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Why is this called lasagna you ask? Aimee, where are the noodles, where is the cheese-it doesn’t even look stacked like lasagna? All very relevant questions.  When I first had this dish at my friend Kristen’s house it was perfectly stacked in layers and presented in a nice square on my plate.  The square part didn’t work out quite so smoothly for me this first time, but it was absolutely delicious even if not geometrically pleasing!(update: now I know, it’s white rice that makes the nice square, we used brown rice)

The main elements of this dish are rice, beef, and fresh salsa.  When I called Kristen to get the recipe she yelled to her daugher, “How did I make that mexican lasagna dish?”  That’s right, it’s one of those kinds of recipe, a spur of the moment piece of genius with no definite measurements.  But I did my best to translate it into a recipe and I think it came out just as good, and the kids all had thirds.

Kristen’s Mexican Lasagna

• 4-6 cups rice(brown or white)
• 1 pound ground beef
• Chopped onion
• Chopped Pepper
• Cumin
• Salt/Pepper
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• Fresh Tomato Salsa
• Fresh Cilantro(optional)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese(optional)

1)If you are preparing your own fresh salsa with nature’s bounty, complete this step first.
2)Cook rice according to directions, adding in 1 cup(or more) salsa to the rice while it’s cooking.
3)Brown beef with peppers, onions, and cumin.  Add in beans, and salt and pepper to taste.
4)Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees, coat 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
5)Spread rice in baking dish, press with spoon. Next spread ground beef mixture over rice.  Finally, spoon fresh salsa across ground beef.  Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
6)Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, rinse and chop fresh cilantro.  Allow each person to top with cilantro and/or shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Fresh Salsa: Now is a great time to make fresh salsa and it’s not hard, the most time consuming part is chopping the tomatoes.  This is the recipe I used, leaving out the hot peppers.  If you can’t make your own salsa, look for something similiar at the store, especially at stores like Trader Joe’s and Harris Teeter.

Topping it off: Stick to fresh cilantro, it adds an extra layer of zing that just won’t happen with the dried substitute.  Additional fresh salsa with chips make a nice side.

Dairy-Free: I was delighted when I went to my friend’s house and this dish was dairy free without even intending to be.  It has plenty to offer without needing the cheese, but you go ahead and have as much as you like!

Make-ahead: Now that I’ve made this once, I would consider doing a few things the day before.  Cooking the rice and storing in the fridge.  Making the salsa and storing it as well.  Really you could probably assemble this whole dish the day before and have it ready to go for company the next night.  I think the taste was even the better the second night that we re-heated it.