Yucatecan Style Lasagna
Lasaña Yucateca
Recipe Yield
8 servings
Cooking time
2 hours 15 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo casings removed, coarsely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 tablespoons achiote paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
- 4 cups homemade chicken broth or store bought, divided
- 1 cup light beer
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 pound lasagna noodles
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 3 cups Edam cheese grated
To Prepare
- Heat oil in a casserole over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and beef and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until it starts to brown. Make room in the middle, add onion, garlic and bell pepper, and cook for 9 to 10 minutes until vegetables have completely softened, juices have all been absorbed, and meat has browned further.
- Meanwhile, in a blender, puree orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, tomato paste, oregano, salt and a cup of the chicken broth, until completely smooth.
- Pour beer into the casserole with the meat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until it starts cooking off. Reduce heat to medium and pour in the achiote paste mixture. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until sauce is very thick. Add crushed tomatoes and the rest of the chicken broth, mix very well, reduce heat to lowest possible setting and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, uncover, raise heat to medium heat and cook for 10 more minutes, then turn off heat.
- Place rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook 1 pound of lasagna noodles in salted water with a splash of olive oil until al dente. Drain.
- Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with about one cup of meat sauce. Drape pasta sheets, covering bottom of the pan entirely. Cover with about 1/3 of the remaining sauce, then add 1/3 of the ricotta cheese in dollops all spread out. Cover with more draped pasta, repeat with 1/3 of the sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta cheese. Repeat one more time and add the Edam cheese on top.
- Lightly cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and leave in the oven for another 20 minutes, until cheese is completely melted, crisp and browned and lasagna is completely set.
Comments
119comments inYucatecan Style Lasagna
Mary
Dec 29
Hola can I make a veggies instead of the chorizo on Yucatan lasagna
Pati Jinich
Jan 14
Absolutely Mary, you can substitute veggies for chorizo or use this other recipe of mine 🙂 https://patijinich.com/veggie-loaded-mexican-lasagna/
Brenda L
Apr 02
This is a delicious switch-up from regular lasagna recipes. Rich, meaty, cheesy (but not over-the-top cheesy)
My family absolutely LOVED it. Has a place in my “Super Favorite Family Recipes” binder
Pati Jinich
Jun 15
Yay, such an honor to be there, gracias Brenda!
Patti Rost
Aug 12
Hi Pati,
Been browsing your recipes (and copied a few to try) and I wanted to share something with you. A substitute for Seville Orange juice. It comes from H.J. Mussen, Author of “How the World Cooks Chicken “. His close second to the real thing is equal parts lemon juice, orange juice and grapefruit juice with a little grated rind from the grapefruit, which equals about a cup. Hope you find that helpful. P.S. Made the Chilorio and I love it!
Pati Jinich
Sep 11
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe Patti, very useful. Abrazos.
Michael Amend
Dec 10
I’m going to try to make this even more Mexican by substituting ancho chile for bell pepper (which I don’t like) and corn tortillas instead of lasagna noodles. Will let you know.
Pati Jinich
Dec 27
Great ideas Michael, let me know how it came out 🙂
Kenneth Myers
Oct 22
I made it tonight. It was off the charts delicious. Seriously, the best lasagna I’ve ever had. I mean, why would I EVER AGAIN make regular old Italian lasagna? Wow, this is delicious! AND…I’m leaving Sunday to spend 2 weeks in Merida, Izamal, and Puerto Morelos, so I’ve rewatched your episodes about the Yucatan, and I’m going to get me some tacos venado when I get to Izamal (also going to take a couple of cooking classes). Thanks, Pati, for all your wonderful shows and recipes!
Pati Jinich
Jan 04
Yay, so glad you liked it! And I hope you had an amazing time in the Yucatan Peninsula Kenneth 🙂
Shirley Johnson 5/8/21
May 08
I just caught your show this morning 5 /8/21 and thought I’d give your Yucatecan lasagna a try as I usually make the typical lasagna myself. Arizona is heating up so I may have to wait until our temperatures go down as heating up my oven is competing with my air conditioner. At 89 I’ll need a whole day! Thanks you for the freebie. I’ll truly give it a try for a family get-together.
Pati Jinich
May 10
Thanks so much Shirley, I hope you will enjoy this recipe when it cools down a bit. Un abrazo!
Diane Rodriguez
Oct 22
I made this for my family and they absolutely loved it. I’m Italian, so I usually make a typical lasagna, but this was such a nice, delicious change. Love your show and recipes!
