Mexican Lasagna

About

This Keto Mexican inspired lasagna is layered with juicy ground beef, creamy cheese sauce and sheets of sliced zucchini. Our Mexican inspired version of this comfort food classic is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, perfect for sharing a slice with friends and family. This recipe requires a little bit of preparation but is well worth the effort and provides 6 hearty helpings, creating multiple meals.

Is Lasagna Keto?

Traditional lasagna is carb-heavy with layered sheets of pasta making it a Keto no-no. However with a few easy substitutions, it is easy to make a delicious and Keto compliant lasagna. We have used sliced zucchini in place of pasta sheets, creating a simple and cheap low carb replacement for pasta. Our lasagna sauce is prepared from a cheese and almond milk base, using cream cheese to thicken, with no carb-heavy flours required. Once prepared, the low carb lasagna sheets are layered with the creamy white cheese sauce and a spicy blend of juicy beef and bell peppers before being oven baked until golden and bubbling.

Serving suggestions

Our Keto Mexican inspired lasagna makes a hearty dinner option for the whole family to enjoy. Perfect served with a Keto salad. Alternatively why not try with some Keto Mexican sides such as a refreshing low carb salsa, creamy guacamole or Keto Mexican rice?

Ingredients

17 ½ ounce hamburger or ground beef, 90% lean
8 medium black olives
7 ounce cream cheese spread
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium zucchini
2 tablespoon, grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon cilantro
1 tablespoon, sliced jalapeno peppers, canned, drained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon coriander leaf, dried
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano, ground
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¾ cup almond milk, vanilla or other flavors, unsweetened
½ medium – 2 1/2" diameter red onion
½ medium – 2 1/2" diameter x 2 3/4" red bell peppers, raw
½ medium – 2 1/2" diameter x 2 3/4" green bell peppers, raw
½ cup beef broth, bouillon or consomme, ready-to-serve can, low sodium
½ cup, grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup, grated mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Cut the zucchini ends and peel the zucchini skin. Discard. Peel the zucchini flesh into wide ribbons using a vegetable peeler and add to a large bowl. Sprinkle the zucchini with a generous pinch of salt and toss to combine. This will help draw out any excess moisture whilst you prepare the rest of the lasagna.
Finely dice the bell peppers and onion and crush the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a low/medium heat. Add the diced peppers and onion. Stir well to combine, sweating the vegetables gently for a minute or two to soften a little.
Add the ground beef to the skillet along with the tomato paste, coriander, cumin and oregano. Stir together well to combine. Cook over a medium heat until the beef is browned all over. Feel free to adjust the level of spices to your personal preference. Be sure to adjust your macros to account for any changes made.
Roughly chop the olives. Add the olives and stock to the skillet. Stir well to combine. Bring up to a gentle boil then simmer for roughly 10 minutes until the stock is reduced right down and only a little liquid remains.
Whilst the beef is cooking, you can prepare the white cheese sauce. Add the butter to a small saucepan with the cream cheese. Set over a low heat and gently melt the two together. Stir well to combine until smooth and creamy.
Add the almond milk, cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine, allowing the grated cheeses to melt into the mixture. Simmer gently and continue stirring until smooth and well combined. The sauce should be thick and creamy in consistency.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and select a medium-sized ovenproof dish. Spoon 1/3 of the prepared beef and pepper mixture into the base of the oven dish. Spread the mixture evenly across the base of the dish with a spatula or spoon.
Squeeze any excess moisture from the zucchini ribbons and gently pat dry. Arrange 1/3 of the zucchini ribbons across the layer of meat in the oven dish. The zucchini layers should overlap each other slightly to create one solid layer, completely covering the beef.
Spoon 1/3 of the cheese sauce mixture over the zucchini layer. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the sauce over the zucchini so that it creates an even layer. The zucchini should be completely covered in the sauce.
Repeat this process twice more. A layer of 1/3 beef, 1/3 zucchini and 1/3 sauce, followed by the same again. You should have three level and even layers of beef, zucchini and sauce. Scatter the grated parmesan evenly over the surface of the lasagna.
Transfer the lasagna to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes. The cheese on top should be golden and the lasagna should be piping hot throughout and bubbling. Finely chop the fresh cilantro. Scatter the cilantro and jalapeño slices over the surface of the lasagna to serve. Serve hot.