Mary Berry Mexican Lasagne Recipe

Mary Berry Mexican Lasagne is a hearty family dinner that combines the comforting layers of traditional lasagne with bold Mexican-inspired flavors. Layers of seasoned beef, tortillas, beans, salsa, and melted cheese create a rich, satisfying dish with plenty of texture. This recipe is easy enough for beginners and perfect for weeknight meals or casual entertaining. Expect a preparation time of around 25 minutes and a total cooking time of about 1 hour.

Ingredients

For the Mexican Beef Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 500g lean minced beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 400g canned chopped tomatoes
• 200g salsa
• 400g black beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Layers

• 6 medium flour tortillas
• 250g mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 100g mozzarella cheese, grated

For Garnishing

• Fresh coriander, chopped
• Sour cream, optional
• Sliced avocado, optional

How to Make Mary Berry Mexican Lasagne Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 190°C or 170°C fan. Lightly grease a large ovenproof baking dish.
• Cook the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
• Brown the beef: Add the minced beef and cook until fully browned, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon.
• Add seasoning: Stir in the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
• Make the filling: Add the chopped tomatoes, salsa, and black beans. Simmer gently for 10 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
• Start layering: Place one tortilla in the base of the baking dish. Spread over some of the beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
• Build the lasagne: Continue layering tortillas, beef filling, and cheese until all ingredients are used. Finish with a generous layer of cheese on top.
• Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and golden.
• Cool slightly: Remove from the oven and allow the lasagne to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Serve: Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with your favorite toppings.

Tips for the Best Mexican Lasagne

How do I stop the lasagne from becoming watery?

Simmer the beef mixture until most excess liquid has evaporated before assembling the layers.

Can I make this recipe spicier?

Add chopped jalapeños, chili flakes, or a spicy salsa to increase the heat level.

What cheese works best?

A combination of mature cheddar and mozzarella provides great flavor and a perfectly melted topping.

Can I prepare it ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the lasagne up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake.

Serving Suggestions

• Fresh guacamole
• Mexican rice
• Corn salad
• Sour cream
• Sliced avocado
• Tortilla chips and salsa

Storage

Room Temperature

Do not leave the lasagne at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Refrigerator

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Freezing

Freeze individual portions or the whole lasagne for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 520 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 34g
• Protein: 33g
• Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 780mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Mexican Lasagne Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Main CourseCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Total time

60

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

1

hour 

A delicious Mexican-inspired layered bake made with seasoned beef, tortillas, beans, salsa, and plenty of melted cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 500g lean minced beef

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 400g chopped tomatoes

• 200g salsa

• 400g black beans, drained

• 6 flour tortillas

• 250g grated cheddar cheese

• 100g mozzarella cheese

• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• Fresh coriander for garnish

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Lightly grease a large baking dish.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan. Cook onion and pepper until softened.
• Add minced beef and cook until browned. Stir in garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.
• Add chopped tomatoes, salsa and black beans. Simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
• Place a tortilla layer in the baking dish and cover with some meat mixture and cheese.
• Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with cheese on top.
• Bake for 30–35 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• Garnish with fresh coriander and serve warm.

Notes

• Allow the lasagne to rest before cutting for cleaner slices.
• Add jalapeños for extra heat.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully the next day.