Pati Jinich
Oct 27
Thanks so much Diane, this is a huge compliment coming from an Italian lady, yay!
Neil Johnson
Feb 04
I love you, Pati. I watch you every morning and have tried several of your recipes and they’re always a great hit. I just downloaded your Yucatan Style Lasagna. Can’t wait to make it. Thanks for your creativity and delicious meals.
Pati Jinich
Feb 04
Thanks Neil for tuning in! You are going to LOVE the lasagna 😉
luisfcastell@gmail.com
Oct 05
Thank you so much is really good thank you Patti,big hug for you
Pati Jinich
Oct 07
Big hugs back, Luis!
Mia T.
Sep 19
Patti, both my husband I LOVE your show! I just made this recipe (just watched the show on PBS where it was featured) and it’s now in the oven baking. Big concern… 1 pound of lasagne noodles is a LOT of noodles, and with all of the other ingredients only half that fits in my 9×13 pan (that I always use to make lasagne). I used three layers of noddles, but only single layers so now I have half a pound of noodles unused. What I don’t understand is if you put two or three noodles on top of each other to make a single layer in order to use the whole 1 lb. of noddles. I’m afraid this isn’t going to turn out since I only used 1/2 lb. of noodles.
Thank you for keeping us hungry for more of your recipes and stories. Love watching you with your boys and your family and friends.
Pati Jinich
Oct 19
Yes, it depends on the size and depth of your baking dish, Mia. So you can eyeball it. I do layer the noodles slightly. In any case, you need 2 to 3 layers of noodles and with the delicious filling it will turn out fantastic!
Ann
Sep 10
Hola Pati. My husband can not eat hot spices or hot peppers. I will make him a separate dish from the rest of my family as we enjoy spicy hot dishes. Is the chorizo hot spicy and if so what would be a good substitute that is flavourful but not hot?
Thank you
Pati Jinich
Sep 13
Depends on the brand of chorizo…you can find some that are very mild, Ann.
Anonymous
Aug 30
Hi Pati! My father is from Yucatan. I am hosting a meal for my siblings this weekend, My challenge is I am now vegetarian. Do you think I would be able to make this recipe using Soy chorizo and meatless ground?
Pati Jinich
Sep 03
Give it a try, and let me know how it goes. Have a great time with your family!
Joan Mulvihill
Jun 02
Made this last night. I’ve never seen a tray of lasagna go so fast. Awesome!
Pati Jinich
Jun 03
Super! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed the lasagna, Joan.
Marky Mark
Apr 14
OMG Patty! Watched the show where you made this and I had to have it. Finally made it today and it was fantastic! Thank you! Watch you on Create every weekend…keep up the great work, linda!
Pati Jinich
Apr 15
Happy to hear you had to have it, Linda!
Tammy Revis
Mar 28
Do you have a box set of videos
Pati Jinich
Mar 29
I don’t….but you can find all of my videos on Amazon, Tammy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L8N2ZX1/
Jenn Martin
Dec 25
Making this for the second Christmas in a row. This is one of my favorite recipes. The beer, lime and orange juice give this dish depth and a robust flavor. You are my family’s absolute favorite chef and your recipes always bring us together. Thank you! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Pati
Dec 26
Aww thank you Jenn! say hi to your whole family for me.
Kathleen Holmes
Nov 04
Just made this tonight for my family. Awesome Patti! We were singing praises to you! Thank you!
Pati
Nov 05
Oh yay! Thank you Kathleen.
Laura Tosto
Oct 19
Pati,
Could I make and assemble the lasagna a day ahead and then bake off the next day or would the noodles get mushy?
Pati
Oct 19
You can for sure make it a day ahead and then bake it the next day. Enjoy the lasagna, Laura!
Betty Niccum
Oct 13
What noodles do you use for this lasagna? They are so large. I saw you cook them so I didn’t think they were the oven ready kind. Thank you Pati, I love your show.
Pati
Oct 15
Thanks for tuning in, Betty! I used regular lasagna noodles.
Steven L. Edwards
Oct 13
Pati, Your boys are incredibly blessed, and incredibly lucky that they have a mother that can cook like you. I hope they appreciate it; this is not how most families are configured!
Pati
Oct 17
Aww thank you so much, Steven.
Anonymous
Sep 09
I have to try this!!! Love your show Pati!!!
