Family-Style Taco Lasagna

Ingredients

For the Lasagna:

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more for greasing
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (plus more for serving)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) jar medium salsa (about 1½ cups)
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas, cut in half
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

For Toppings:

• Sour cream
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Green onions or chives, sliced
• Guacamole
• Sliced jalapeños
• Pico de gallo

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare Pan Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Generously grease a 9x13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Brown the Beef Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and stirring often, until browned and no pink remains, about 7-8 minutes. The beef should have some nice caramelized bits. Drain the excess fat and drippings from the skillet, leaving just the cooked beef.
3. Cook the Vegetables Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and chopped green bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant and the bell pepper is softened, about 1-2 minutes. Watch the garlic carefully so it doesn't burn!
4. Build the Beef Mixture Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans, salsa, taco seasoning, ground cumin, chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until everything is well mixed and heated through. The mixture should be saucy but not soupy. Remove from heat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
5. First Layer Arrange 6 tortilla halves in the bottom of the greased baking dish, overlapping them slightly to cover the entire bottom. It's okay if they go up the sides a bit. Spread half of the beef mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle half of the chopped tomatoes over the beef. Top with one-third of the combined shredded cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese (about 1⅓ cups total).
6. Second Layer Repeat the layers: arrange the remaining 10 tortilla halves over the cheese layer (you'll have 16 halves total from 8 tortillas), spread the remaining beef mixture on top, add the remaining chopped tomatoes, and finish with the remaining two-thirds of the cheese (about 2⅔ cups) spread evenly over everything.
7. Bake Covered Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 10 minutes. This heats everything through and starts melting the cheese without browning the top.
8. Bake Uncovered Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and starting to turn golden brown in spots. The edges should be bubbling.
9. Rest and Slice Remove from the oven and let the lasagna rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This resting time is important! It allows the layers to set up so the lasagna holds its shape when you cut it instead of falling apart. After resting, cut into 8 squares.
10. Top and Serve Serve each square topped with your favorite taco toppings: a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions or chives, a scoop of guacamole, sliced jalapeños, and a generous spoonful of pico de gallo. Dig in while it's hot!