Mexican Lasagna with Pork, Corn, and Pinto Beans
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 21, 2011
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, minced2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch piecesSalt and ground black pepper 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce2 teaspoons chili powder 1 ½ pounds ground pork 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained2 cups frozen corn, thawed¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas Vegetable oil spray12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
Before You Begin
This one-dish supper has a flavor profile similar to enchiladas, but also has a simpler assembly.
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, chipotles, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and corn and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil spray. Place 9 tortillas on a baking sheet (some overlapping is fine) and bake until the tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 9 tortillas and transfer to the plate. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- Spread one-third of the pork mixture in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer 6 of the tortillas on top of the filling, overlapping as needed, and sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat with a third more filling, 6 more tortillas, and 1 cup more cheese. Spread the remaining filling over the top. Cut the remaining 6 tortillas into quarters and scatter them over the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese.
- Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve.
- TO MAKE AHEAD Assemble the casserole through step 5, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Before continuing with step 6, remove the plastic wrap, cover the dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray (or use nonstick foil) and bake until hot, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake as directed in step 6.
Yield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ pounds ground pork
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Vegetable oil spray
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ pounds ground pork
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Vegetable oil spray
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and ground black pepper
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 ½ pounds ground pork
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lime
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Vegetable oil spray
12 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (3 cups)
Why This Recipe Works
Pork had a subtle flavor and a natural sweetness that paired well with the sweet and earthy corn tortilla in our Mexican Lasagna recipe. To keep our tortillas from turning to mush as the lasagna cooked, we sprayed them with cooking spray and heated them briefly in a low oven before adding them to our Mexican Lasagna. We also added a bit of flour to the sauce, which made it harder for the tortillas to soak up liquid. And to make cutting and serving the casserole easier, we quartered the tortillas that made up the top layer so there would be no need to hack through a whole one.
Before You Begin
This one-dish supper has a flavor profile similar to enchiladas, but also has a simpler assembly.
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, chipotles, chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually stir in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and corn and simmer until the mixture is slightly thickened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 1/4 cup of the cilantro and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, lightly coat both sides of the tortillas with vegetable oil spray. Place 9 tortillas on a baking sheet (some overlapping is fine) and bake until the tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 9 tortillas and transfer to the plate. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.
- Spread one-third of the pork mixture in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer 6 of the tortillas on top of the filling, overlapping as needed, and sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat with a third more filling, 6 more tortillas, and 1 cup more cheese. Spread the remaining filling over the top. Cut the remaining 6 tortillas into quarters and scatter them over the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese.
- Bake until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve.
- TO MAKE AHEAD Assemble the casserole through step 5, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Before continuing with step 6, remove the plastic wrap, cover the dish with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray (or use nonstick foil) and bake until hot, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake as directed in step 6.
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