Now I know that taco and lasagna are not two words that you usually hear together. But I decided to throw this concoction together one night and I had to give it a name, hence, Taco Lasagna was born. It is a simple, yet delicious dish that can be thrown together rather quickly and it is very customizable. We loved it so much that it will definitely be a regular on our dinner rotation.
You will start by browning 1.5 lbs of ground beef. Once it is cooked, drain the grease. And as I have said before, draining the grease is completely optional and a personal preference.
You will then add one can of undrained Rotel.
Add one can of refried beans.
Then add 2 cups of Spanish Rice. I used 1 package of Ben’s Original Spanish style ready rice.
Season with one packet of your favorite taco seasoning.
Add 1/2 cup of water and mix together really well.
Now you are going to fry up 12-16 tortillas. I prefer corn tortillas but flour tortillas will work just as well. You can skip frying them, but I strongly suggest doing this as it really brings out the flavor of the tortillas. Drain them on paper towels and set aside.
Grate 4 cups of cheese. I used a mixture of sharp cheddar and pepper jack, but use whatever kind you like.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with 4 of the tortillas.
Add a layer of the meat mixture.
Then add a layer of the cheese. Repeat this process 3-4 times or until you have used up all of the ingredients.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
You can eat this just as it is, but I love adding toppings. I used some shredded lettuce, sour cream, jalapenos, and some hot sauce.
And just like that you have a delicious dinner that your whole family is sure to love!
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1 can of Rotel
- 1 can refried beans
- 2 cups Spanish style rice (I used one packet of Ben’s Original Ready Spanish Style Rice)
- 1 Packet of taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup water
- 12-16 corn or flour tortillas
- Vegetable oil for frying the tortillas
- 4 cups grated cheese (I used 2 cups sharp cheddar and 2 cups pepper jack but you can use whatever kind you like.
Directions:
- Brown the ground beef and drain the grease.
- Add the rotel, refried beans, rice, taco seasoning and water. Mix well and set aside.
- In a skillet, heat up about 1/2 cup of oil and fry the tortillas for about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside. (This step is completely optional but I highly recommend as it brings out the flavor in the tortillas.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In an 8×11 baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, add a layer of the meat mixture, then a layer of cheese. Repeat this step 2-3 times until you have used up all of the ingredients.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly.
- Optional – top with any toppings you like.
