Taco Lasagna is a delicious casserole that’s the perfect mashup of Mexican meets Italian. Layers of seasoned beef, cheese, and tortillas are cooked to perfection in the air fryer or oven. A great weeknight meal that also freezes well for easy meal prep.
I find that having weekly theme nights like Mexican Monday, pizza night, or casserole night makes meal planning and prep so much easier. Plus, it’s tons of fun!
And one of my family’s most requested dishes for Mexican Night is this Taco Lasagna. What exactly is taco lasagna? It’s the perfect mash-up of a Mexican food favorite and that classic Italian layered casserole.
Made with tortillas instead of noodles, layers of meat and cheese, air fry taco lasagna is much easier to make than standard Italian lasagna and can also be baked in the oven. We’re talking all the deliciousness of tacos in easy-to-eat lasagna form!
For even more awesome family meals, check out these flavorful Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin Fajitas, this crispy Air Fryer Eggplant Parmesan, and my zesty Buffalo Chicken Baked Feta Pasta.
Whether you decide to use the air fryer or make it in your oven, this Taco Lasagna is a perfect weeknight meal. Plus, you can even prep it ahead of time and freeze it until needed. #easymealsforthewin
Why Make This Recipe
- Crowd Pleaser – This tasty recipe will be a hit with both kids and adults alike.
- Make Ahead – Prep ahead and freeze for later use.
- Pantry Friendly – Just a handful of everyday staple ingredients are all that’s needed.
- No Mess or Fuss – This no-fuss, easy-to-assemble casserole eliminates the mess and makes clean up a breeze.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil – Or use your favorite light, neutral-flavored oil.
- Aromatics – Combine chopped onion and minced garlic for flavor and aroma.
- Ground Beef – Cook ground beef or use ground turkey or chicken for leaner taco meat.
- Taco Seasoning – Combine oregano, cumin, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to make a homemade taco seasoning, or use a premade taco seasoning blend.
- Adobo – This chili paste adds a bit of heat and a smoky flavor.
- Tomato Sauce – Use plain tomato sauce rather than pizza sauce or anything with Italian seasoning.
- Cheese – Layer with shredded cheddar cheese or any shredded Mexican cheese blend.
- Tortillas – Use flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or gluten-free tortillas.
Ready to learn how to make this air fryer taco lasagna? Gather up thoser ingredients, and I will show you…
How To Make Easy Taco Lasagna
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and the ground beef, cooking until the beef is browned.
- Add in the spices and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Start to assemble the lasagna by placing a tortilla on the bottom of your air fryer basket or a baking dish.
- Next, add a layer of ground beef, then a layer of cheese, and continue this process. Finish with a final tortilla topped with cheese.
- Air fry or bake in the oven following the instructions below.
How To Make Air Fryer Taco Lasagna
Assemble the lasagna as directed above directly in the basket of your air fryer. Cook at 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.
How To Bake This Mexican Lasagna
Assemble the lasagna ingredients in a pie plate or casserole dish following the directions above. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Expert Tips
- Cook the meat before layering your lasagna.
- If you want a spicier version, add chopped jalapeno when you cook the beef. You could also add spicy pepper jack cheese.
- Use plain canned tomato sauce, not pizza or spaghetti sauce, as those often have Italian flavors and seasonings added.
- Divide the meat mixture into three parts so you finish with a tortilla layer. This will help your lasagna to hold its shape better and be easily cut into single servings.
- Top with shredded cheese and serve with your favorite taco toppings.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. It will hold together better when cutting.
- Make enough ingredients for two casseroles and freeze one for later by following the instructions below.
Delicious Variations
- Top It Off – Top slices of this lasagna with chopped black olives, cilantro, guacamole, sour cream or your favorite salsa.
- Fill With Veggies – Add additional veggies to the meat mixture, such as corn, bell peppers, zucchini or squash.
- Leave Out The Meat – You can make this meatless by substituting the beef with your favorite beans such as black beans or pinto beans.