Pati
Sep 10
Thanks for tuning in!
Bill
Sep 08
Made this tonight. It was great! The aroma in the kitchen was torture as we waited for the dish to be completed. Interesting choice of edam cheese, but it sure worked. Good one, Pati!
Pati
Sep 10
The smell is amazing…glad you enjoyed it, Bill.
Danny Didinger
Sep 06
I love watching your show. Your great thank you for all your recipes. I also would like the recipe for you brittle it look so good.
Pati
Sep 11
Thank you Danny! Here’s the recipe: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/pepita-brittle/
Cathy Gilchrist
Jan 24
Where can I purchase Achiote Paste? Love your enthusiasm and your show, if I can find ingredients.
Blessings
Pati
Jan 25
Try your local Latin or international super market…or online. And thank you for tuning in!
Leticia serrano
Oct 09
QUE BUENA SE VEIA ESTA LASAGINA GRACIAS PATI POR DARNOS A TODOS LOS MEXICANOS NUEVAS IDEAS PARA NUESTRA COSINA AQUI EN ESTADOS UNIDOS YO SOY MEXICANA Y AMO NUESTRA GASTRONIMIA Y TANTOS PLATILLOS QUE NUESTRO PAIS TIENE YO VEO TU PROGRAMA SIMPRE PUEZ ME ENCANTA COSINAR AHORA QUE EMPESE DE NUEVO PUEZ ESTUBE MUY EMFERMA Y ESTOY DESABILITADA DE POR VIDA GRACIAS PATI POR TRAERNOS TANTOS DELISIOS MOMENTOS????⚘
Pati
Oct 30
Mil gracias por tomarte el tiempo de escribirme este mensaje, Leticia! 🙂
Caitilin
Sep 03
What a great dish! Love you and your passion for food. Saw you on our food network channel. Just made this for my family in Australia to celebrate Father’s Day. Mixed up the ricotta with chopped frozen spinach and Parmesan to increase the vegetable intake. We now want to learn a lot more about Mexican cuisine!
Pati
Sep 07
I’m beyond happy to hear that you are excited to learn more about Mexican cooking Caitilin and that you loved the dish!
Betty Rini
Aug 15
My 7 year old grandson loved this so much he wants him mom to make it for him all the time.
Pati
Aug 15
That’s so awesome!
Anthony
Aug 02
Hey Pati. my mum was trying to remember a similar recipe to this but it was vegan. she says she may have seen it on your tv show so is there like a similar recipe thats vegan and uses tortillas, cheese, pumpkin and burnt capsicum? these are the only things my mum remembers. thanks for your help
Pati
Aug 02
Hi Anthony, you can make this recipe vegan if you like using your favorite meat substitute. If you are looking for a delicious pumpkin recipe, you can try my sweet pumpkin dish http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/pumpkin_in_piloncillo_syrup/
Bec
Jul 23
Oh my goodness… chorizo in a lasagna yummo!!! I am soo looking forward to trying this.
Pati
Jul 26
Hope you enjoy it Bec!
Sally Melendez
Jul 19
Waooo I will try water in my mouth already
Pati
Jul 20
Super!
Kathryn
Jul 19
this sounds amazing have you ever used the oven ready lasagna noodles
Pati
Jul 21
No…but give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Olga
Jun 15
The recipe was delish. Keep us posted with new ones. We love you show!❤
Pati
Jun 15
Thank you Olga, keep an eye out for the season six recipes this fall!
Ross
May 30
Pati, we have no achiote paste in our area so I looked up the ingredient on the website of a large discount department store located in most American cities.
There were only three pastes on that website, but they all list ingredients that are written almost identically. The only variation is the word “spices” which could be anything.
Is there any difference between brands or is it just the packaging that is different? Do you have a favorite brand?
By the way, the photographer did a good job. I can almost smell and taste it from the photo 😉
El Mexicano Spiced Seasoning Red Achiote Paste
Annatto Seed, spices, Vinegar, Iodized Salt, Water, Granulated Garlic, Cornmeal, FD&C Red Color #40, Sodium Benzoate as a preservative.
Chef Merito Achiote Seasoning Paste
Annatto Seed, Spices, Vinegar, Iodized Salt, Water, Granulated Garlic, Corn Meal, FD&C Red Color 40, Sodium Benzoate as a Preservative.
Milpas Pasta de Achiote
Annatto Seed, Spices, Vinegar, Iodized Salt, Water, Granulated Garlic, Cornmeal, FD&C Red Color #40, Sodium Benzoate as a preservative.
