna doesn’t get stuck.
- Season the beef, rice, and veg mixture to taste. My family likes a milder lasagna but you may want to add extra chili flakes or hot sauce.
- You don’t need to cook the filling for more than 5 minutes as it will continue to cook in the oven.
- Spread the refried beans onto the tortillas before adding them to the dish as it’s easier for it to be spread out.
- Let the lasagna rest for a minimum of 15 minutes before serving for the layers to settle.
