Tortilla Casserole
This tortilla casserole a.k.a. Mexican Lasagne is a family friendly meal. Made with layers of cheesy, creamy soft tortillas and Mexican style meat sauce it is comfort food at its fineness.
Trust me there is nothing better than Mexican Pasta!
Why This Recipe Works
- Flexitarian - made with a combination of ground beef and kidney beans
- Family friendly - a little hack with the kidney beans means all their goodness without the 'beany' texture.
- A true winter warmer.
Ingredients you will need
- olive oil
- onion
- carrot
- smoked paprika
- ground cumin
- ground coriander
- cocoa powder
- chilli flakes
- minced beef
- beef stock
- kidney beans (canned)
- diced tomatoes (canned)
- corn kernels
- tortillas
- grated cheese
- sour cream
- Optional: colourful toppings black beans, diced capsicum/bell peppers, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, jalapeños, salsa
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Smoked paprika: This can be substituted for paprika if you can not find the smoked version.
- Spices: The spice combination I use of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, and cocoa powder is my Homemade Mexican Seasoning can be substituted for your favourite store bought taco seasoning.
- Minced beef: This recipe will work with minced beef or lamb. If you are using chicken mince or ground turkey please be aware these meats can be drier and you may need to add extra olive oil to the dish.
- Kidney beans: I use canned kidney beans but you can of course use dried kidney beans that have been soaked and prepped. Pinto beans, navy beans or haricot beans all work as well.
- Corn kernels: Frozen, fresh or canned corn kernels all work fine.
- Tortillas: Any soft flour tortilla or corn tortillas can be used. This recipe will also work with your favourite wraps or mountain bread. If you need this recipe to be gluten free be sure to check the labels on the tortillas you are using.
- Grated cheese: I use grated cheddar cheese, but any cheese that melts well will work well; colby, edam, monterey jack cheese
How to make a Mexican Lasagne
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my tortilla casserole recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: Dice the onion, grate the carrot and crush or finely slice your garlic. Optional: In a blender combine the diced tomatoes and the kidney beans and blitz until smooth. Alternatively you can leave the beans whole and not blended.
Step two: In a large skillet or fry pan heat the oil over a medium heat. Sauté the onion and grated carrot until soft, fragrant and a little caramelised.
Step three: Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cocoa powder, sauté for one minutes.
Step four Add the minced beef to the pan and cook until browned.
Step five: Add the beef stock, tomatoes, kidney beans and corn kernels, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 F).
Step six: Spoon a thin layer of the Mexican mince in the bottom of a baking dish. (This stops the first layer of tortillas from sticking to your dish.
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Step seven Begin your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, sour cream and cheese. Continue your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, sour cream and cheese
Step eight: Continue your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, a scattering of any of your favourite colourful taco toppings, black beans, diced capsicum, jalapenos, diced tomatoes and cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes until piping hot and the cheese on top is melted and golden.
Enjoy!
Tips & FAQs
Here is how you can make this Mexican Lasagne perfectly every time!
- Serve your tortilla casserole with fun colour fun sides. Tortilla chips, ice berg lettuce, salsa, fresh cilantro/coriander, limes.
- Not all of my family enjoy spicy flavours so my tortilla is not highly spicy, but I serve it with hot salta and Mexican sauces on the side for those who want a bit more heat.
- Get out your scissors when you are building your tortilla casserole as you can take advantage of the tortillas soft texture and literally cut them to the right size to fit your baking or casserole dish.
- Try the bean blending technique in other dishes, to works great in regular lasagne, or bolognese .
- If you don't want to use a blender, and your family are not fans of 'beany' texture, another useful kitchen implement is your potato masher! mash the beans in the cooked meat sauce, it works great, whenever I make vegetarian nachos I use my potato masher!
How To Make This Recipe Suitable For Baby-Led-Weaning
This recipe is suitable for young children, messy to eat but ultimately suitable!
- The large beans can be blended or can be mashed so do not present a choking hazard.
- The tortillas cooked in the sauce end up with a very soft texture similar to well cooked pasta.
- If you are making this recipe using the spices I suggest the salt content will not be high. If you are using a packet seasoning be sure to check the salt content as some can be very high.
Tortilla Casserole
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Ingredients
Mexican Mince
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion (diced) 200 grams
- 1 medium carrot (grated) 150 grams
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
- 500 grams minced beef
- 1 cup beef stock
- 400 grams kidney beans (canned)
- 600 grams diced tomatoes 1 ½ cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn kernels
Layers
- 6-8 Tortillas The number of tortillas will depend on the size of tortilla you are using
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1 cup sour cream 200 grams
- Colourful toppings black beans, diced capsicum, diced tomatoes, corn kernels, jalapenos
Instructions
Mexican mince
- Prep: Dice the onion, grate the carrot and crush or finely slice your garlic. Optional: In a blender combine the diced tomatoes and the kidney beans and blitz until smooth.
- In a large fry pan heat the oil over a medium heat
- Sauté the onion and grated carrot until soft, fragrant and a little caramelised.
- Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, and cocoa powder, sauté for one minutes.
- Add the minced beef to the pan ad cook until browned
- Add the beef stock, tomatoes, kidney beans and corn kernels, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (360 F).
Assembly
- Make a thin layer of the Mexican mince in the bottom of a baking dish. (This stops the first layer of tortillas from sticking to your dish.
- Begin your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, sour cream and cheese
- Continue your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, sour cream and cheese
- Continue your layering: Tortillas, Mexican mince, a scattering of any of your favourite colourful taco toppings, black beans, diced capsicum, jalapenos, diced tomatoes and cheese
- Bake for 30 minutes until piping hot and the cheese on top is melted and golden.
- Enjoy
Video
Notes
- Serve your tortilla casserole with fun colour fun sides. Tortilla chips, ice berg lettuce, salsa, fresh cilantro/coriander, limes.
- Not all of my family enjoy spicy flavours so my tortilla is not highly spicy, but I serve it with hot salta and Mexican sauces on the side for those who want a bit more heat.
- Get out your scissors when you are building your tortilla casserole as you can take advantage of the tortillas soft texture and literally cut them to the right size to fit your baking or casserole dish.
- Try the bean blending technique in other dishes, to works great in regular lasagne, or bolognese .
- If you don't want to use a blender, and your family are not fans of 'beany' texture, another useful kitchen implement is your potato masher! mash the beans in the cooked meat sauce, it works great, whenever I make vegetarian nachos I use my potato masher!
- Smoked paprika: This can be substituted for paprika if you can not find the smoked version.
- Spices: The spice combination I use of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chilli flakes, and cocoa powder can be substituted for your favourite store bought taco seasoning.
- Minced beef: This recipe will work with minced beef or lamb. If you are using chicken mince or ground turkey please be aware these meats can be drier and you may need to add extra olive oil to the dish.
- Kidney beans: I use canned kidney beans but you can of course use dried kidney beans that have been soaked and prepped. Pinto beans, navy beans or haricot beans all work as well.
- Corn kernels: Frozen, fresh or canned corn kernels all work fine.
- Tortillas: Any soft flour tortilla or corn tortillas can be used. This recipe will also work with your favourite wraps or mountain bread. If you need this recipe to be gluten free be sure to check the labels on the tortillas you are using.
- Grated cheese: I use grated cheddar cheese, but any cheese that melts well will work well; colby, edam, monterey jack cheese
Nutrition
Quick Start Guide To BLW
Baby led weaning doesn’t need to be complicated, grab my quick start guide to begin your little ones food journey.
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My family all went back for seconds! So filling and so nutritious. Thanks for creating this delicious recipe.