Taco Lasagna No Boiling Needed

Be sure to try my Taco Stuffed Shells recipe next!

Taco Lasagna

Allow me to cut to the chase. You’ve just stumbled across your new favorite meal. Not only is this a great dinner recipe for your family, but this is a perfect meal to assemble and give to a friend in need to bake another day! You can even assemble and freeze it to bake in a few months! (I’m a sucker for make-ahead recipes.) And now, my favorite part about this Taco Lasagna:

No Need to Boil the Noodles

That’s right! There is enough liquid from the enchilada sauce + salsa to steam the noodles right in the oven, they cook perfectly. What a time saver.

How to Make It

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Prep Work:

Assemble the Lasagna:

Layer some salsa/enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. Layer 1: 4 Lasagna Noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese, 1/3 meat, 1/2 sauce, 1 cup cheese. Layer 2: Repeat. (4 Lasagna Noodles, 1/3 ricotta cheese, 1/3 meat, 1/2 sauce, 1 cup cheese.)

Layer 3: 4 Lasagna Noodles and remaining Ricotta, Meat, Sauce. (No cheese this time!) Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, top with remaining 2 cups of cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve!

Pro Tips for Taco Lasagna

Combining Salsa + Enchilada Sauce

This recipe can be made by using 2 (15.5 oz) jars of salsa, however the depth of flavor from combining the enchilada sauce and salsa is hard to beat. The texture is also ideal as it’s not too thick, not too thin. It may seem like there is a lot of liquid when you combine these ingredients, but it’s necessary in order to steam the noodles as it bakes. The noodles absorb a great deal of the liquid.

Cheese Options

A combination of Cheddar, Cheddar jack, Monterey Jack, and Jalapeno Jack are great in this recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions

Ground turkey or shredded chicken can be used instead of ground beef. If necessary, cottage cheese can be used instead of Ricotta.

Make Ahead Method

Prepare up to 2 days ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months prior to baking. Thaw in the fridge overnight prior to baking.

**Add 10 minutes of covered baking time if baking from a refrigerated state.