Mexican Lasagna

Everyone loves Taco Tuesday, but we are firm believers that you should spice things up once in a while and this Mexican Lasagna recipe should do just that! Layered with tortilla shells, beef, cheese and a creamy sauce blend, we have a feeling this one-skillet dinner may be replacing standard tacos for a bit. Don’t forget those toppings - this would be great served with sour cream, guacamole or some pico de gallo!

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THE INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. container sour cream
• 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
• 4 oz can green chilis, minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• ½ tsp paprika 
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 12-inch burrito tortilla shells
• 3 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup enchilada sauce, hot sauce or salsa for serving

THE STEPS

1. On the stove top, preheat your 12-inch stargazer cast iron skillet on low heat for 5-10 minutes before gradually turning the heat up to medium high. On a separate burner, in a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, green chilis, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Stir regularly to keep from burning. The goal of this step is to heat the sauce and keep it warm until it is time to layer it into the lasagna. If you have a lower heat setting than low on your stove top, then you can use that to keep the sauce warm.
2. Add two tablespoons of canola oil to the preheated skillet and heat for 1 minute before adding the ground beef. Brown the ground beef for 5-7 minutes until there is little to no pink left in the meat. Be sure to break the ground beef into crumbles with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks.
3. Add the rest of the salt and ground black pepper to the skillet along with the chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper, poblano pepper, yellow onion, plum tomatoes and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. 
4. Remove the saucepan and skillet from the heat. It’s time to assemble our lasagna. First, preheat your oven to 350°F. Next, build your lasagna in a large greased skillet starting with a burrito shell on the bottom, a thin layer of cheese, a ¼” layer of the meat mixture, a thin layer of the sauce to cover the meat, another thin layer of cheese. Add two more identical layers. Top it all off with a tortilla shell and finish by sprinkling the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
5. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and finish in the oven, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Slice and serve warm, topped with your favorite enchilada sauce, hot sauce or salsa. 

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 38 min

Serves: 4-6