email this to a friend print close Recipe | Make-Ahead Mexican Lasagna

MAKE-AHEAD MEXICAN LASAGNA

If you like your food on the hot side, use a spicy salsa and stir the jalapeños right into the tomato sauce mixture.

INGREDIENTS
1   1   EACH garlic clove and onion, chopped
1 lb   500 g   Lean Ground Beef or Ground Chuck
1 tbsp   15 mL   chili powder
1 tsp   5 mL   ground cumin
19 oz can   540 mL can   kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup   250 mL   light or regular sour cream
2 tbsp   30 mL   all-purpose flour
7.5 oz can   213 mL can   tomato sauce
1/2 cup   125 mL   salsa
3   3   large flour or corn tortillas
1 cup   250 mL   shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup   125 mL   EACH sliced green olives and crushed tortilla chips
1/4 cup   50 mL   sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped (optional)

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 35 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Cook garlic, onion, ground beef, chili powder and cumin in large skillet using medium heat, for 10 minutes until beef is browned and completely cooked. Drain if necessary. Stir in beans; set aside.

Combine sour cream and flour until smooth; set aside. Combine tomato sauce and salsa; set aside.

Place one and a half tortillas in the bottom of lightly oiled 2 qt (2 L) rectangular baking dish, overlapping slightly. Top with half EACH, meat mixture, sour cream mixture and tomato sauce mixture. Repeat layers. Bake in 350ºF (180ºC) oven for 30 minutes until bubbly. Top with cheese, olives, chips and jalapeño (if using) and bake 5 minutes longer.

NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 6 SERVINGS

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
550 Calories     26 g Fat
33 g Protein     47 g Carbohydrates

TIP
To make ahead, cover uncooked lasagna tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Or over-wrap with foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Thaw in fridge for 48 hours before baking at 350ºF (180ºC) for about 50 minutes. Add toppings and finish baking.