Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna

Made with layers of seasoned ground beef, refried beans, and cheese, this Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna will prove to be an easy, family favorite! It takes only 10 minutes of hands-on prep and most of the ingredients are probably things you always have on hand!

Bean Burritos meet Beef Tacos to form an irresistible, hearty Mexican Casserole. This simple Instant Pot recipe is not only easy to make and incredibly tasty, but it is also economical and adaptable. You are going to want to put this meal on your dinner rotation ASAP!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

My family has been begging for me to make this Mexican Lasagna again and again and after you give it a try you will see why!

• So incredibly flavorful–without a ton of added ingredients. Taco seasoning, salsa, and cheese always go a long way to making dishes irresistible.
• Remember Taco Bell Mexican Pizza? This features a lot of the same flavors–just fresher and much better tasting!
• Even with good quality ground meat and tortillas, this entire meal costs less than $10 to make.
• Did I mention how easy it is to make Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna? From start to finish it only takes 10 minutes to create this

What You Need

• Instant Pot: This recipe works for either a 6 or 8 quart instant pot. No Instant Pot? You can bake this Mexican Casserole in a 350-degree F oven for 30 minutes, covered, and 10 minutes uncovered. Or you can make my traditional Mexican Lasagna designed for the oven.
• Pan: The best pan for this Mexican Lasagna is a 6-inch cake pan. Either a 3-inch or 4-inch deep pan will work. If you only have a 7-inch pan, you will need to use larger tortillas and trim them slightly to fit in the pan.
• Tortillas: I love using my homemade tortillas, but use any brand works. I recommend using 6-inch tortillas (soft taco shell size) if using a 6-inch pan, and 8-inch (burrito size), if using a 7-inch pan.
• Taco Meat: A layer of ground beef seasoned with salsa and cumin makes this tortilla pie so hearty. Feel free to use ground chicken or ground turkey. In fact, you can even use additional beans or Sofritas in place of the beef.
• Refried Beans: The contrast between the taco meat and the creamy refried beans is sublime. use either homemade refried beans or your favorite canned variety.
• Salsa: Instead of a rich tomato sauce used in traditional lasagna recipes, this lasagna is finished with chunky salsa. I also use it to season the ground meat, which limits the needed ingredients for this recipe.
• Cheese: Cheese is a MUST for lasagna. This recipe calls for sharp cheddar cheese, but Colby, Monterrey Jack, or Mexican Cheese all work well. Pro-Tip: Grate the cheese yourself. Not only will you save money, but it will melt so much better, as it is not coated in any anti-caking agents like pre-shredded cheese. 
• Toppings: Just like tacos, this casserole comes to life with the toppings. Top with shredded lettuce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, etc.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The first step to making this lasagna is to prepare the taco meat. I often use leftover taco meat, but if I don’t have any on hand, it is easy to brown up ground meat right in your pressure cooker.

To do this, heat the Instant Pot using the Saute feature. Add in ground beef, chicken, or turkey of your choice and saute until cooked through. Drain off any excess grease and season with ground cumin and salsa and mix well.

It is important to remember to clean and dry the inner pot well before proceeding with this recipe, or you may run into a burn notice. 

Once the meat is prepared, this lasagna is just a matter of layering.

Lay one of the tortillas into the greased pan and then top with half the refried bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with another tortilla. Add half the meat mixture, sprinkle with cheese and cover with another tortilla.  Repeat the layers, using up the remaining refried beans and taco meat. Top with one final tortilla, and then cover with salsa and generously top with the remaining shredded cheese.

Once layered, cover tightly in foil. Pour 2 cups of cold water (regardless of the size of your pressure cooker) and place a metal trivet into the pot. Place the lasagna on the rack and seal shut.

Set the cook time for 10 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once cook time has elapsed, leave the Instant Pot alone for at least another 10 minutes before doing a quick release of pressure.

Carefully remove the lasagna from the inner pot and, very carefully remove the foil, not allowing any condensation to drip down onto lasagna.

