Mexican Lasagna
This Mexican Lasagna recipe is made with layers of pasta, ground beef, refried beans, shredded cheese and alfredo sauce. An easy family favorite dinner!
AN EASY LASAGNA RECIPE WITH A MEXICAN TWIST
This recipe for Mexican Lasagna has become my family’s favorite! I have tweaked the recipe a few times and I think the recipe below is the winner. I wanted to take the idea of your usual Italian lasagna but give it a more Mexican vibe. I think the addition of the alfredo cheese sauce really takes it over the top. Now, I know alfredo sauce isn’t exactly a Mexican ingredient but I think it was definitely a great addition (but you can sub queso sauce if you don’t like alfredo). Also, adding refried beans to the ground beef makes it super easy to layer on the noodles!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S)
Yes, Mexican lasagna can be made ahead of time, covered and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake. It can be assembled and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking, or it can be fully cooked and frozen for up to 3 months.
This can be made with tortillas instead of lasagna noodles but I think the lasagna noodles ended up being our favorite. It slices up easier as well.
They can be found near all the other lasagna noodles. Just make sure the package states “oven ready”. This means you don’t have to boil them first.
Yes, Mexican lasagna can be made vegetarian by substituting the meat with plant-based protein sources such as beans or tofu. Or a meat substitute like impossible meat.
Place the remaining slices in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. To reheat, place the Mexican lasagna in the oven or microwave until heated through
Yes. Just wrap well to protect against freezer burn. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- ground beef – you can use pork, turkey or chicken or even impossible meat for this.
- taco seasoning – you just need a packet of your favorite taco seasoning or you can even make a Homemade Taco Seasoning.
- canned refried beans – if you want to try your hand at making homemade refried beans, be sure to have a look at my Slow Cooker Refried Beans recipe.
- oven-ready lasagna noodles – you need the oven ready noodles for this. It makes it so much easier because you do not have to cook them first. However, if you only have the cook kind, then you will need to boil them until al dente then proceed with the recipe.
- salsa – we really like Herdez mild salsa. It’s important you purchase a salsa flavor you know you will like. For more heat, try getting a hot salsa. Or try my recipe for Blender Salsa (you can make it in just a few minutes!)
- jarred alfredo sauce – as I said above, if you aren’t a fan of alfredo sauce then just pick up a jar of queso or you can make a Homemade Queso.
- Mexican blend shredded cheese – if you want to kick up the spice a bit, try using pepper jack cheese.
HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN LASAGNA
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-inch baking dish. Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of salsa (I used about 3 noodles).
Evenly spread a third of the ground beef mixture on top of the noodles. Then evenly spread a third of the alfredo sauce on top of ground beef.
Then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese. Next, dollop about 1/4 cup of salsa on top.
Continue these steps two more times (lasagna noodles, ground beef mixture, alfredo sauce, salsa and cheese). You’ll have three layers. The final layer of lasagna noodles will probably need about 4 noodles (casserole dishes tend to be wider at the top). 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 serve!
Top individual servings with sour cream, sliced green onions or whatever taco toppings you prefer!
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Layered Taco Bake
- Homemade Taco Pie
- Homemade Lasagna
- Crock Pot Lasagna
- Taco Rice
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Cornbread Taco Bake
- Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Originally published: August 2017
Updated photos and republished: March 2024
The Best Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup water
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- 16 ounce can refried beans
- 16 ounce jar mild salsa
- 10 lasagna noodles
- 14 ounce 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 cooked beef 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-inch baking dish.
- Place a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of salsa (about 3 noodles – depending on size of your oven-ready lasagna noodles).
- Evenly spread a third of the ground beef mixture on top of the noodles.
- Then evenly spread a third of the alfredo sauce on top of ground beef.
- Next, dollop about 1/4 cup of the salsa on top.
- Then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
- Continue these steps two more times (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. This will make it easier to slice.
- Slice and top individual servings with sour cream, sliced green onions or whatever taco toppings you prefer!
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- This can be made with tortillas instead of lasagna noodles but I think the lasagna noodles ended up being our favorite. It slices up easier as well.
- Make sure to use the oven ready lasagna noodles or else you’ll need to cook the noodles first.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
I have made 3 times, with Barilla gluten free lasagna. I did parboil the noodles the last 2 times. It is a brilliant recipe we all love it. Gets eaten too fast to make it into the freezer. Have put avocado on top.
Was wondering if wanted to make extra to freeze, would it be better to freeze before baking or after baking? Thanks Deborah
Can you use black bean and add something else?We are not fans of refried beans.
You could certainly use black beans and just skip the refried beans. I just add them in for flavor so you can substitute for another favorite bean.
I made this yesterday and it was delicious. My husband made me a recipe book and I have many of your recipes in it. I look forward to getting your emails.
We ate ourselves sick last night! So delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing!
Thank you!
I would like to get your other recipes
this looks so good! thanks!
I love to make foods like this and my whole family certainly enjoys them. 🙂 Your recipe looks wonderful!
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.
Hope you love it Mrs. B!!
Have to try this–it sounds SO GOOD!!
Can you freeze this? It would be great to have on hand if it could be frozen.
Marlene – you sure can!
Marlene – you sure can!
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.
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. 🙂
Ok, I made this for dinner tonight and the hubs and I almost ate ourselves sick it was so good!
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