Mexican Lasagna

Recipe by Janice Bissex, MS, RDN, FAND

Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
1 large carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
1 16-ounce jar salsa
1 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
5 (8-inch) flour tortillas, cut in half
1 container (16 ounces) low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Lasagna doesn’t have to be Italian! This Mexican version, made with salsa instead of tomato sauce and tortillas instead of noodles, is a crowd pleaser. The cottage cheese and shredded Cheddar add bone-building calcium and the black beans add a nice hit of fiber.

Instructions

Prepare the Meat Mixture

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cook the meat and carrots in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up the large pieces, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
Add the salsa, black beans, corn, chili powder, and cumin to the skillet and stir to combine. Set aside.

Assemble the Lasagna

In a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, spread a layer of the meat mixture (about 2 cups). Layer half of the tortillas over the meat, allowing them to overlap.
Spoon half of the cottage cheese and ½ cup of the cheese over the tortillas and spread evenly. Spread 2 more cups of meat mixture over the cheeses.
Layer with the remaining tortillas, then a layer of cottage cheese, then with the remaining meat mixture. Top with the remaining Cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered until the cheese melts and the lasagna is heated through, about 25 minutes.