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Stacked Beef Enchiladas (AKA Mexican Lasagna)

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With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked beef enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.

serving slice of stacked beef enchiladas.

You know when you make a dish for the first time and your whole family loves it, and you’re thrilled because you’ve found a new recipe to add to your repertoire forever? That’s how I felt the first time I cooked these hearty stacked beef enchiladas. With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, roasted tomato salsa, and cheese, it’s a cross between traditional beef enchiladas and lasagna — yet easier to make than both. It’s a great make-ahead dish for a potluck or big family dinner. And if you prepare the sauce in advance, it’s doable on a weeknight, too.

What You’ll Need To Make Stacked Beef Enchiladas

stacked beef enchiladas ingredients
  • Ground Beef: The main protein that fills the layers of the enchiladas. 90% lean beef is ideal for its lower fat content while still providing rich flavor (with extra lean beef, there is no need to drain the fat).
  • Baking Soda: Used for tenderizing the beef.
  • Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic: These ingredients are used to create a vibrant and rich sauce, essentially a roasted tomato salsa.
  • Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Chili Pepper: This spice trio infuses the dish with earthy, spicy, and smoky notes, giving the enchiladas bold Mexican flavor.
  • Cilantro: Adds a pop of herbal freshness and color.
  • Yellow Corn Tortillas: The foundation for the stacked enchiladas, these tortillas are cut into quarters for easy layering.
  • Mexican Blend Cheese: A mix of cheeses that includes cheddar and Monterey Jack, this blend melts beautifully, creating gooey, stretchy layers that bind the enchiladas together.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Tenderize the Beef

To begin, mash the ground beef and the baking soda in a large bowl and let sit on the counter for about 20 minutes. The baking soda raises the pH of the meat, helping to lock in moisture and make the beef melt-in-your-mouth tender.

mashed ground beef and baking soda.

Step 2: Make the Sauce

Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on a foil-lined baking sheet.

tomatoes, onions, and garlic on baking sheet.

Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula).

roasted tomatoes and vegetables on baking sheet.

Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky — then toss in the cilantro leaves.

adding cilantro to blended vegetables in food processor.

Pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.

finished roasted tomato salsa in food processor.

Step 3: Make the Beef Filling

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes.

sautéing ground beef in skillet.

Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.

browned ground beef in skillet.

Step 4: Assemble the Casserole

Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won’t cook through.) Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly.

layer of corn tortillas in baking dish.

Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas, followed by half of the sauce.

first layer of salsa in baking dish

Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the sauce.

first layer of cheese in baking dish.

Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and 1/3 of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved cup of sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top.

finished stacked enchilada casserole ready to bake.

Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.

baked stacked enchiladas fresh out of the oven.

Slice the stacked enchiladas into squares and serve.

removing slice of stacked beef enchiladas from baking dish

Video Tutorial

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Stacked Beef Enchiladas (AKA Mexican Lasagna)

With layers of corn tortillas, spicy ground beef, salsa and cheese, this stacked beef enchilada casserole is a huge family-pleaser.

Servings: 8
Total Time: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Beef

  • 1½ pounds 90% lean ground beef
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1½ teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper (see note)
  • 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Sauce

  • 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 1.3 lb), quartered
  • 2 medium yellow onions, cut into ½-inch wedges
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves

