Mexican Lasagna

This Mexican Lasagna post was first published in April 2018. It was updated with new photos, more helpful content on May 3, 2021.

Looking for a comforting meal to feed a crowd (or hungry family!)? This Mexican Lasagna is made with layers of delicious flavor. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any family gathering!

Do you host a Cinco de Mayo gathering? If so, or if you're just looking for more tasty family-friendly meals, I've got the perfect recipe for you!

Sure, you could throw together some tacos or burritos and call it a day. We do that regularly. It's called Taco Tuesday.

But for a gathering like Cinco de Mayo, or any other special gathering of friends and family, let's do it up a little!

This Mexican Lasagna is an awesome crowd-pleasing dish. You can easily make it spicier if you prefer things on the hot side, or keep it mild - which I did here in this recipe. It makes enough to feed 8 to 10 people easily, and it's so flavorful and satisfying!

Tools and Equipment

You don't need much to make this dish.

• 9 x 13-inch glass baking pan
• Mixing bowl
• Large skillet

Gather your ingredients

I love this recipe because it's really all about layering on so many yummy flavors in one dish.

You've got tomatoes, beans, mushrooms + ground beef, fragrant onions and garlic, sandwiched nicely between layers of tortillas and cheese. For my fellow dairy-free friends, this works beautifully with your fave non-dairy cheese shreds, too!

You can add in some cilantro and black olives between the layers if you wish, or you could top each slice with olives and cilantro at the end as garnish and allow some guests to leave them off.

I have some friends who are adverse to cilantro, so the latter is the way I choose to make and serve this Mexican Lasagna. Personally, I LOVE cilantro - the more the better! But, you can also use parsley instead.

Blend of Meat + Mushrooms

Part of what makes this dish EXTRA rich in flavor is the blend of chopped mushrooms and ground beef.

My family rarely cooks with ground beef at home, but this dish really calls for ground beef vs. ground turkey or chicken. I reduced the amount of ground beef a recipe like this would normally call for by replacing it with chopped cremini mushrooms.

If you have big red meat lovers at home, trust me: they will NOT notice the reduced red meat in this dish. By chopping up mushrooms to the consistency of ground beef, they easily mimic meat. Plus, they are fat-free, cholesterol free, low in calories, and packed with vitamin D, B vitamins, antioxidants and potassium. Superfood!

How to make this recipe

Full instructions are listed in the printable recipe card, but here are the basic steps. Scroll down for the printable recipe.

Step 1 - Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Grease a 9" x 13" glass baking dish with butter, oil, or cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2 - In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, mushrooms, onions, and garlic and cook until meat is fully cooked. Stir in taco seasoning. Turn off heat. 

Step 3 - In a medium bowl, mix fire roasted tomatoes with tomato paste, salt, and pepper.

Step 4 - Layer the Ingredients.

• Spoon the tomato mixture into the bottom of the greased pan and spread it out just enough to cover the bottom of the pan.
• Then add a layer of tortillas so they just overlap at the ends, with the cut (straight) sides facing out and touching the sides of the pan. 
• Top with a layer of beans, then the meat & mushroom mixture, and cheeses.
• Sprinkle a laryer of black olives and chopped cilantro, if using (totally optional)
• Repeat layers until you reach almost the top of the pan (you may need more or fewer tortillas, depending on how you layer them), ending with a generous sprinkling of cheese. 

Step 5 - Bake uncovered at 350°F degrees for 30-45 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Mine is usually done right around the 40-minute mark.

Optional: slice into squares and serve with sliced olives, garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve with a dollop of sour cream. 

Perfect for Meal Prep

You can also make this for meal prep. Cook it once, then refrigerate or freeze individual portions for the rest of the week.

Or, enjoy half for one dinner, and then freeze the other half for a dinner in the future.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months.

Wine pairings for Mexican Lasagna

Most Mexican dishes have lots of spice and zest to them, so I'll often pair the dish with beer, a bright Pinot Gris, or a cider.

However, this Mexican Lasagna has BIG rich flavors that call for a big red wine. I suggest pairing it as you would a regular Italian lasagna: with a Chianti, a Malbec, or even a Cabernet Sauvignon. The smooth tannins and dark fruit flavors go beautifully with the luscious tomato sauce and rich cheeses.

I also enjoy this dish with a sultry Tempranillo or Spanish Garnacha.

A crowd-pleasing dish the whole family will love

This recipe is sure to become a family favorite. Depending on how you slice the lasagna, this could easily feed a family of four or five with a few folks taking a couple of servings, or serve 6-8 people who each take one large serving.

I hope you love it as much as we do!

More Cinco de Mayo Recipes

• Easy Pico de Gallo
• Shrimp Tacos
• Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
• How to Cook Taco Meat in the Instant Pot (from frozen)
• 15 minute restaurant-style salsa
• Vegan Queso Dip
• Tex-Mex Vegetarian Sheet Pan Nachos

More recipes with mushrooms

• Meaty Mushroom Puff Pastry Cups (Vol-au-vents)
• Teriyaki Mushroom Sausage Lettuce Wraps
• Pork & Pasta with Mushroom Herb Sauce