• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe

Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Healthy Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    Mar 22, 2017 · Modified: Feb 8, 2018 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 22 Comments

    Mexican bean lasagne

    356 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Total time: 2 hours
    Servings: 4 people
    5 from 7 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Mexican bean lasagne - a Mexican / Italian fusion that works so well! An easy vegetarian lasagne with spicy refried beans - yum!

    I apologise if this recipe seems a little similar to the refried bean enchiladas I posted last month. I actually only just noticed the similarity just now, but oh well. After I published those enchiladas, I had so many of you telling me that you'd made them and loved them, and I was seriously craving them again (they're reeeeally good) - but rather than making the same thing again (which would make for an even less interesting blog post than this one), I guess I subconsciously thought I'd give them a new lease of life as this Mexican bean lasagne. Never mind!

    Luckily, this Mexican bean lasagne is just as delicious as the beany enchiladas were. Once again, I used my favourite refried beans* to add a creamy, spicy, Mexican vibe to this veggie lasagne. I've never been sponsored by the company that makes those beans, but I bloomin' well should be. I'll happily advertise them til the cows come home (as long as I can munch on a tin of beans while I'm doing it).

    Mexican bean lasagne - a Mexican / Italian fusion that works so well! An easy vegetarian lasagne with spicy refried beans - yum!

    I love combining cuisines, and Italian+Mexican is one of my favourite combinations. I've now tried it both ways round - adding Italian flavours to Mexican foods (think pizza enchiladas!), and now by adding Mexican flavours to an Italian veggie lasagne. Both ways work beautifully, and mean that I never have to choose between my two favourite cuisines - why stick to just one good thing when you can have both?

    Mexican bean lasagne - a Mexican / Italian fusion that works so well! An easy vegetarian lasagne with spicy refried beans - yum!

    I didn't make my Mexican bean lasagne overly wet because I like being able to cut neat squares of lasagne from the dish (in certain parts of my life, I'm very meticulous... if only the state of my living room matched the tidiness of my lasagne). If you prefer a saucier lasagne, feel free to add more cheese sauce, or to add a tin of tomatoes to the spicy bean filling. I think it'd be great either way.

    Just don't forget the garlic bread! If we're going for the best of both worlds here, we may as well make the most of it.

    Mexican bean lasagne - a Mexican / Italian fusion that works so well! An easy vegetarian lasagne with spicy refried beans - yum!

    Mexican bean lasagne

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories:
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    For the Mexican bean mixture:

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 red pepper, diced
    • 125 g green beans, sliced (~ 1 cup when sliced)
    • ~ 5 medium mushrooms, diced
    • 400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 435 g tin refried beans (~ 1 ⅓ cups)
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon hot chill powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
    • Salt
    • Black pepper

    For the cheesy sauce:

    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon plain flour
    • 400 ml milk (~ 1 ½ cup)
    • 100 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 1 cup when grated)
    • Salt
    • Black pepper

    To assemble:

    • ~ 12 no-boil lasagne sheets
    • Extra cheese for topping (optional)
    • Fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the chopped vegetables. Cook for a few minutes over a medium heat, until fairly soft. Add the black beans, refried beans and spices, and season to taste. Depending on the kind of refried beans you used, you may want to add additional spices or seasonings at this point (the beans I used were already fairly spicy). Mix thoroughly - you may need to add a dash of water if the mixture seems too thick. You could also add a tin of tomatoes if you prefer a saucier lasagne.
    • Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the flour. Mix well, and cook over a low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk a little at a time, stirring the mixture until smooth each time before adding more. When you have added all of the milk and you have a smooth sauce, add the grated cheese and plenty of salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or two, to melt the cheese.
    • To assemble the lasagne, start by adding about 1tbsp of cheese sauce to the base of your baking dish, and spread it around - this helps to prevent the lasagne from sticking. From this point onwards, it doesn’t really matter what order you layer up your sauce, beans and pasta. I layered up pasta, then beans, then sauce, until all the ingredients were used. I finished the lasagne with the last of the cheese sauce, and sprinkled some extra grated cheese on top.
    • Cover the lasagne loosely with foil, and bake for around 1 hour at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). When the lasagne sheets are nearly soft (check them with a sharp knife), remove the foil, and bake for a further 20 minutes or so, to crisp up the top. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before cutting, and serve topped with fresh coriander (cilantro) if desired.

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

    Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for ¼ of the recipe (though you could probably get 6 pieces from the recipe if you've got small appetites).

