Mexican Lasagna
Since I started this blog, I am always thinking about food and recipes. It’s just how my brain works now. I’ll be in the grocery store or digging through my pantry and I’ll wonder how I can use an ingredient a different way. I didn’t always used to be that way. I used to struggle to cook anything. Mainly because I worked a lot. I’m a self-admitted workaholic. I mean, I always enjoyed cooking but I just never gave it the priority it deserved. And now that I create recipes for this blog, it’s almost like second nature to me now. 
Noodles, cheese, taco ground beef
So when I told me family that I was working on a recipe for a Mexican-inspired lasagna – they weren’t surprised but weren’t too thrilled about the sound of it. They are used to trying all the recipes. The good and the bad. And thankfully they are completely honest with me. When a recipe goes bad – it usually goes REALLY bad. 😉
But when a recipe like this turns out good – it is the best feeling. And this recipe was SO good, y’all. So. Good. They absolutely loved it and went back for seconds! I think the addition of the alfredo cheese sauce really takes it over the top. Also, adding refried beans to the ground beef makes it super easy to layer on the noodles. You could use tortillas instead of the lasagna noodles but I hope you’ll give it a try this way first!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup water
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
1 (16 oz) can refried beans
10 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 (16 oz) jar mild salsa
1 (14 oz) jar alfredo sauce (or queso sauce)
2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
optional toppings: sliced black olives, sliced green onions, taco sauce, sour cream
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Place back into the skillet. Over medium heat, add water and taco seasoning and stir. Then stir in refried beans. Mixture will be very thick. Once refried beans have softened and mixture is combined, turn off heat.
Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spread about 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of salsa (I used about 5). Evenly spread half the ground beef mixture on top of the noodles.
Then evenly spread half the alfredo sauce on top of ground beef.
Then sprinkle one cup of shredded cheese. Next, dollop about half a cup of the salsa on top.
Continue these steps one more time (lasagna noodles, ground beef mixture, alfredo sauce, salsa and cheese).
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving (trust me on this – it will make slicing much easier!)
Slice and top individual servings with sour cream, sliced green onions or whatever taco toppings you prefer!
Cook’s Notes: you can use tortillas in place of lasagna noodles
Enjoy!
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup water
- 1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
- 1 (16 oz) can refried beans
- 1 (16 oz) jar mild salsa
- 10 lasagna noodles
- 1 (14 oz) jar alfredo sauce (or queso sauce)
- 2 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese
Optional toppings:
- sliced black olives,sliced green onions, taco sauce, sour cream
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef. Drain excess grease. Place back into the skillet. Over medium heat, add water and taco seasoning and stir. Then stir in refried beans. Mixture will be very thick. Once refried beans have softened and mixture is combined, turn off heat.
- Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Spread about 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of salsa (I used about 5).
- Evenly spread half the ground beef mixture on top of the noodles. Then evenly spread half the alfredo sauce on top of ground beef. Next, dollop about half a cup of the salsa on top. Then sprinkle one cup of shredded cheese.
- Continue these steps one more time (lasagna noodles, ground beef mixture, alfredo sauce, salsa and cheese).
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 35-45 minutes.
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
- Slice and top individual servings with sour cream, sliced green onions or whatever taco toppings you prefer!
Stacy says
Ooohhh, this looks AMAZING! So, I’m old school and have never used “oven-ready” noodles. Do you preboil them or just use them hard? I’ve had terrible luck with recipes that call for “raw” noodles.
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Hi Stacy – you can see a picture of them up there in the ingredient photo. 🙂 You’ll find them with all of the other lasagna noodles in the grocery store. They don’t need any boiling at all. That’s what is awesome about them! They come in different shapes and sizes depending on the brand but they will all work for this recipe. 🙂
Stacy Pennock says
Ok, I made this for dinner tonight and the hubs and I almost ate ourselves sick it was so good!
Mary Leigh says
You can buy the ones that don’t have to be cooked, but you can use reg. lasagna noodles. I cooked for 35 years, you really don’t need to cook. I hope this help’s
Marlene says
Can you freeze this? It would be great to have on hand if it could be frozen.
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Marlene – you sure can!
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Marlene – you sure can!
Margaret says
Have to try this–it sounds SO GOOD!!
The Better Baker says
You’re so clever to come up with this amazing flavor combo. We would LOVE it for sure. Love those no-boil noodles too. So glad I saw this. Pinning to make soon.
Brandie @ The Country Cook says
Hope you love it Mrs. B!!
Joy says
I love to make foods like this and my whole family certainly enjoys them. 🙂 Your recipe looks wonderful!
mary says
this looks so good! thanks!