Pati
Jun 02
Ross you should look for one that says Yucatecan or from Yucatan. I hope you enjoy the achiote!
Mary
May 19
Hola Pati,
Is it possible if I can substitute instead of a light beer to make Yucatecan Style Lasagna?
Pati
May 19
Claro! You can use wine or if you want no alcohol, try chicken, beef or veggie broth or water.
Ruth A. Norman
Apr 30
I haven’t made the Yucatecan Style Lasagna as of yet. I haven’t been able to find the endam cheese. I would like to make it on cinco de mayo. Can some one tell me where I can find it or what cheese I can use it it’s place. I am from El Paso, Texas and I was raised on Mexican and soul food. Please help me please find this cheese or tell me a substitute?
Pati
May 08
Gouda is a great substitute, or you can also use munster or monetary jack.
ruth
May 19
Thank you so much concerning the cheese. I didn’t get to make the lasagna for cinco de mayo but I will be leaving my house in a few minutes to go and get that cheese and make it tomorrow for pot luck.
Pati
May 22
Yay!
Meg
Mar 11
Hola, Pati. I made this recipe exactly as written last week and it was fabulous. The leftovers were even better the next day. I added a little chicken broth for moisture and tightly covered it with aluminum foil to reheat in the oven. The recipe prompts an off-topic question about Edam cheese. A couple of months ago we were in Merida, Yucatan where I was served what appeared to be a slice from a round ball of mostly melted Edam filled with some kind of sausage mixture. The ball was sliced into appetizer serving portions with the cheese on the outside and sausage mixture on the inside, and we loved it. Do you have a recipe for something like that? How would you cook it to keep the round shape of the Edam cheese ball and to make sure the sausage is fully cooked? Thank you and viva Pati!
Pati
Mar 13
Hola Meg, This is Queso Relleno, an iconic dish from the Yucatán. I don’t have a recipe for it yet on my site, but will try to have one soon…
Meg
Mar 17
Yum! I’m looking forward to it!
Becky Salinas
Apr 09
You wrap the cheese with cheesecloth to make it hold the shape… Then remove it before serving.
Angel
Feb 20
Hola Pati a mi esposa y yo los encantó esta receta.
Pati
Feb 23
Gracias Angel!
Randy
Feb 18
Hola patti
Shouln’t recipe be written “2/3 cup ricotta” rather than 2
Pati
Feb 24
Randy, thank you for spotting that. It is 2 cups of ricotta cheese in total and then added in layers as the lasagna is built, 1/3 of a cup at a time.
Brenda
Feb 18
What can i substitute for the beer. Thanks
Pati
Feb 24
Hola Brenda, you can substitute the beer for wine…or beef, chicken, or veggie stock…or even water.
Dave
Feb 13
When making this and the sauce has too much liquid, does the extra simmering time to reduce the sauce do anything to lessen the flavors?
Pati
Feb 16
Hi Dave, Actually, simmering longer to reduce the sauce more will only increase the flavor. Go for it!
Dave S.
Feb 12
Made this lasagna tonight. It turned out really tasty! Like another commenter, I had way too much liquid and had to simmer it for an extra 1/2 hour+ to thicken, and that was after leaving out 1 cup of the chicken broth. Probably will make the sauce ahead of time the next time, that ate up more time than I expected.
Pati
Feb 23
So glad you liked it Dave!
Rebecca
Feb 11
Hello Pati! I am planning to make this for my in laws on Valentine’s day, I am wondering what simple side dishes would go good with this? 🙂
Pati
Feb 16
I like it with a simple green salad: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/everyday-green-salad/
Claudia
Feb 08
Hi paty,what moment incorporated of light beer ?
Pati
Feb 09
Hola Claudia, Once you have cooked the chorizo, beef, and vegetables in the casserole over medium-high heat, you pour the beer into the casserole with the meat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until it starts cooking off. Reduce the heat to medium and pour in the achiote paste mixture.
Don Jr
Jan 16
We made this today and it was amazing. In our particular case there was way too much liquid. I left it uncovered on the stove for an hour and a half but still had to use a slotted spoon to scoop out the meat mixture. When I make this again I’ll probably use had the amount of broth called for and possibly a second tablespoon of tomato paste. This is a keeper for sure.
