It’s always a good night for Taco Lasagna. It’s comfort food on a rainy day, (we know a little bit about that!) celebration food for a party, fun food for casual potluck, and an easy meal for a hectic week and a harried cook. Plus – no one will ever say, “I don’t like Taco Lasagna”. What’s not to like, it’s a taco, a lasagna, and a delicious dinner.
That’s why Merryll Rose invited me to come to NewsChannel 5 and make it on Talk of The Town yesterday (CLICK TO VIEW). It’s just one of those addictive recipes, the kind that once you know about it, you must have it. The crew at TOTT seemed to agree. I think it made for a tasty lunch for some of my favorite people.
There are lots of surprisingly good things about Taco Lasagna. It’s actually pretty healthy made with high fiber flour tortillas and lots of vegetables. It’s fun to serve and to eat because the toppings make it possible to customize according to taste. Choices for toppings include sour cream, black olives, jalapenos, cilantro, green onions, red peppers, and according to my husband, Fritos and extra cheese. Taco Lasagna is also a complete meal in one casserole. I guess you could toss a bit of lettuce in an easy oil and vinegar dressing for a side dish if you want to get fancy, but that’s what all those tasty toppings are about. Best of all, not only is it amazingly quick to make, but you can assemble the casserole a day ahead, store it in the fridge and bake it the next day. This recipe easily feeds eight to ten very hungry people, so another option is to bake it in two smaller dishes, freeze half of it for a family dinner at a later date, or share one with a friend. It’s such a breeze to make. The meat sauce is quickly cooked with a chopped onion and green pepper. Add taco seasoning, tomatoes, beans and corn. While that simmers layer tortillas in a casserole dish and spread with canned refried beans. Layer on the meat sauce, add cheese and repeat with another layer. Top with more tortillas and cheese and it’s ready to go.
Doesn’t this sound like the perfect dinner for tonight, tomorrow, next week, and your next party? This is one to love. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 lb ground turkey (or beef)
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 packages Taco seasoning (low sodium)
2 cups picante sauce
14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
4 oz can chopped green chilies
15 oz can black beans, drained
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
8 large flour tortillas
15 oz can refried beans
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Directions
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and cook turkey until no longer pink, draining any access liquid.
Add onion and bell pepper to turkey and continue to sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in Taco seasoning to coat turkey, add picante sauce and tomatoes.
Add green chilies, black beans, and corn, and continue to simmer while assembling tortillas.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Line with one third of the tortillas. (Hint: cut tortillas in half for easy placement.)
Spread tortillas with half of the refried beans. (Hint: heat beans in the microwave to make more spreadable).
Top tortillas with half of the meat mixture and 1 cup of cheese.
Continue with a second layer of tortillas, beans, meat mixture, and cheese.
Top with remaining tortillas and cheese.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, uncover and bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is bubbly.
Serve with optional toppings: Jalapeno peppers, black olives, sour cream, green onions, chopped red pepper, and cilantro.
