Taco Lasagna brings a south-of-the-border kinda’ twist to a classic lasagna recipe! All the best parts of a ground beef taco are layered with lasagna noodles to create one colorfully layered entrée!
Serve with your favorite toppings like sour cream, pico de gallo, or a dollop of the best guacamole.
We love all things taco flavored from an easy taco dip to our favorite taco soup! Take this easy taco lasagna to a potluck or an office luncheon! Make it even easier by assembling and baking it earlier! Just reheat it when you reach your destination!
How to Layer Lasagna
For this taco lasagna (made with noodles), start with the tomato sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. This keeps the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan and makes the portions come out easier!
The standard layering technique is sauce, noodles, sauce, noodles, cheese, noodles, sauce. Just remember to put a layer of noodles between each cheese and sauce layer to keep everything in place!
How to Make Taco Lasagna
Once you have all the mixtures prepped, layering this taco lasagna dish is a breeze!
- Beef Mixture: Brown ground beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet.
- Drain the fat and stir in the taco seasoning (or use homemade taco seasoning) and water. Cook until is evaporated and sauce is thickened.
- Add the beans and veggies and cook the sauce mixture until heated thoroughly set it aside.
- Cheese Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream and egg. Set aside.
- Layering: In a 9×13 inch pan, layer the ingredients ending with sauce!
- Bake: Cover the taco lasagna, bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake until cheese is browned and bubbly.
Allow the casserole to rest about 10 to 15 minutes so it has a chance to set. Top with sour cream, tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced green onions or jalapeños!
What to Serve with Lasagna
Just like a traditional Italian lasagna, this cheesy taco lasagna lends itself to simple sides like a crunchy tossed salad, a tray of fresh cut veggies with Buttermilk Ranch Dip, or even some tortilla chips for scooping!
More Mexican Inspired Dishes You’ll Love
- Creamy Chicken Enchiladas – personal favorite!
- Shrimp Tacos – fast weeknight meal
- Beef Enchilada Casserole – classic Mexican flavors.
- Easy Taco Salad – crispy, crunchy and flavorful!
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers – scrumptious southwestern spin!
Taco Lasagna
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 9 lasagna noodles cooked and cooled
Sauce
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ounces low sodium taco seasoning 2 packets, or homemade
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes 1 can, with juices
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 15 oz canned black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
Cheese Layer
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large pan, brown ground beef, onion and garlic. Drain any fat. Stir in taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Cook until water is evaporated.
- Add green pepper, undrained tomatoes, corn, and black beans. Let simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, cumin and egg. Set aside.
- In a 9x13 pan, layer in the following order: 1 cup of sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, ½ of remaining sauce, 3 lasagna noodles, cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup of each cheddar and mozzarella, 3 lasagna noodles, remaining sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil, add remaining cheeses and bake an additional 15 minutes or until cheese browned and bubbly.
- Let rest 10-15 minutes before cutting. Serve with desired toppings such as sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions and cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Casserole, Main Course
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Family loved it. Can this be frozen? If yes, how long?
So glad your family loved it, Zac! I have never tried freezing this lasagna but it should work. Freeze unbaked for up to a month, then thaw overnight in the fridge before baking per the recipe. It might need a couple extra minutes in the oven if it’s still cold. I hope that helps!
Can I use no-cook noodles?
Hi Karen, we have only made this recipe as written but that should work fine. I would love to hear how it turns out for you.
I’ve used ready for oven noodles and it’s comes out great. just make sure you cover them really good.
Can I use ricotta in stead of cottage cheese? Or should I just omit it and the egg all together? Will it change the consistency too much?
We have only tried the recipe as written, but ricotta should work in place of cottage cheese. I would keep the egg with the ricotta as well. Let us know how it works if you try it Shawna!
Hello! Looking forward to making this but quick question. Plan on using your homemade taco seasoning so was wondering how much of that to use to equal the 2 packages of store bought taco seasoning. Thanks in advance for your help!
I would suggest about 3-4 tablespoons. (2 tablespoons homemade = 1 packet of store bought).
Holly, improvised on the recipe and added a small can of sliced olives and two small cans of fire-roasted tomatoes vice regular diced tomatoes(my new favorite to add to tomato-based sauces). It turned out great, seasonings perfect! Hubby wants more pasta, so next time I will try four sheets per layer and see how it comes out.
Love your additions Toni! So glad you enjoyed it.
The recipe is good and easy to put together. We made this over a month ago. We both would prefer to use a recipe without pasta in the future. Sticking with tortillas inside. Clever idea though, definitely worth a try for anyone curious about this recipe.
Happy you enjoyed it, Kimberly!
This was so delicious that my husband and I could have eaten half the pan ourselves. Other than omitting the corn, I followed the recipe exactly. I liked that real lasagna noodles were used instead of tortillas, which get mushy. A tip: instead of boiling the noodles, I put them in a 9 x 13 pan then cover with very hot tap water for 10-15 min, dry them. They are pliable enough to use and continue cooking in the oven. Thank you Holly for another fantastic recipe!!
This was so tasty and delicious that my husband and I could have eaten half the pan ourselves! Other than omitting the corn, I followed this recipe exactly. I liked that this called for real lasagna noodles instead of tortillas, which get too mushy. A tip: instead of boiling the noodles, I put them in the 9 x 13 pan covered with very hot tap water for 10-15 min. then dry with paper towels. They are pliable enough to work with and finish cooking in the oven. Thanks Holly for another fantastic recipe!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Great tip on the noodles Elizabeth, thanks for sharing.
Very delicious!
I added lime zest and juice, as well as a little salt, to cream mixture. I also added a can of refried beans to the sauce to thicken it.
I
One recipe make three small pans. So perfect make ahead for freezing or sharing.
New ideas for enjoyable meals! Thanks !!
I hope you find many to try and enjoy Pam!
I love these easy recipes
Thanks Mary!
Can you used box lasagna noodles?
Katy, I have only made the recipe as written. You’d likely need to add additional liquid for dry noodles, or cook them ahead of time.
Hi, I’m not a fan of refried beans….can I use something else you think? or do it w/out the beans all together? thanks!
You could certainly try it without the refried beans. I haven’t made it that way before so I would love to hear how it works out for you!
Where does it say refried beans??? I only see black beans.
The recipe has been updated for better consistency and no longer includes refried beans.
Is says UNCOOKED noodles, does the noodles cook themselves?
When you use fresh lasagna noodles from the deli, they do not need to be precooked. :)
Noodles from the deli? Where do you live?
In our store the fresh pasta is near the deli. You may find it wherever your store has fresh pasta.
What kind of sauce do you use for this ?
The sauce is the meat, tomato, refried beans mixture.
Thanks :)
This should freeze ok I’m assuming?
This recipe sounds amazing and can’t wait to make it. Thank you for sharing.