Mexican express lasagna

1

PREP TIME

20 min

Makes

8 servings

* PLUS Cooking time: 10 minutes, Baking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 500 g ground chicken , or beef
  • 700-mL jar spicy tomato sauce
  • 1 cup spicy salsa
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 eggs
  • 475-g container extra-smooth ricotta , well-drained
  • 2 jalapenos , or 113-g can diced green chilies, drained (optional)
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 12 oven-ready lasagna noodle pasta
  • 340-g pkg shredded Mexican-flavoured cheeses , or 3 cups blend of grated Monterey Jack and mozzarella

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Heat oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Crumble in chicken. Cook, breaking meat up with a fork and stirring often, until no pink remains, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain off excess liquid. Stir in 2 cups (500 mL) pasta sauce, salsa and cumin. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in ricotta. If using fresh jalapeños, seed and finely chop. Stir jalapeños or canned chilies into ricotta mixture, then coriander.
  • Spread remaining pasta sauce over bottom of a 9×13-inch (3-L) baking dish. Top with 4 noodles, breaking to fit. Don’t overlap. Spread half of ricotta mixture overtop. Cover with one-third of chicken mixture. Sprinkle with 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Add 4 noodles, remaining ricotta mixture, one-third of chicken mixture and 1 cup (250 mL) cheese. Finish with remaining noodles, chicken mixture, then cheese. Bake, uncovered, in centre of preheated 350F (180C) oven until a knife inserted in centre of lasagna feels warm, from 40 to 45 minutes. Remove and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories
  • 586,
  • Protein
  • 35.3 g,
  • Carbohydrates
  • 40.9 g,
  • Fat
  • 31.5 g,
  • Fibre
  • 3.8 g,
  • Sodium
  • 868 mg.

Craving lasagna, but can’t bear the thought of all that chopping? Try our streamlined version that’s bursting with Mexican flavours such as cumin, coriander and salsa.

Make ahead

Assemble lasagna, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day before baking. Bring to room temperature, then bake as above. Once cooked, refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days or freeze in individual servings. Defrost and reheat in the microwave.

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