Mexican Sloppy Joe Lasagna Casserole (Gluten-Free)

Sloppy Joes are such an easy meal to make and one guaranteed to be loved by your entire family. Lasagna is another very popular dish. What would happen if you mixed the two? You get a fantastic new family favorite, today’s Mexican Sloppy Joe Lasagna Casserole!

This casserole has the ricotta and Parmesan cheese layer we all love, sandwiched between a mixture of ground beef and pasta seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning mix, chili powder, and blended with tomato sauce. It is surprising how well everything goes together – like they were meant to be.

I love easy casseroles that often taste even better on the second day. Gluten-free pasta doesn’t hold up quite as well as regular pasta, but it is still good for leftovers.

While this is a fast recipe to make, you can make all the components for this dish in advance and then be able to assemble and bake it in no time. This would help if you’ve got company coming over on a weeknight – much less time spent in the kitchen and more time to be with your guests!

You could also use the sauce to make regular sloppy joes too. They will have a Mexican flavor twist to them and be absolutely delicious. A really nice change of pace for The Artist and me! I serve ours over gluten-free buns or slices of GF bread and we really enjoy them.

Enjoy this Mexican Sloppy Joe Lasagna Casserole. Serve it the next time you have a casual dinner party, weeknight dinner, or a bunch of kids over and they will love it!

Have a fabulous weekend and I will see you back here for Chocolate Monday!

Did you enjoy this recipe? Let me know in the comments and leave a star rating, I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for Sloppy Joe Mexican Lasagna Casserole:

• Meat and Pasta Layers: penne pasta, ground beef, onion,
• Red bell peppers, taco seasoning mix, water, chili powder,
• Cumin, oregano, tomato sauce
• Cheese Layer: ricotta cheese, Parmesan, green onions,
• Oregano, salt, pepper
• Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions

PRO Tip:

If you want to make your own taco seasoning instead of using a pre-made packet, I suggest you use this recipe from my friend Traci at The Kitchen Girl. And while you’re over there, be sure to check out her other recipes, she is extremely talented and a wonderful cook!!

PRO Tip:

Undercooking the pasta just a little bit helps keep it from falling apart after baking!

How to make Sloppy Joe Mexican Lasagna Casserole:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, pulling it out of the water a little before done and rinse with cold water. They will finish while baking in the oven.
2. Cook the beef in a large saucepan over medium heat, breaking up clumps, and drain the fat off. Add the onions and peppers and cook 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the taco seasoning and water and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened. Add the chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce, and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Stir in the cooked pasta and remove from the heat.
3. Whisk together the ricotta, Parmesan, green onions, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Spoon half the meat/pasta mixture into an oiled 9-inch square baking pan. Top with the ricotta mixture, covering most of the pasta. Spread remaining meat/pasta over the top. Sprinkle the top with the cheddar cheese.
5. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Set aside for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Sprinkle each piece with green onions and serve hot.

PRO Tip:

Ricotta is a very soft, creamy cheese that doesn’t have a strong flavor. When paired with the more dominant Parmesan, you get the best of both … creamy cheesy flavor in every bite!

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Kitchen scale
• 9-inch square baking dish
• Large saucepot or stockpot
• Large saucepan
• Mixing bowls
• Offset spatula

Gluten-Free Tips:

McCormick makes a gluten-free taco seasoning mix that is very good. Look for the green stripe across the front of the package indicating it is gluten-free. If you want to make your own taco seasoning instead of using a pre-made packet, I suggest you use this recipe from my friend Traci at The Kitchen Girl. For an easy to find good gluten-free pasta, we like Barilla brand. It is a corn-rice blend that holds up well in cooking and baking.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

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Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Mexican Sloppy Joe Lasagna Casserole (Gluten-Free)

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This casserole has the ricotta and Parmesan cheese lasagna layer we all love, sandwiched between a mixture of ground beef and pasta seasoned with your favorite Mexican seasoning mix, chili powder, and blended with tomato sauce. This will become a family favorite!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Meat and Pasta Layer

• 6 to 8 oz (170g to 227g) penne pasta (gluten-free if needed)
• 1 lb (454g) ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 medium red bell peppers, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning mix (gluten-free if needed), about 1 packet
• 1/2 cup (118ml) water
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups (16 oz; 473ml)) tomato sauce

Cheese Layer

• 1 cup (227g) ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Toppings

• 1 cup (113g) shredded cheddar cheese
• Additional chopped green onions, for garnishing

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Set a 9-inch square (2-1/2 qt; 23cm square or 2.37L) baking dish next to the stove and brush the interior with a little oil.
2. Cook the pasta according to package directions, pulling it out of the water just a little before done and rinsing with cold water. You want them to be al dente because they will finish cooking in the sauce while baking in the oven.
3. Make the Meat Layer: In a large saucepan, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking up clumps and drain. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the taco seasoning and water, bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until some of the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the cooked pasta.
4. Make the Cheese Layer: In a bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, Parmesan, green onions, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. To Assemble: Spoon half of the meat/pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the ricotta mixture, smoothing it out to cover most of the first layer. And then spread the remaining meat over the top. Sprinkle the top with cheddar cheese.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350°F (177°C) for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle the top with chopped green onions and serve.

Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com

Notes

If you want to make your own taco seasoning instead of using a pre-made packet, I suggest you use this recipe from my friend Traci at The Kitchen Girl. And while you’re over there, be sure to check out her other recipes, she is extremely talented and a wonderful cook!! Penzey's spices and herbs are well labeled and most are gluten-free.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 382Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 623mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g

The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate.

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