Make this Vegetarian Mexican Casserole with Refried Beans for a flavorful and filling meal! Featuring spinach, salsa, and gooey, melty cheese, this vegetarian-friendly dish is sure to become a family favorite.
It's inspired by familiar and comforting Mexican flavors and ingredients, but presented in a format that's amazing for family dinners. This recipe makes for an easy meal and the leftovers are even better on day two!
Jump to:
- 🩵 About This Recipe
- What readers are saying...
- 🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- 🔪 Let's Make Vegetarian Mexican Casserole with Refried Beans!
- 💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- ❔ FAQs
- 📝 Substitutions and Variations
- 🥡 Storage and Reheating
- 🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
- 😋 More Easy Casserole Recipes You'll Love
- 📋 Recipe Card
- 💬 Reviews and Comments
🩵 About This Recipe
This unique twist on lasagna takes familiar Mexican flavors and presents them in a delicious and vegetarian-friendly dish the whole family will love. I also call this dish Fiesta Lasagna, because it's the perfect way to get any party started!
Serve with a Chipotle Lime Slaw, a handful of corn chips, and this delicious sour cream guacamole - just like that, dinner is ready! Or prepare this delicious recipe for vegan black beans to serve on the side for a hearty and nutritious complete meal.
What readers are saying...
Love it! It cannot get any easier, and everyone was raving.
- Anita
🧂 Gather Your Ingredients
- tortillas - I use whole wheat flour tortillas for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite tortilla variety.
- refried beans - give this dish a hearty and filling quality.
- chunky salsa - adds a bold Tex-Mex flair.
- seasoned southwestern corn - the Bird's Eye brand seasoned corn is what I use, but you may be able to find another brand.
- baby spinach - for some nutrition and color variation.
- shredded cheese - use a fiesta blend or Mexican blend.
- chopped green onion - brings a fresh, mild onion flavor and a pop of color.
🔪 Let's Make Vegetarian Mexican Casserole with Refried Beans!
(Or click here to jump right to the recipe card with measurements!)
Start Assembly
Line a pie tin with a tortilla, then add a layer of refried beans and some salsa.
Add Corn
Distribute about half of the corn over top.
Cheese and Spinach
Spread a handful of spinach over the corn and add about half of the cheese.
Start Second Layer
Top with another tortilla.
Layer Again
Repeat steps 1 through 3 on top of the new tortilla.
Add Topper
Place a final tortilla on top.
Garnish and Bake
Top with remaining salsa and cheese, then bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with green onion and enjoy!
💡 Expert Tips and Tricks
- You can trim the second and third tortillas if they're too large to fit over the casserole.
- Don't worry about perfectly portioning every ingredient for each layer - it will all work out regardless of the quantities!
- The casserole might seem a little tall before baking, but the spinach will shrink down as it cooks.
- For easier slicing, let the casserole cool for a minutes before cutting into it.
❔ FAQs
I use salsa. It's a staple pantry ingredient that I always have on-hand. It's fat free and low cal - a total win/win! If you don't have salsa, consider substituting with red or green enchilada sauce. Salsa verde would also be a great swap!
The prepackaged/shredded fiesta blend is my first choice because there are already spices added to the cheese. Less work for you - yay! But if you need to substitute that, almost any shredded cheese would be terrific - pepper jack, cheddar, or Queso Fresco are great choices. Queso Fresco is a Mexican farmers type cheese. It's super melty and very delicious!
That really depends on the salsa you use. There's no additional spices. I used a mild salsa and it wasn't spicy in the least, just flavorful. One of the secrets to this dish is to use Bird's Eye Seasoned Southwestern corn (in the freezer section). It has some additional seasoning, and red and green peppers and onion. But, if you don't have it on hand, you can always use regular frozen corn and it will still be delicious.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Use Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or mild cheddar cheese instead of the fiesta blend.
- Regular frozen corn or canned southwestern corn also work fine.
- If you do use regular corn, you may want to add some chopped bell pepper for extra color and flavor.
- For even more protein, add some black beans or pinto beans to your layers.
- Like things a little spicy? Top with fresh jalapeno slices.
- This dish doesn't have to be vegetarian! Enhance this with some cubed cooked chicken, or some browned ground beef! Experiment based on what your family likes best.
Kristin's Kitchen Tip
Warm the tortillas a bit to make them easier to work with. The bottom tortilla especially will benefit from some flexibility.
🥡 Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, store covered well in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze individual portions or even the whole casserole for about 2 months.