For Assembling

  • 10 (8-in) yellow corn tortillas, cut into quarters (I use Mission brand)
  • 4 cups (12 oz) shredded Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and the baking soda. Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Let sit on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. While the beef sits, prepare the sauce. Set an oven rack about 5 inches beneath the heating element and preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
  3. Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic with the vegetable oil directly on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until softened and charred, 12 to15 minutes (if the vegetables are browning too quickly, give them a quick stir with a rubber spatula). Transfer the vegetables and juices to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add the salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and pulse until just slightly chunky. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is chopped. Set the sauce aside.
  4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently and breaking into pieces, until just slightly pink, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes more, or until cooked through.
  5. To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F and move the oven rack to the center position. Lightly oil a 9x13-in glass or ceramic baking dish.
  6. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce for the top of the casserole. (You want to ensure that you have enough to cover the top layer of tortillas, otherwise they won't cook through.)
  7. Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a layer of tortillas, overlapping them slightly. Spoon half of the beef (and any juices) over the tortillas. Top with half of the sauce and ⅓ of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the remaining beef, remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas. Spread the reserved sauce over the tortillas and cover completely. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is completely melted.
  8. Note: Ground chipotle chile pepper is smoky and hot and makes this dish a little spicy. For a milder dish, replace the ground chipotle chile pepper with ground ancho chili pepper, which isn't as hot.
  9. MAKE-AHEAD/FREEZER-FRIENDLY INSTRUCTIONS: The casserole can be prepared ahead of time, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months before baking (if frozen, defrost in the refrigerator before cooking). It can also be fully baked, tightly covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat: defrost if necessary and heat the covered casserole in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, or until hot. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, small portions can be zapped in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 491
  • Fat: 32 g
  • Saturated fat: 11 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21 g
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Sodium: 608 mg
  • Cholesterol: 96 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.

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Comments

  • Just made this tonight! I completely forgot to add cilantro to the broiled veggies so I just sprinkled it on top of the lasagne after it was done. Was still amazing! I also used 1.3 lb of beef but it was still plenty. Thank you for your easy yet amazing recipes!!!

  • Another great recipe! I love being able to use all the fresh ingredients!

  • I have made many of your recipes and always love them. I made these for dinner the other night because I had leftover tortillas and cheese. I had 3 poblano chillis in the refrigerator so I added them to the roasted vegetables for the sauce. It turned out great. The poblanos added a lot of flavor to the dish plus a little heat.
    Next time you make this try it!

  • Thanks for this family-pleasing recipe. I reduced the chipotle powder to 1 teaspoon, because I did not have ancho powder and my 11-year-old prefers less spicy food. He ate it with a dollop of sour cream on top (to cut any spiciness). The 14-year-old and my husband liked it too. Hit the spot! I’d give it 4.5 stars but will round up.

    • — Laurie Atkinson
    • Reply
  • I love the recipes I have tried of yours. I am Mexican and beef enchiladas have red chile sauce, that’s how we ate them. I admit I questioned the ingredients. But let’s try it! OMG!! These enchiladas are so yummy!! I made them again. I enjoyed them even more as I didn’t get heartburn…bonus!!!

  • A hit with the family! We do not have tortilla wraps so used the normal Mission wrap and it worked well. Your recipes are so simple and clear, yet the results looked like it took lots of effort!

  • so my husband is not fond of tomatoes, does the sauce have a strong tomato taste?

    • Unfortunately, it does — sorry!

  • Terrific as are all of your recipes! This was delicious, we all enjoyed it very much, great flavors and I can’t wait to make again. You are definitely becoming part of the family, I think I made four of your recipes this week, all with great success! Thank you for your always wonderful recipes!

  • Just made this for the second time and it’s a hit! Both times I used ancho chili powder instead of chipotle because my kids are a bit spice-adverse, but they both encouraged me to try the chipotle next time. The recipe is a bit involved but definitely worth it. I didn’t have enough corn tortillas on hand (and good luck finding them in the supermarkets in NJ right now) so we made some of our own. Even better! And it reheats portioned out beautifully.

  • Easy to make and delicious! Definitely putting into my cookbook for favorites

  • I made this last night for dinner for my children along with the black bean & corn salad with chipotle honey vinaigrette. Both were delicious! I especially loved the charred tomato and onion sauce. A nice change from regular taco night.
    Jennifer, I discovered your website in the fall looking for pumpkin muffin recipes and it has become my go-to for dinner ideas. I have yet to try something I did not like. Thanks for not only delicious, but easy and reliable recipes. Keep them coming!!

