[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.
I am excited to make this for the 1st time. Is it better to make it ahead and bake right before eating or can you bake it and reheat later?
You can do it either way! I personally like to bake it right before eating, though. Hope you enjoy the recipe, Gail! 🙂
This was excellent and easy. We don’t like chunky tomatoes, so I pureed an 8oz can along with a cup of medium heat salsa.. I will make this again.
That was a great idea, Glenda! So happy you all enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and rating 🙂
i made this. did not have corn, so i used rice instead. good idea.
Hi London. I want to make this casserole recipe as written but my husband prefers crunchy tacos. Was thinking of layering half using corn tortillas for myself and the other half using broken white corn taco shells. What do you suggest re layering the shells? Just break up on the bottom and top?
Great question, Kathy! You might be better off breaking apart some crunchy tacos on top when serving. If you add them into the casserole they’ll inevitably get soft due to the liquid they’ll absorb while cooking. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Do you drain the tomatoes too?
Nope! No need to drain the tomatoes. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
This was good, added rotel tomatoes and a fresh jalapeno with seeds, perfect heat. Will make again.
Have you ever tried freezing and heating later? If so, do you know best cook times?
Great question, Amanda! I haven’t tried freezing it, but I bet it would freeze beautifully. To reheat I would let it thaw to at least refrigerator temperature and then pop it back in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes!
I just made this dish. Everybody loves it! Great recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for the comment/rating!
Your welcome! I did use chicken instead of turkey. Amazing
Oh that’s great to know! I haven’t tried it with chicken yet. I bet it was amazing 🙂
Hi London , I don’t like canned corn can I use frozen corn instead of canned corn? This Mexican Lasagna looks great, I just don’t want to mess it up with frozen corn. Thank You, Nannette
Yes, Nannette! You can absolutely use frozen corn – just make sure you thaw it before adding it to the lasagna. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Delicious! Whole family loved this dish!
Yay, Sandi! Happy to hear the whole fam loved it. Thanks so much for your comment and rating!