Heat leftovers in the microwave or reheat at 350 degrees in the oven. Allow the frozen casserole to thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Keep It Handy
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🍴 What To Serve With This Dish
Serve this fiesta lasagna with lime slices for a pop of citrus flavor, or pair with avocado or guacamole. This also goes well with a simple green salad and some Mexican rice or cilantro lime rice for a full meal.
For other toppings, add a scoop of sour cream or some chopped cilantro, or crush up some tortilla chips or corn chips for an added crunch!
😋 More Easy Casserole Recipes You'll Love
- Tex Mex Dorito Casserole - This hearty casserole feels like eating snack food for dinner and includes cheesy chips and layers of veggies and cheese!
- Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole - Flavorful ingredients and a filling casserole topped with tater tots - what's not to love?
- Crockpot Enchilada Casserole - Make this convenient casserole to enjoy enchiladas without fuss.
- Million Dollar Chicken Casserole - This recipe from Budget Bytes is made with juicy chicken, earthy mushrooms, creamy sauce, and a delicious crispy topping!
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Vegetarian Fiesta Lasagna
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegetarian Mexican Casserole with Refried Beans
Ingredients
- 3 10 inch tortillas (whole wheat or your favorite)
- 16 ounces refried beans
- 16 ounces chunky salsa
- 10.8 ounces Bird's Eye Seasoned Southwestern Corn (found in the frozen section)
- 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 1 ½ cups fiesta blend shredded cheese
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9 inch cake pan or pie tin with cooking spray.
- Place one of the tortillas in the bottom of the pan, letting the edges go up the sides. Spread about half of the refried beans on the tortilla, then about a third of the salsa.3 10 inch tortillas, 16 ounces refried beans, 16 ounces chunky salsa
- Distribute about half of the corn evenly on top.10.8 ounces Bird's Eye Seasoned Southwestern Corn
- Spread out a handful of the spinach and top with about a third of the cheese.4 ounces fresh baby spinach, 1 ½ cups fiesta blend shredded cheese
- Place the second tortilla on top. If desired, trim the edges so that it fits better (it doesn't need to be perfect, though).
- Repeat layering with the remaining beans, another third of the salsa, the remaining corn, the remaining spinach, and another third of the cheese.
- Place the third tortilla in the pan and trim edges if desired.
- Top with remaining salsa and cheese. Sprinkle with green onion.¼ cup chopped green onion
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Notes
Prep Tips:
- This recipe is very forgiving, so don't worry about measuring every ingredient perfectly. A little more or less of any layer will still work well.
- Don't be concerned if the casserole seems piled high before baking. The spinach cooks down significantly in the oven.
- Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes after baking to make slicing and serving easier.
Variations:
- Substitute Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or mild cheddar cheese for the fiesta blend.
- Use regular frozen corn or canned Southwestern-style corn if that's what you have available.
- If using plain corn, consider adding chopped bell peppers for extra color and flavor.
- Add black beans or pinto beans into the layers for more protein and texture if desired.
- Top with sliced jalapeños for a little heat.
Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with lime wedges for garnish.
- Add sliced avocado or guacamole.
- Pair with a simple green salad or Mexican rice for a complete meal.
- Top with sour cream, chopped cilantro, or extra green onions if desired.
Storage:
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze individual portions or the entire casserole for up to 2 months.
- To reheat, warm the leftovers in the microwave, or cover and heat in a 350-degree oven until hot throughout.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May 2020, and was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in June 2026.
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Krissy Allori says
This sounds just amazing. We are trying to do one meatless day a week and this would be perfect. Saving for next week. Yum!
Justine Howell says
Added some black beans too and so good!
Kristin says
Oh, GREAT idea! Thanks for the suggestion!
Chris Collins says
I have all he ingredients for this yummy lasagna! Can't wait to make it tomorrow night, thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
Kristin says
You are welcome! Enjoy!!
Anita says
Love it! It cannot get any easier, and everyone was raving. 🙂
Kristin says
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know! ❤️
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says
Oh my, this is the most comforting meal I have seen in a very very long time! LOVE me a good twist on lasagna!
Kristin says
Thanks, Marie! Enjoy! 🙂
KC Kahn the Kitchen Chopper says
Kristin, this recipe is perfect for a Cinco de Mayo #celebration! Love the #tortilla idea, and the yummy combo of #chicken, #refriedbeans and #corn. Plus it's easy! Thanks!
Kristin King says
Thanks, KC!
Kristin King says
Thanks, KC!
LaurieTX says
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband LOVED it! It really is delicious! Thank you for posting this.
Kristin King says
I am so glad you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by to let me know!! 😀