    • So glad you like the recipes, Shay! 🙂

  • Hi Jenn,
    I am making this yummy looking dish today and have a general question. When I cook, I usually use Kosher salt for cooking and reserve table salt for baking and “table”. When your recipes say “salt” do you mean table or kosher?
    Thanks for all of the delicious food I have cooked for my family based on your recipes!!

    • Glad you like the recipes! 🙂 When a recipe of mine says salt in the ingredient list, I am referring to regular/table salt. If it calls for something else like kosher salt, I will specify that in the recipe. And while it doesn’t make a huge difference, different salts have different-sized grains and so you may end up using a bit more or a bit less if you use a different type of salt than the recipe calls for. Hope that clarifies!

  • I have a gas oven, and the broiler feature is basically useless because it is only one thin unit and gets the middle of a sheet pan. If I roasted the tomatoes and onions instead – what heat would you recommend and for how long? It wouldn’t get the char I don’t think, but I am hoping that would work. Thanks!

    • Hi Beth, you could get away with roasting the tomatoes and onions — I’d set the oven to 450°F [230ºC] and roast them for 30 to 35 minutes, until the onions are browned on top and the tomatoes are golden and caramelized on the bottom. Hope that helps!

      • Thanks!

  • I made this tonight because I read the recipe a while ago and I thought it looked delicious. I used flour tortillas instead of corn ones, they were a bit mushy but it still tasted good. Loved the seasonings. Used chillies in adobe sauce and that worked out fine. Also added more vegetables to the sauce. My family went for second helpings even though they are usually not great big fans of Mexican spices! It was a great meal!

  • This recipe is easy to make. Like all of your recipes Jenn, the seasoning amounts are spot on. That’s not a strength of mine and I can always rely on you to pull it together. I find recipes that only say “season to taste” not particularly helpful! I loved the flavors in this dish and give it five stars for that reason. My own personal preference though is I didn’t care for the texture of the corn tortillas. That’s just me though, not the recipe. I could only find white corn tortillas, but I wouldn’t think yellow corn tortillas would change much. Any suggestion for what I could use instead? I think adding black beans and maybe some chunky tomatoes but would be yummy additions. Thanks for another flavorful hit Jenn!

    • Hi Angelique, Glad you enjoyed this! I do think corn tortillas hold up better here, but some readers have commented that they have used flour tortillas with success. Hope that helps! 🙂

  • Hello Jenn,
    Not a fan of onions, even cooked. I break that rule once in a while. I put a very small one in your beef stew recipe. Have made it many times. What a great recipe!
    Would you suggest another vegetable such as green or even red peppers in place of the onion for the roasting process or would you leave well enough alone and just use the tomatoes and garlic?
    Can’t wait to make this.
    Love so many of your recipes : ).
    Thanks,
    Rebecca

    • Hi Rebecca, I think diced bell pepper would be a nice addition here. Hope you enjoy!

  • This was a snow day so we used whatever was in the pantry! Here are the changes:
    – made it with ground turkey.
    – didn’t have corn tortillas so we used four sun dried tomato basil wraps.
    – added a can of black beans.
    – only had a few small tomatoes so added a can of stewed tomatoes
    – put a layer of tortillas on the bottom, most everything in the middle and a layer of wraps on top. Covered with sauce and cheese.

    It was yummy! The sauce was great – the roasting gave the sauce a great flavor.

  • I’d like to use either ground turkey or ground chicken. Which would be better and does quantity change? Do I still use baking powder?

    • Hi Julia, both the turkey and chicken would be equally good, so you can go with whichever you’d prefer (the quantity will remain the same and you don’t need to use the baking powder). Hope you enjoy!