    If you love fusion food, here's another idea you might enjoy - Greek fajitas:

    Greek fajitas

    * This is an affiliate link - if you make a purchase through this link, I will receive a tiny (tiny!) sum of money, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support!

    More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes

    • A slice of smoked cheese and broccoli tart being cut on a board.
      Smoked Cheese and Broccoli Tart
    • Collage showing vegetarian mushroom recipes with text overlay.
      40 Vegetarian Mushroom Recipes
    • Mushroom stroganoff in a bowl with rice and parsley.
      Slow Cooker Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Cheesy vegetarian chilli mac in a bowl with sliced avocado.
      Vegetarian Chilli Mac (One Pot!)
    356 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

      March 27, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      Love the Italian/Mexican fusion ;) Sounds super cozy!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        March 30, 2017 at 12:07 pm

        Gotta love a good bit of comfort food ;)

        Reply
    2. Christopher Blackburn says

      March 24, 2017 at 11:34 pm

      Shopping list written going to give this a go tomorrow, looks fab!!!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        March 30, 2017 at 12:04 pm

        Awesome, hope you enjoyed it :)

        Reply
    3. Helen @ family-friends-food.com says

      March 24, 2017 at 12:23 pm

      This looks fab! My daughter was begging me to make a lasagne the other day - I wish I'd seen this recipe sooner!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        March 30, 2017 at 12:03 pm

        Haha sorry! Nothing wrong with making another lasagne though ;)

        Reply
    4. Candace says

      March 24, 2017 at 10:01 am

      A Mexican inspired lasagna! looks really yummy

      Reply
    5. Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says

      March 24, 2017 at 9:27 am

      What a fantastic twist on a classic! I love Mexican food and lasagne, yum!

      Reply
    6. Platter Talk says

      March 23, 2017 at 11:34 pm

      Hey! I like the idea of doing a Mexican lasagna with beans!. Going to try this one ASAP.5 stars

      Reply
    7. Sarah @ Champagne Tastes says

      March 23, 2017 at 9:01 pm

      Oh fun! What a fun idea to turn enchiladas into a lasagna!!!

      Reply
    8. [email protected] says

      March 23, 2017 at 7:52 pm

      This looks and sounds delicious. I'm a big fan of re-fried beans so I know I would love this :)

      Reply
    9. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says

      March 23, 2017 at 5:57 pm

      We love making Mexican lasagna, and it's one of my favourite fusion foods. I will have to give a bean version a try!

      Reply
      • Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says

        March 30, 2017 at 12:02 pm

        I often make it with tortillas instead of pasta, but thought I'd stick with pasta this time so it's a real mix of Mexican and Italian :) My favourites!

        Reply
    10. Brandi Crawford says

      March 23, 2017 at 5:17 pm

      YUM! This looks incredible. I haven't seen this before. Bookmarking!5 stars

      Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • Creamy spinach dip in a bowl.
      Cold Spinach Dip (with Greek Yogurt)
    • Mediterranean scrambled eggs.
      Mediterranean Scrambled Eggs with Feta
    • Creamy mushrooms on toast, topped with fresh chives.
      Creamy Mushrooms On Toast
    • Bowl of tarka dal topped with fresh cilatro.
      Easy Tarka Dal (Vegan Red Lentil Curry)
    • A hand scooping creamy cowboy caviar with a tortilla chip.
      Creamy Cowboy Caviar (with Avocado Dressing)
    • Creamy Three Bean Stew
    • Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
    • A hand squeezing lemon juice over some roasted chickpeas and salad.
      10 Minute Lemon and Black Pepper Chickpeas

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

    More about me →

    As Featured In

    Healthy Recipes

    • A portion of vegetarian shepherd's pie on a plate served with fresh arugula.
      Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
    • 15 Minute Peanut and Sesame Noodles
    • 15 Minute Creamy Pasta Primavera
    • Roasted Vegetable Fattoush
    • Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
    • Sweet Potato Curry
    • Slow Cooker Ratatouille
    • Veggie Burrito Bowls

    Most Popular

    • A bowlful of rich mushroom bourguignon stew served over mashed potato.
      Mushroom Bourguignon
    • A serving bowl full of crispy roast potatoes.
      How to Make Perfect Roast Potatoes
    • Crispy fried halloumi in a frying pan.
      How to Cook Halloumi Perfectly
    • How To Fry Gnocchi (and why you should want to!)
    • How to Make a Perfect Baked Potato
    • Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
    • A creamy vegetable bake in a baking dish, with a scoop removed.
      Creamy Vegetable Bake
    • 15 Minute Mushroom Stroganoff

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe for recipes by email

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Easy Cheesy Vegetarian

    356 shares