Pati
Jan 22
Oh thanks Don! Maybe the meat sauce needed to thicken a bit more before layering the lasagna… or maybe the ricotta wasn’t as thick . It is th best thing t o adapt the recipes to your liking, stovetop/stove, and ingredients 🙂
Elissa Poma
Jan 16
Pati, this is an amazing recipe! Many lasagnas are good but taste flat — this was multi-dimensional. It was my first time using achiote paste, which I love (and, in fact, the color is so rich that I’m thinking of painting an accent wall in my house that shade!). This has inspired me to do some other “fusion” lasagnas — thinking Peruvian-style next, with aji panca instead of achiote and perhaps pisco instead of beer? Thank you for your continued AWESOMENESS! Elissa
Pati
Jan 22
Oh Elissa, a Peruvian lasagna sounds amazing!! I love what you say about the color of the achiote paste… it is my favorite color, in fact, that is the color of most walls in my house!
Elissa Poma
Mar 15
Pati, I finally made a Peruvian lasagna and it was amazing! And I picked the wall color, too — putting it up this weekend. I’m not bold enough for a full room — starting with an accent wall. But I’m also designing the backsplash for my new kitchen, and it will also include “achiote.” -Elissa
(PS — Thanks for supporting Monarch Week at Jose Andres’ Oyamel. I work at WWF and have been helping with the initiative — and going there for dinner tonight. We really appreciate your support of the initiative and our work to protect monarchs.)
Pati
Mar 16
Good luck with painting this weekend! And I’m so happy to support Monarch Week!
Selina
Jan 14
Beef or Pork chorizo
Pati
Jan 14
Whatever you prefer, I use pork.
Susan Smith
Jan 13
Making this tonight 🙂 I could never get the liquids to decrease and thicken. I finally added a thickener. Also, the only achiote I could find locally was a Goya product in packets. What should the equivalent be for the paste? It’s in the oven now, can’t wait for dinner! 🙂 https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5e756d88253ab50e5fe00088ade65925f3590026aee9020fb09e83a4dc555359.jpg
Pati
Jan 14
Nice, good luck! here is information on achiote paste…. http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2009/12/achiote_paste/
Ross
May 31
Oops! That page can’t be found at the link provided about achiote_paste.
http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2009/12/achiote_paste/
Pati
Jun 01
Here you go: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/achiote_paste/
patricia helgerson
Dec 03
Excellent I’m totally going to make this! 🙂
Gracias tocaya …
Pati
Dec 13
Yay!
patricia helgerson
Dec 01
Am I supposed to use the orange or lime juice? I don’t think Pati used either on her show…
Pati
Dec 03
Yep! 3 tablespoons orange juice and 2 tablespoons of lime juice…
kecee
Nov 13
I am a sucker for Yucatan inspired dishes and this one will not disappoint. I added two bay leaves to the sauce and two Coronas and half a cinnamon stick. I had to spend twice the time to reduce it but muy rico!
Pati
Nov 16
Ohhhhh YUM!
Mike Noonan
Oct 29
FIVE MINUTES AFTER WATCHING PATI!!!,…I SHARED WITH MY SON, WHO ALSO LOVES TO COOK AUTHENTIC MEXICAN DISHES?
GRACIAS, PATI
Pati
Nov 01
Yay! Thank you, Mike!
Pati
Nov 01
Yay! Thank you, Mike!
John Wilson
Oct 24
Reading the recipe, I wanted to check about the chorizo. I am used to mexican chorizo being raw, so one would not be able to chop it till cooked, but the instructions have you cooking it. I could see breaking up the chorizo, but not chopping it.
Pati
Nov 01
Broken up by chopping or with your hands… however it is easiest for you to cook in the pan! 😉
Luis Reyes
Jan 24
Just watched your show, I will definitely make this lasagna tomorrow. Looks amazing.
Pati
Jan 26
Hola Luis! Thank’s for watching and I hope you like the lasagna!
kecee
Nov 17
John you want Méxican chorizo not Spanish chorizo. Spanish chorizo is a hard sausage where as Méxican chorizo (sometimes it will be in a casing) but Méxican chorizo has more of the texture of raw hamburger meat and needs to be cooked. Spanish chorizo is more like a hard salami and is already cooked. I hope that helps.
Pati
Nov 22
Thank you!!! =)
Sebastian
Apr 28
I know your food is amazing!! My dad loves to try to make your food!
Pati Jinich
Apr 30
Gracias! Give him a hug from me 😉