  • Excellent recipe. We only enjoyed 6 servings, maybe because I used .25lb less ground beef. I forgot to buy the cilantro, so used parsley from my garden. I substituted aleppo pepper for cayenne, because we don’t do well with heat. Next time I make it I will try the cayenne because the overall flavor is mild. Our store had the little mission street taco Corn tortillas on sale. I think they worked awesome in this recipe. They seem to be a little thinner than standard corn tortillas, and less stiff. They held up well.

    • Spot on – just like every one of your recipes I’ve tried! I made two batches this week to freeze some to help get us through a kitchen remodel in Jan. We ate each batch fresh out of the oven and saved the rest. Amazing family friendly recipe (I did ancho and skipped any extra heat).
      The second time I made it I reduced the salt in the sauce by about 25%, that was my only adjustment. This recipe is perfect as written!! Thank you!

  • Hi Jen
    I’m hoping to make this for a potluck but I don’t have a food processor. Could I use a hand blender? Secondly, I’m not sure I can find chipotle chili powder here in Canada but I think I can find canned or dried ones. How might a substitute?

    Thanks Jen! I always love your recipes!

    • Hi Jen, yes, an immersion blender should work here and if you can find canned chipotles in adobo sauce, I’d use one pepper plus a little bit of the sauce. Hope you enjoy!

    • This response is a little late, but for future reference, Bulk Barn carries “Chipotle Powder Pure” in their bulk spice section. At least mine does, near Ottawa.

  • I made this dish for our family’s traditional gingerbread house decorating evening for family and friends. Everyone loved it! Thank you! Question – why do you use vegetable oil instead of olive oil? Would olive oil work? Also, I would like to add beans and green chiles. Thoughts?

    • Glad it was a hit! I used vegetable oil as it has a very mild flavor, but if you’d prefer to use olive oil, that will work. And yes, I think it would be fine to add some beans and green chilies. Please LMK how it turns out with those tweaks!

  • As usual…perfection! Made this last night with your Mexican rice. Both were DELICIOUS! Spice ratios were spot on. So much flavor. I love trying all of your recipes because they are always perfect. I’m such s fan! Thank you!

  • Very good. As usual, Jennifer nails the seasoning!

  • OK, I know this is a weird question, but do you think I could use green tomatoes for this recipe? I am trying to find something to do with all these end of season green tomatoes…

    I’m giving it 5 stars because this is already a family favorite in it’s original form!

    • Hi Daria, I totally understand not wanting your tomatoes to go to waste! While I think, technically it would work, the salsa will have a lot less flavor. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!

  • If I’m trying to increase the amount of vegetables in this dish (and my toddler hates salad), could I double or 1.5x the sauce? Or would that be too much sauce? Thank you!

    • Hi Val, I think you can get away with making 1.5 times the sauce. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • Thank you! I increased the sauce by 1.5 and kept everything else the same. It tasted great so I’ll continue doing that in the future. The sauce is the real winner of this recipe – so flavorful!

        • So glad it worked out!

  • Really good. The family liked it. My grocery store was out of corn tortillas so I made it with flour tortillas. Will not do that again as they got mushy. But it tasted great other than that. I served with the cilantro lime sweet corn and Mexican rice pilaf recipes that was suggested. Yum!

  • Thank you for yet another amazingly delicious recipe. I wasn’t sure about making this one but my husband loves Mexican food so I decided to make it tonight. It was amazing!!!
    You have taught me to enjoy cooking and with your recipes – they are all hits. Thank you so much.
    An actual comment from my BIL after making your Asian Slaw “I usually hate salads but this is fantastic”. Thanks again! Leanne (Aus)

  • This was delicious! Another winner for my picky family. Even my Puerto Rican fiancé who’s very fussy about his Spanish food since he grew up with authentic meals said that it was very good and went back for seconds. This will be on regular rotation in my house now.

