Mexican Lasagna with Avocado Salsa
This casserole is a great one to make with your kids, and they are bound to love eating it, too. It’s such a fun twist on traditional lasagna.
Ingredients
- 15 oz. reduced-sodium canned black beans (or use any variety)(or use 1 1/2 cups home-cooked beans for every 15 oz. can), drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. vegetarian refried beans (or use 1 1/2 cups home-made refried beans for every 15 oz. can) see link below for homemade directions
- 1 1/4 cups corn kernels, fresh, frozen, or canned,
- 1 cup salsa (look for brands with no sugar added),
- 4 scallions sliced
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 4 tsp. canola or vegetable oil
- 6 soft taco size (8-inch) whole wheat or white flour tortillas (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed)
- 1 avocado diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1/2 lime juice only, 1 Tbsp.
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together both types of beans, corn, salsa, scallions, and cheese.
- Put the oil in a small bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of a tortilla with a thin layer of the oil and fry it in the skillet, turning once, until it is puffed and golden in spots, about 1 minute total. Repeat with remaining tortillas, stacking the cooked ones on a plate as you go.
- To make the lasagna, put 2 tortillas on the bottom of the casserole dish; top them with 1/2 the bean filling, then top that with 2 more tortillas, and the second half of the bean filling. Top it with the final 2 tortillas. Press down with a spatula on the top tortillas to seal the layers.
- Bake the lasagna, uncovered, for 10 - 12 minutes until it is heated through. Cut it into squares with a pizza cutter or serrated knife to serve.
- In a medium bowl, gently toss the avocado and tomatoes with the lime juice and salt. Top the lasagna squares with the avocado salsa at the table, or refrigerate them for up to 3 days, or individually wrap them and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- There is no need to brown the tortillas. Combine the bean filling ingredients in a bowl as directed. Place 2 tortillas in the bottom of the slow cooker, overlapping as necessary; top them with 1/2 the filling, then top that with 2 more tortillas, and the second half of the filling. Top it with the final 2 tortillas. Press down with a spatula on the top tortillas to seal the layers. Cook on low for 5 - 7 hours or on high for 3 - 4 hours. Note that the bottom tortillas will become crispy - if you prefer your lasagna to have a soft texture throughout, omit the bottom two tortillas and start your layers with the filling. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Remove the corn kernels if using fresh or thaw if using frozen, slice the scallions, shred the cheese if necessary and refrigerate, dice the tomatoes, juice the lime, prepare and refrigerate the filling, or fully prepare and refrigerate or freeze the dish.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Use spicy salsa and/or mince one hot chili pepper or some red onion with the avocados for the salsa.
Tip: Another great use for avocados is in dips. Its smooth creamy texture makes it a delicious and heart-healthy substitute for dip bases like mayonnaise or cream cheese. One way I like to use avocado for dipping is to combine 1 small container of plain Greek yogurt with 1 mashed avocado and use that as a healthy-protein dip for cut up veggies or tortilla chips. (Feel free to add any seasonings like cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, or lemon as flavor boosters.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 410, Total Fat: 19g, 29%; Saturated Fat: 8g, 40%; Cholesterol: 30mg, 10%; Sodium: 1140mg, 48%; Total Carbohydrate: 55g, 18%; Dietary Fiber: 10g, 40%; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 17g
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