Just like any lasagna recipe, it is best to allow this Mexican Lasagna to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Allergy and Dietary Modifications

• Instant Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna: Instead of ground meat, use 4 cups of black beans and season with cumin and salsa. You can also opt to use sofritas.
• Instant Pot Vegan Mexican Lasagna: In place of beef, use 4 cups of black beans and season with cumin and salsa, or use sofritas in place of beef.  and use vegan cheddar cheese instead of regular cheese.
• Low Fat Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna: Be sure to use either extra lean ground beef or ground white chicken. Instead of adding cheese to each layer, only top the lasagna with 4 ounces of cheese. You can also use low-carb or low-fat tortillas in place of traditional flour tortillas.
• Creamy Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna: If you are craving a layer of creamy filling, check out my recipe for Classic Mexican Lasagna and use the cottage cheese filling instead of refried beans for this recipe.

FAQS and Pro-Tips

• Storage Instructions: If you happen to have leftovers, which is rare when it comes to this recipe, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped in foil in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, unwrap and heat.
• Don’t forget the toppings–just like tacos, the toppings are key to finishing this dish. I suggest lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avocados, and sour cream.
• Remember to ALWAYS use cold tap water when pressure cooking. If you don’t it will change the cook time. And for this recipe, use a full 2 cups of tap water–even if you are making in a 6 or 3 quart instant pot.

More Instant Pot Favorite Recipes

• Instant Pot Lasagna: If you are in the mood for traditional lasagna, this Instant Pot version is everything you love in the classic, but made a lot faster!
• Instant Pot Chicken Tacos: This is the easiest chicken taco meat recipe–and it also would be delicious used in place of the ground beef mixture in this Mexican Lasagna.
• Instant Pot Carnitas: The pork literally becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of flavor!

Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna

An easy recipe for a layered tortilla pie made with refried beans, taco meat, and cheese made in the Instant Pot.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Pressure Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon oil1 teaspoon oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey or chicken1 pound lean ground beef or turkey or chicken
• 1 teaspoon cumin1 teaspoon cumin
• 16 ounces refried beans16 ounces refried beans
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese8 ounces cheddar cheese
• 2 cups salsa divided2 cups salsa divided
• Toppings of your choiceToppings of your choice
• 5 (6 inch) flour tortillas5 (6 inch) flour tortillas

Instructions

• Turn pressure cooker to saute and allow to heat. Add in 1 teaspoon oil and ground beef. Cook until meat is cooked through, breaking up as it cooks. Drain off any grease if needed.
• Add cumin and 1 cup of the salsa to browned meat and stir to combine.
• Clean the inner pot well and dry thoroughly. Return to the pressure cooker and pour in 2 cups of cold water and place a metal trivet in the inner pot.
• Spray a cake pan with nonstick spray.
• Lay one of the tortillas into the greased pan and then top with half the refried bean mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and cover with another tortilla. Add half the meat mixture, sprinkle with cheese and cover with another tortilla.  Repeat the layers, using up the remaining refried beans and taco meat. Top with one final tortilla, and then cover with salsa and generously top with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover tightly with foil.
• Place lid on instant pot and seal closed, being sure vent knob is pointed towards sealed, not venting. Set cook time to 10 minutes on HIGH pressure, by hitting manual or pressure cook and using +/- buttons to adjust until the screen reads "10".
• Let pressure release for at least 10 minutes after cook time has elapsed (it is okay if on keep warm feature).
• Carefully remove lasagna from inner pot and then remove foil. Let rest for another 10 minute before slicing.
• Slice and serve with toppings such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, avocado, cilantro, sour cream, etc.

Equipment Needed

• Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)
• 6 inch Cake Pan

Notes

For the Meat: Use lean ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or 4 cups of black or pinto beans. 

Note on Pan: This recipe calls for a 6 inch by 4-inch pan. A 3-inch deep pan will work, but it will be a tight fit. If you only have a 7-inch pan, you will need to use 8-inch flour tortillas and trim them slightly to fit in the pan.

Storing: Leftovers keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator, or individual slices can be frozen if wrapped well for up to 3 months in the freezer. 

Modification for Mexican Lasagna

• Instant Pot Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna: Instead of ground meat, use 4 cups of black beans and season with cumin and salsa. You can also opt to use sofritas.
• Instant Pot Vegan Mexican Lasagna: In place of beef, use 4 cups of black beans and season with cumin and salsa, or use sofritas in place of beef.  and use vegan cheddar cheese instead of regular cheese.
• Low Fat Instant Pot Mexican Lasagna: Be sure to use either extra lean ground beef or ground white chicken. Instead of adding cheese to each layer, only top the lasagna with 4 ounces of cheese. You can also use low-carb or low-fat tortillas in place of traditional flour tortillas. 

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 1337mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 857IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 3mg

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