  • I am planning to prepare the Stacked Beef Enchiladas and have a question about the sauce. I bought a bag of vine ripe tomatoes that totals 2 lbs. There are 6 tomatoes of medium size 2.5-3″ in diameter. I guess I should halve them rather than quarter them? I will keep an eye on them but do you think the broiling time will be shorter or about the same? My 2 onions are 8 oz. and 11 oz. and I will cut them into 1/2 inch wedges.

    I have another question about the Cilantro Lime Sweet Corn side dish that you suggest with the Enchiladas. Should I add some coriander spice to the corn if I am not going to use cilantro?

    • Hi Jo, I would still quarter the tomatoes — it won’t make much difference — and I think the broiling time will be about the same. And, yes, I would add coriander spice to the corn. Enjoy!

  • I love this recipe!!! I actually did not add salt to the meat and I used 1/2 as much salt called for in the sauce. This is a very “clean” recipe that uses minimal processed ingredients which is important to me. This will be in heavy rotation in my monthly menu planning.

    • — Christina Stirling
    • Reply
  • This is an easy and delicious recipe – thank you, Jenn!

    • — Corinne Forster
    • Reply
  • Hi Jenn,

    Am trying to decide whether to make Stacked Enchiladas or Sloppy Joes for company that I am having in July. I have made the enchiladas twice before for company and everyone agreed that they were delicious! However, I have two questions:

    1. Can I add anything to increase the heat/spiciness of the sauce? My company is from Colorado and they like their Mexican food somewhat on the hot side.
    2. Why do the enchiladas need to be baked in a glass dish? Would a metal dish dry them out?

    Thanks again for your fabulous recipes, this website, and your great advice!

    • Hi Hannah, in regard to your first question, you could add red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeno to the vegetables in the sauce mixture (for more heat, include some of the seeds). And it’s perfectly fine to bake them in a metal dish. Hope you enjoy whatever you make! 🙂

  • Jen: I’m another reader who is just in love with your recipes. They are always well received and delicious. Question. Would you think okay to use flour tortillas instead of corn enchiladas in this recipe? My family are not big enchilada fans.

    • So glad you enjoy the recipes, Becky! 🙂
      I do think corn tortillas work much better here. That said, some readers have commented that they have used flour tortillas with success. Hope you enjoy if you make it!

      • Hi Jenn,

        Can I heat this up in the morning, put it in a thermos, then eat it for lunch? What I’m trying to say is, will it be fine after a few hours in a warm thermos, or will it become soggy and inedible? TIA!

        • Hi Jenny, I think it will definitely still be edible; just not as good as right out of the oven. Hope that helps!

  • Hi Jenn! I really loved this dish. Super easy to put together, and my family loved it. I used turkey instead of beef, and it came out great! Thank you!

  • These really are brilliant. I used tostadas in place of tortillas, just on a hunch and it worked out really well. Also, put the cooked ground beef into the food processor for a couple of turns, just to get a finer grain (I just like it that way and do the same thing when making tacos). The seasoning comes through amazingly delicious and well balanced. Unfortunately my 6 and 9 y/o’s were not wild about these flavors, so sadly, it won’t make into the regular rotation, but definitely one to make for the adults from time to time. A really good Tex-Mex dish. Many thanks!

  • Will be making this lasagna over the weekend for company, and am sure it will be as delicious as all your other recipes. However, I can’t find chipotle chili powder in the store, but can find (1) ground chipotle and (2) hot chili powder. Which one would you use? I am thinking that ground chipotle is the same as chipotle chili powder but am not sure. Thanks in advance for your advice–and great recipes!

    • Hi Hannah, Glad you like the recipes! I would think that the ground chipotle powder is the same as chipotle chili powder so I’d go that route. Hope everyone enjoys!

    • I used ordinary ground chipotle poweder (McCormack). Worked really, really well.

  • Hi Jenn,

    Big fan, haven’t had a miss on any of your recipes!

    Quick question:

    Can this dish be cooked from frozen? If so, how would you adjust cooking time/temp?

    I prepared the mexican lasanga yesterday and popped it in the freezer for another time…However, the family spotted it and now would like to have it for dinner tonight.

