Taco Lasagna is an easy casserole recipe with layers of Lasagna Shell shredded cheese, ground beef and salsa.
This Taco Lasagna recipe is so simple, easy to make and is a casserole that freezes well. When Mexican food meets Italian, you get layers of pasta, seasoned taco meat, salsa, and a layer of oozy cheese. You just found your new favorite casserole recipe. This dish is excellent for hosting a big get-together. I just made this Taco Lasagna for my Cinco de Mayo party I had a couple of weeks ago, and it was very popular with my guests. A lot of my friends never had the Taco Lasagna, nor ever heard of this dish. This Taco Lasagna is a complete meal by itself.
This Taco Lasagna was finished in less than 15 minutes. If I had known my guest would fall in love with this, I would have made two dishes. The best part of this dish is that you do not have to take the time and cook the noodles separately. With the steam and the liquid from the salsa and enchiladas sauce, it is cooking the noodles with the meal. If you make this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your pictures. I can be a tagged on Instagram @JillionTrinkets.
Let us jump right into the recipe.
Ingredients:
1-pound Mexican Blend cheese grated
10-ounce enchilada sauce mild
12 Lasagna Noodles, Uncooked
24 Oz Salsa
1 Bunch of Green Onions
1 Pound of Ground Beef
15 oz. Ricotta
1 Packet Of taco seasoning
1 egg
Chopped green onions and fresh tomatoes for garnish if desire.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the ground beef over medium heat. Add the diced onions halfway through and the garlic during the last minute. Drain grease.
Add 2/3 cups of water to the Meat and mix in the taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook until thickened. Mix in the black beans and set them aside.
Combine the enchilada sauce and the salsa. Spoon a layer over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
Top with four uncooked lasagna noodles.
Combine the Ricotta, oregano, and egg.
First Layer: 4 Noodles, 1/3 of the Ricotta, 1/3 of the Meat, 1/3 of the Sauce, 1 cup Cheese.
Second Layer: Repeat the first layer.
Third Layer: 4 Noodles, remaining Ricotta, Meat, and Sauce. (NO cheese ADDED yet.)
Cover with foil to seal in the steam so that it can cook the noodles.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil.
Add remaining 2 cups of cheese—Bake for 15 more minutes.
Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Feel free to garnish with parsley, sour cream, and green onion
Ingredient Substitutions
You can use ground turkey, or shredded chicken can be used as an alternative to ground beef.
If Possible, cottage cheese can be used as a replacement for ricotta.
For a lighter version of the recipe, substitute the sour cream and cheeses for low-fat varieties.
Additional Topping:
Add onions, Pico de Gallo, more cheese, and scallions to your topping choices.
Have refried beans available for a side or additional topping.
For some color, add some cilantro or parsley to the top of the Taco Lasagna before serving.
Make-Ahead.
You can also freeze it for up to 3 months before baking. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.
Prepare up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake.