Mexican Lasagna or Enchilada Casserole or Deconstructed Enchiladas or Enchilada Pie – you can call this any thing you want. But ‘that which we call a rose, will smell as sweeter’ with any of these names. Ooooey goooey goodness is coming your way, cheese lovers!

It has been raining off and on for almost the past week here in Pune. The rains and July-August are the only times when it is somewhat cool and pleasant in Pune nowadays. Gone are the days when this city was cool almost through the year. The dropped temperatures were begging for hot comfort food and its been a while since I tried out a Mexican recipe.

Inspite of loving Mexican food, I don’t make much of it. There is the lack of typical ingredients like ancho or chipotle chillies, sour cream, avocados, readymade tortillas etc. Granted, some of these are now available in the imported goods store, but it’s still a hit or miss getting them when you want them. So I decided to make do with whatever was available and improvise.

I have been hankering to create a good enchilada sauce from scratch since a long time. This recipe is quick and easy and yields a thick sauce that sticks to the tortillas and chips. I made the tortillas from scratch – had to – but you are welcome to use the readymade ones (corn) if you get them. Need I say that fresh will be better?

This dish is assembled like a lasagna because I wanted to eat both a lasagna and Mexican food at the same time :).

This might look like a lot of work, but it is worth the effort. You can make the sauce ahead of time if you wish. Make more so that you can store or freeze it. You will be adding it to sandwiches and burritos for sure!

The detailed recipe for Mexican Enchilada or Enchilada Cassserole is as follows –

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I loved making this Mexican Enchilada Pie and of course devouring it. Unless you’re used to hot food, this will be on the hot/ spicy side for you – it was for me. The heat factor intensifies the next day. So I would actually recommend using only 1-2 chilis. If you use dried Ancho or Chipotle chilis, the heat factor will be different again and I advise caution. The only way to be sure is by trying this multiple times with the same ingredients. Or you can use a readymade chili powder that you are comfortable with. The sweet corn is a must here since it mellows the chili a bit.

Other Serving Suggestions – You can assemble a traditional enchilada pan with this. Stuff the veggie and cheese mixture in the tortillas, roll and place seam side down in pan. Pour sauce over it and add cheese on top. Bake until golden. Serve with Rice and Beans. Or you can also serve these as tacos, adding some fresh lettuce, salsa and guacamole.

I hope you make this Mexican Lasagna and enjoy it as much as I did. Do let me know how it was and if you have any questions.