Mexican Lasagna Tortilla Layers (Printable Version)

Tortilla layers stacked with spiced beef, beans, corn, and plenty of melted cheese for a hearty Tex-Mex bake.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb ground beef

→ Vegetables & Beans

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 can (14 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
06 - 1 can (5 oz) corn, drained
07 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes

→ Sauces & Seasonings

08 - 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning
09 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ Tortillas & Cheese

11 - 8 medium flour tortillas
12 - 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

→ Garnishes

13 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - Sliced jalapeños
15 - Sour cream

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned; drain excess fat.
03 - Add onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the skillet; sauté for 3-4 minutes until vegetables soften.
04 - Stir in taco seasoning, chili powder, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes. Simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
05 - Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place two tortillas on the bottom, tearing as needed to fit. Spread one-third of the meat mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle with one-fourth of the cheese.
06 - Repeat layers twice more: tortillas, meat mixture, cheese. Top with a final layer of tortillas and remaining cheese.
07 - Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden.
09 - Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro, jalapeños, and sour cream if desired.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The tortillas soak up all those seasoned meat juices and get perfectly tender, unlike noodles that sometimes stay stubbornly al dente
  • You can assemble it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when people arrive, which makes you look incredibly prepared
02 -
  • I once skipped letting it rest and ended up with a delicious but sloppy mess on the plates, so those 5 minutes are genuinely important
  • If your tortillas seem a bit dry, quickly run them under warm water or microwave them for 15 seconds before layering
03 -
  • Grating your own cheese from blocks makes a huge difference in how smoothly it melts and integrates into the layers
  • Let the meat mixture cool slightly before assembling so it doesn't make your tortillas soggy

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