- Add a Side – Corn, refried beans, Mexican rice, and salad all make great side dishes for this casserole.
Prep and Storage
- Make Ahead – Make the meat mixture in advance and assemble the lasagne as directed. Cover the whole thing with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Pull it out of the fridge one hour in advance and bake or air fry according to the recipe.
- Store – Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- Freeze – To freeze this Mexican casserole, just follow the make ahead instructions and put it into the freezer for 3 to 6 months. Defrost by placing in the fridge overnight. Set the casserole on the counter one hour before cooking and bake or air fry according to the recipe.
- Reheat – Reheat individual slices in the microwave until warm. You can also reheat in the air fryer.
FAQs
It’s easy to make a few adjustments to make a healthier version of this recipe. Try replacing the ground beef with ground turkey or chicken, or eliminate the meat altogether and use black beans instead. You can also make this recipe with reduced-fat cheese.
No problem. Whether you don’t like flour tortillas or avoid them due to a gluten intolerance you can make this recipe without them. Corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas are great substitutes, and you will be able to assemble and cook the casserole as instructed.
You can double or even triple this recipe. If you are using your air fryer you can make it as big as your air fryer basket allows. If cooking in a casserole dish in the oven, make sure to slightly overlap the tortillas when doubling or tripling the recipe.
More Recipes You May Like
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas. An easy weeknight dinner for the family.
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast. Loved by the whole family.
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. Crispy and great for meal prep.
- Air Fryer Frozen Taquitos. Pull out from the freezer and cook.
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips. Great for snacking and meals.
- Air Fryer Churros. Perfect for people with a sweet tooth.
Serving Suggestions
- Air Fryer Green Beans.
- Dump and Start Instant Pot Mexican Black Beans.
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice.
- Jalapeno Strawberry Margaritas.
Thank you for reading my taco lasagna recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.
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Easy Air Fryer Taco Lasagna
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 16 ounces (454g) ground beef
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon adobo
- ½ cup (112g) tomato sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups (266g) cheddar cheese shredded
- 4 flour tortillas or corn tortillas or gluten-free tortillas
Instructions
To Make Air Fryer Taco Lasagna:
- Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and the beef, cooking until the beef is browned.
- Add in the spices and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Start to assemble the lasagna by placing a tortilla on the bottom of your air fryer basket.
- Next, add a layer of beef, then a layer of cheese, and continue this process. Finish with a final tortilla topped with cheese.
- Cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C for 7 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted.
To Make Taco Lasagna in the Oven:
- Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onions until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and the beef, cooking until the beef is browned.
- Add in the spices and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.
- Start to assemble the lasagna by placing a tortilla in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Next, add a layer of beef, then a layer of cheese, and continue this process. Finish with a final tortilla topped with cheese.
- Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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Notes
- Cook the meat before layering your lasagna.
- If you want a spicier version, add chopped jalapeno when you cook the beef. You could also add spicy pepper jack cheese.
- Use plain canned tomato sauce, not pizza or spaghetti sauce, as those often have Italian flavors and seasonings added.
- Divide the meat mixture into three parts so you finish with a tortilla layer. This will help your lasagna to hold its shape better and be easily cut into single servings.
- Top with shredded cheese and serve with your favorite taco toppings.
- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. It will hold together better when cutting.
- Make enough ingredients for two casseroles and freeze one for later.
- Storage – keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for 3 days.
This lasagna is looking delicious and its a great and quickest way to cook it in air fryer.
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This recipe sounds amazing! Air Fryer taco lasagna not only sounds genius but certainly a recipe that the entire family will love!
Such a fun and flavorful recipe. And I appreciated the confirmation the GF flour tortillas would work in the recipe.
This looks very tasty and I’m also loving the fusion of Mexican and Italian, the best of both worlds!
This looks so fun! I love having theme nights for dinner. It really takes the guess work out of dinner, and makes planning so much easier! This recipe is super simple, and tasty!