    Thank you so much 🙂

    • Hi Jacklyn, Unfortunately, I think I’m responding a bit too late for your dinner the other night! Have you already eaten it or is it still in the freezer? Either way, there are reheating instructions at the bottom of the recipe. Sorry for the delayed response!

  • Does each large vine-ripened tomatoe need to weigh (about 1.3 lb)? Or is it 1.3 lb total weight for all four tomatoes combined?

    • You’ll need a total of 1.3 pounds. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!

  • This was another hit with our family – double thumbs up from everyone, even my son who usually doesn’t like anything “casseroley”. I made it just like the recipe said, just kept the spices to a minimum since the chef (me!) can’t eat anything too spicy. The guys just added more at the table. And I added some cheddar to the mixed cheeses. The color even looked great. Thanks again, Jenn!

  • Hi Jen,

    I absolutely love your recipes and cannot wait to make this. Can you make it the night before? If so, do you change baking instructions at all?

    • Hi Kate, Yes, you can fully assemble and refrigerate this for up to 2 days or even bake it and refrigerate for a few days. See the bottom of the recipe for detailed instructions. Hope you enjoy! 🙂

  • Hi Jenn!
    Can’t wait to try this recipe! What do you serve with it as a side?

    • — Robin Gabrielle
    • Reply
    • Hi Robin, This is a one-pan meal so you don’t much other than a green salad with it. That said, it pairs well with Mexican rice, corn and guacamole. You’ll find links to specific recipes underneath the cooking instructions. Hope that helps!

  • Can this recipe be made without the tortillas? I am trying to cut back on carbs.
    It does sound delish.
    Thank you!

    • Hi Brenda, Unfortunately, they can’t be omitted here. Sorry!

  • I want to make this. What is Mexican blend cheese and if I can’t find it in my store what can I substitute for it?

    • Hi Judy, It’s usually a blend a Jack and Cheddar, so you can combine those.

      • So probably a stupid question, but what if I don’t have a food processor for the veggies? What would recommend, I really want to try this! ☺️

        • Hi Amanda, Do you have a blender?

  • Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite recipes for 2018. I usually make it the day before serving so all the flavors will blend.

  • The smell in the kitchen as I roasted the tomatoes, onions, and garlic was scrumptious! Nice dish to bake the night before and pull out just in time for the football game. Family loved it and said to double the sauce. Wonderful blend of flavors to enjoy in every bite.

    • — Nancy Burroughs
    • Reply
  • Jenn,

    Simply delicious & so easy to prepare. The sauce would have rated an Academy Award had one been available!
    Since some of our family has to visit early for their Christmas visit we celebrated with this recipe & you should have heard the “ooh’s & aah’s” & everyone took your recipe home with the them. I made no substations or additions as this was the first time I had made it; I might add a bit more heat the next time for my family but will always use your recipe for guests.
    Thank you Jenn, at least half of my cooking is using your trusted recipes. Thank you ever so much for perfecting them for us.

  • Oh my….this was absolutely DELICIOUS!! It’s my “go-to” recipe for a make-ahead Mexican meal. Sometimes I add one or all of the following––fresh corn, black beans, pre-grilled zucchini but the basic recipe is fabulous as written. The seasoning is spot on and the fact that you can make it ahead is a PLUS. Makes for a great home-cooked as well as “company-worthy” meal. With the suggested sides you can’t go wrong.

  • I’ve made similar layered dishes like this, but like your recipe the best. Roasting and blending the vegetables takes it to a whole new level and it’s fun and easy. My hubby said this was a keeper and he’s not real big on Tex mex.

  • This was absolutely delicious!

  • I made this tonight with white tortillas and chiles in adobo instead of the chili powder. Turned out well, but next time I would cut the salt in the sauce by at least half. I might also try it with ground chicken to lighten things up and to really let the sauce shine through.

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