[mv_video doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement=”false” doNotOptimizePlacement=”false” jsonLd=”true” key=”i5ZqIjCsD” ratio=”16:9″ thumbnail=”https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1670612527/hl3vfmjwrw1qaqirfrfc.jpg” title=”Mexican Lasagna Recipe” volume=”70″] A healthy ground turkey Mexican lasagna recipe made with tortillas and full of spices, bell peppers, onions, black beans, and cheese. This easy taco lasagna is one of the best healthy and kid-friendly ground turkey recipes and is a casserole favorite!
Taco Lasagna Recipe to the Rescue
Are you in need of a ground turkey recipe that is easy to make for dinner, can feed a crowd, and the kids will enjoy, too!?
Recently we had a very good friend of ours become ill with pneumonia for an extended period of time. Wanting to make her and her family’s life just a little easier for a night, Cohl and I brought over this easy taco lasagna to them.
Not only does this Mexican lasagna recipe make enough food for ten generous portions, but it is also full of flavor and a good bit of nutrition!
One of My Fave Ground Turkey Recipes
When Cohl brought up the idea of bringing food to our friends, my mind immediately started racing.
It was a pretty busy weekend and I knew I would not have too much time to spend in the kitchen. I went looking in the archives to see what I could find.
This ground turkey Mexican lasagna recipe immediately stood out to me. It is full of lean protein, good-for-you veggies, and is one of the best ground turkey recipes on the site.
How Do You Make Taco Lasagna?
This taco lasagna recipe is a really easy casserole recipe to make when you want to whip up a ground turkey recipe. This ground turkey Mexican lasagna recipe has been on the site for a few years, but has recently been updated!
Once you have whipped up your ground turkey taco mixture, you will follow the process below to layer up your taco lasagna recipe:
- Ground turkey, taco seasoning, and salsa mixture.
- Corn tortillas (a MUST to make this the best Mexican lasagna!)
Cook’s Tip: Do not use flour tortillas. They will come out mushy!
- Whole kernel corn, canned.
- Black beans, rinsed and drained.
- Cheddar cheese (Monterrey Jack cheese blend or dairy-free cheese works great too!)
- And repeat!
Can I Make Changes to this Mexican Taco Lasagna Recipe?
- Decrease the spice level: leave out the jalapeno and cayenne pepper completely.
- Increase the spice level: increase the amount of jalapeno and cayenne pepper or use half salsa and half crushed tomatoes.
- Get a little more flavor: dip the corn tortillas in hot coconut oil before layering them.
- Change up the protein: use ground chicken, beef, venison or tofu.
- Make it a little healthier: decrease the cheese by half and use 8-10 tortillas instead of 12.
This Ground Turkey Recipe is a Canvas for Toppings!!
You can make this taco lasagna recipe even MORE exciting by topping it off with the following:
- Smother on some guacamole!! (It goes great with everything!)
- Sour cream will help tone down the spice a bit.
- Cilantro will give it an extra layer of flavor.
- Green onions can add a pop of color and a bit of a bite!
Want more Ground Turkey Recipes?
Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps | Keto
Ground Turkey Paleo Meatloaf | Gluten-Free
Ground Turkey Shepherd’s Pie | Whole30 & Paleo
Stuffed Zucchinis with Taco Filling
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Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup bell pepper red or green, finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
- 1 cup sweet onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ lbs. turkey 93/7
- 15 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz. can kernel corn drained
- 15 oz. can black beans drained
- 2 cups shredded cheese cheddar, or dairy-free
- 12 corn tortillas
Spice Mix
- 1 ½ Tbsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp. paprika
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- See this recipe in Meal Plan #7
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet over medium heat add oil, bell pepper, jalapeno, and onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
- Add turkey to skillet and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes.
- Keep heat on medium and add crushed tomatoes. Let simmer on low for 5 minutes while fixing spice mix.
- Combine spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle into the skillet, stir, and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Start layering the Mexican lasagna with ⅓ of the turkey meat mixture.
- Next, layer 6 tortillas, ⅓ turkey mixture, ½ can of corn, ½ can of beans, and 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas, turkey, corn, beans and cheese. Place aluminum foil over baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove aluminum foil and continue cooking in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy! See this recipe in Meal Plan #7.
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Video
Notes
- Make sure you use corn tortillas, not flour tortillas.
- Adjust the jalapeno and cayenne pepper to increase or decrease the spice level in this recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent!
Thanks so much! And thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
Can’t wait to try this. Except that she used pinto beans and cream-style corn, the ingredients look very much like my mom’s delicious tamale pie. Sometimes she used corn meal instead of tortillas. Wish I’d paid more attention. I’ve been fumbling around trying to recall exactly what she did and coming up VERY short.
Oh yay!! So happy to know this is close to your mom’s recipe, Sue. The idea to use cornmeal definitely sounds interesting! I actually just made this for a friend whose dad is in the hospital last night – it’s the perfect comfort food! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Is this recipe gluten free, since it uses corn tortillas?
Yes! Corn is technically gluten-free, but you’ll want to double check the label to ensure there is no added wheat flour in the corn tortillas (the large majority of corn tortillas do NOT have flour!) Thanks for the question!
Only change I made was draining to turkey after cooked then instead of Rotel, I used a small can of diced green chiles. Loved it!
Great idea to add the diced green chiles! Sounds delicious! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Hi London. I made this recipe in the morning and am refrigerating it now for tonight’s dinner. Will I need to bake it longer since the casserole will start out at a cooler temperature?
Hi Amber! If you can, try to pull it out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking so it comes close to room temp. At most you should only need to cook it 5-10 minutes longer. Can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂
Thank you. It turned out fabulous. My family loved it!
So so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Loved this recipe! It was easy and fun to make.
That’s awesome, Tiffany! So happy you enjoyed it!
Hello
If I wanted to freeze this, do I do so once assembled, before baking, or do I freeze it once it’s been baked and just remove from freezer and reheat in oven?
Thanks!
Hi Brittany! Great question! My personal preference would be to freeze it before baking. Make sure you defrost it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours for best results. If it’s still a little frozen you may have to bake it longer. Thanks for the question!
I made this tonight added a bit of hot sauce for my family and they loved it. May tweak it with chili beans instead of black beans next time. It was delicious.
That was such a great idea to add a bit of hot sauce, Lauren! Thanks so much for your rating and comment 🙂
love this !! I used ground beef instead of turkey and it was delicious. Quick and easy meal. Thank you for sharing
Hi Dee!! I am SO excited you enjoyed the recipe. Ground beef and turkey sub pretty easily in this recipe depending on what you have on hand. Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
I made this for a Ronald McDonald House meal preparation event. We made 12 casseroles, served a few and froze the rest for future use. Was a HUGE hit !! Everyone wanted the recipe. I’m making it this weekend for friends. I improvise based on what I have on hand, so it’s always a little different, but always great. I think corn tortillas (vs flour) tortillas are key. It’s definitely a great addition to my repertoire. THANK YOU.
Hi Fran!! Wow! 12 casseroles! That is a ton. I am so happy it went so well for you. And I totally agree, corn tortillas are the way to go. Thanks so much for your kind comment and rating 🙂