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Mexican Lasagna ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

Mexican Lasagna ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

Need another inexpensive dinner idea to add to your rotation? If your family loves tacos, cheesy casseroles, and eating on a budget, this Mexican Lasagna recipe is one you’ll want to save!

We sometimes call this recipe “Mexican Lasagna,” “Taco Bake,” or “Taco Pie,” depending on the mood we’re in that particular night! It’s a super simple recipe that I like to throw together whenever I get cheap deals on tortillas or salsa.

I used ground turkey, because that’s what I’ve been able to get most inexpensively recently. But feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken instead! I also added about a cup of leftover cooked rice to add some bulk, but you can leave out the rice, or add a can of corn instead (or an extra can of beans).

If you like sour cream or black olives, they are an amazing garnish to add on top after baking! My family, sadly, won’t touch either one of those lovely additions. I served sautéed green beans on the side to keep this meal frugal, but there are so many side possibilities that work well with this main dish!

This post is part of our $10 Dinner Ideas series, brought to you by Brigette on our team! Each week, she shares easy, delicious, and affordable family-friendly dinner ideas that cost less than $10 to make, use everyday ingredients, and are super quick meals.

Close view of baked Mexican lasagna topped with melted cheddar cheese and cilantro.

Mexican Lasagna Dinner Menu:

Mexican Lasagna
Green Beans

Mexican Lasagna Dinner Ingredients:

Ingredients for Mexican Lasagna:

1 8-count bag of 8-inch tortillas (Publix) — $0.86

1 Tablespoon olive oil (Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons) — $0.22

1 small onion, finely chopped (Aldi) — $0.20

1-lb ground turkey, cooked (Aldi) — $2.45

2 Tablespoons chili powder plus 2 teaspoons cumin (Aldi) — $0.25

Salt to taste

1 cup salsa (Aldi – $1.99 for 2 1/2 cups) — $0.80

1 can chili beans (or black beans) (Aldi) — $0.85

1-2 cups leftover cooked rice (or a can of corn or additional can of beans) (Aldi – 7 1/2 cups dry for $1.99) — $0.13

1 8-oz package cheddar cheese, shredded (Aldi) — $1.65

Chopped cilantro for garnish (Aldi) — $0.25

Total for Mexican Lasagna: $7.66 (serves 6-8)

Ingredients for Sautéed Green Beans:

2 cans green beans, drained (Aldi) — $1.18

3 Tablespoons butter (Aldi – $2.89 per pound) — $0.27

Garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste

Total for Sautéed Green Beans: $1.45 (serves 6)

Grand Total for Dinner: $9.11 (serves 6)

Cheesy taco bake in a white casserole dish served with green beans and fresh cilantro on the side.

How to Make Mexican Lasagna and Sautéed Green Beans:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown. Stir in the cooked ground turkey, 2 Tablespoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, salsa, beans and cooked rice. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or two, until heated through.

Skillet filled with seasoned ground meat, beans, onions, and tomatoes cooking for Mexican lasagna.

3. Cut the tortillas into halves and layer half of them in the 9×13 pan.

Flour tortillas layered across the bottom of a white casserole dish to prepare homemade Taco Bake.

4. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat each layer.

Unbaked taco pie layered in a casserole dish and covered with shredded cheddar cheese.

4. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes (let sit for 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven before cutting). Garnish with cilantro (and sour cream and black olives, if desired).

5. While the Taco Pie is in the oven, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the two cans of green beans. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue frying until the green beans start to brown.

Cooked green beans simmering in a skillet with butter sauce.

6. Serve the green beans alongside the Mexican Lasagna.

White casserole dish filled with cheesy Mexican lasagna served beside a pan of green beans.

Mexican Lasagna and Sautéed Green Beans ($10 Family Dinner Idea)

We sometimes call this recipe “Mexican Lasagna” or “Taco Pie,” depending on the mood we’re in that particular night! It’s a super simple recipe that I like to throw together whenever I get cheap deals on tortillas or salsa, and my whole family loves it! Add whichever toppings and sides you prefer but I made sautéed green beans to keep this meal frugal.

Course dinner, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword easy dinner, easy side dish, family favorite, lasagna, weeknight dinner

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Cooling Time 20

Servings

Calories 458kcal

Author Brigette

Cost $9.11

Ingredients

Ingredients for Mexican Lasagna:

1 bag 8-inch tortillas (8-count) Publix — $0.86
1 Tablespoon olive oil Aldi – $7.25 for 33 tablespoons — $0.22
1 small onion finely chopped (Aldi) — $0.20
1- lb ground turkey cooked (Aldi) — $2.45
2 Tablespoons chili powder Aldi — $0.25
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt to taste
1 cup salsa Aldi – $1.99 for 2 1/2 cups — $0.80
1 can chili beans or black beans (Aldi) — $0.85
1-2 cups leftover cooked rice or a can of corn or additional can of beans (Aldi – 7 1/2 cups dry for $1.99) — $0.13
1 package cheddar cheese (8-oz) shredded (Aldi) — $1.65
Chopped cilantro for garnish Aldi — $0.25

Ingredients for Sautéed Green Beans:

2 cans green beans drained (Aldi) — $1.18
3 Tablespoons butter Aldi – $2.89 per pound — $0.27
Garlic powder salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and stir until beginning to brown. Stir in the cooked ground turkey, 2 Tablespoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, salsa, beans and cooked rice. Add salt to taste. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute or two, until heated through.
Cut the tortillas into halves and layer half of them in the 9×13 pan.
Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the shredded cheese. Repeat each layer.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes (let sit for 20 minutes after taking it out of the oven before cutting). Garnish with cilantro (and sour cream and black olives, if desired).
While the Mexican lasagna is in the oven, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the two cans of green beans. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Continue frying until the green beans start to brown.
Serve the green beans alongside the Mexican Lasagna.