Mexican Lasagna (Tortillas and Cottage Cheese)
Mexican lasagna is one of those always ready recipes. Make ahead and freeze-ahead perfect, this fun version layers a tomato sauce spiked with spices, salsa, cheese, and meat for a savory family pleasing meal for those times when you need more than a taco.
Make Ahead | Freezer Friendly
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Does taco night ever feel boring?
It’s not for me either. But sometimes it’s fun to have a little change. Delicious, casserole, Mexican lasagna change.
It’s also a favorite for giving. I think I’ve probably made if for just about everyone I know who has had a baby or some kind of surgery and not only does it taste awesome, but you can make it ahead and refrigerate it for a day or even two if you have to before you cook it and it still turns out well.
this Mexican lasagna is so flexible, you can easily swap in ingredients that your family prefers.
How to customize your Mexican lasagna
- I always recommend that you skip the gluten and MSG and pre packaged Taco seasoning and make your own. You can check out my homemade taco seasoning recipe here.
- Use any level of heat that you like in your version. Feel free to use hot salsa, and extra spicy taco seasoning.
- You could easily swap the ground beef in this version for shredded chicken, ground turkey, or even ground venison.
- Use any cheese your family enjoys.
- To make this gluten free, make sure that your taco seasoning is gluten free and use a gluten free tortilla.
Mexican lasagna steps
Cook, crumble and drain ground beef 
Add tomato sauce, spices and simmer 15 minutes to thicken 
Mix egg, oregano, and cottage cheese and set aside 
Add tortillas to the bottom of a 9×13 pan
Spread on 1/3 of the meat mixture 
Spread on 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture 
Add cheddar cheese and black olives 
Repeat tortilla layer 
Repeat meat layer and cheeses 
Top with tortillas and one more layer of meat and cheddar cheese then bake
How to freeze Mexican Lasagna
This casserole can also be frozen after assembly. Just wrap it well and it should keep for a month or longer. Just set it in the fridge to thaw overnight. If you’re like me when I do that, it doesn’t thaw. You may have to set it out on the counter for a couple of hours before baking.
Mexican Lasagna
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup salsa mild, medium or hot
- 1 package taco seasoning or your own
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce not spaghetti sauce
- 16 ounces cottage cheese small curd
- 2 egg
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 cup black olives sliced
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shred then measure
- 1 package 10″ flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9×13 pan and set aside.
- In a large skillet cook, crumble and drain the ground beef. Add the salsa, tomato sauce and taco seasoning and stir to combine. Simmer on low heat 10-15 minutes.
- In a separate bowl mix the cottage cheese, egg and oregano and mix well. Set aside.
- In a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish, begin your layers starting with tortillas on the bottom. It’s okay if they overlap. Next spread 1/3 of the meat mixture, 1/2 of the cottage cheese, and 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Dot with a few black olives. Repeat tortillas, sauce and cheeses for a second layer, using the last half of the cottage cheese mixture.Top with a third layer of tortillas and spread over the last third of the sauce. Do your best to cover any exposed tortillas or they get really crispy.
- Cover with remaining cheese and black olives and bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting.
Great to make ahead.