Pastel Azteca or pastel de tortillas is a kind of Mexican lasagna that is rich in Mexican flavors. Have you ever imagined lasagna made with a fusion of salsa, cheese, corn tortillas, and smoky poblano sauce? If not, then it is your turn to make this at home.
Italian lasagna has layers of pasta sheets, while this Mexican lasagna has layers of corn tortillas. Pastel Azteca came from the ancient Aztec civilization in pre-Columbian times. This is the dish you rarely find in restaurants because it is a homemade casserole dish for family dinner. Although there are many variations to this dish, the sauce may be red tomato-based or poblano green chile-based. Mozzarella, Manchego, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Cheddar or any Mexican cheese are stuffed in between layers for nice cheesy layers. The poblano pepper is the heart of this lasagna as it gives smoky flavors out of this world!
Table of Contents
Why Will You Love This Torta Azteca Recipe?
- Tortilla azteca does not require much effort, and a single casserole dish is ideal for a family dinner.
- The smoky salsa, smoky chile pepper, tortillas, and cheesy taste so delicious you would crave for.
- Great for crowds when you must make a hearty dish with less effort.
- With some simple ingredients, you can taste the Mexican cuisine at home.
- There are many variations in the sauce, meat, and cheese. You can make it with beef, chicken, or even seafood. Mexican cheese like Manchego is good, but if you can’t find one, just opt for other cheeses.
Layering Technique
- Tortilla _ Filling _ Cheese
- Tortilla _ Filling _ Cheese
- Tortilla _ poblano sauce _ cheese _ bake
Ingredients
- 18 Corn tortillas
- 1 cup oil for frying
- 1 ½ cups Manchego cheese shred
For creamy poblano sauce
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 1 cup white onion, sliced
- 2 cloves roasted garlic
- 5 poblano pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For chicken filling
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken, Cooked and shredded
- 1 cup poblano pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup yellow corn, canned
Instructions
1.Make Poblano Sauce
Add diced onion, roasted garlic cloves, roasted poblano pepper, chicken broth, heavy whipped cream, cream cheese, salt, black pepper, and cilantro to a blender. Blend for about 1-2 minutes until you get a creamy, smooth poblano sauce.
2.Make Chicken Filling
Cook onions in vegetable oil until translucent.
Add garlic, shredded chicken, chopped poblano pepper, and canned yellow corn. Mix all the ingredients well and add half of the poblano sauce that we prepared. Mix and cook the chicken filling for 5 minutes on medium-low heat until it is cooked and reduced.
3.Fry Corn Tortillas
Heat vegetable oil in a pan and fry all the corn tortillas for a softer and tender lasagna base. We will not fry for long, but each tortilla should be fried for 30 seconds until it is soft and moist.
4.Assemble Mexican Lasagna
Divide the corn tortillas and cheese into three parts and the chicken filling into two parts because we must create three layers of Mexican lasagna. Layer 6 tortillas on the base of a 9×13-inch deep casserole baking dish, then layer the chicken filling and shredded Manchego cheese. Repeat the process to create a second beautiful layer.
Layer the third layer with tortillas. Spread the remaining poblano sauce on top and decorate it with lots of cheese.
5.Bake
Set the oven at 400°F and bake the layered pastel Azteca for about 10 minutes or until cheese on top is brown and bubbly. Serve this with a lot of poblano sauce, avocado slices, corn, cheese sprinkle, or cilantro leaf for a nice presentation.
Enjoy this homemade Mexican lasagna.
Serving Suggestions
There are many great options that you can serve with this lasagna: corn salsa, Guacamole, and Horiatiki (a Greek Salad made with tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumbers, onions, and olives, splashed with olive oil and lemon juice). The healthy, fresh flavor of Greek salad is a great option for this lasagna. It’s basically a blend of different cuisines.
Air-fried vegetables are another great side option for serving, along with a big, fat lasagna piece. Cauliflower, crispy asparagus, and green beans roasted in the air fryer are delicious sides.
Other sides that you can serve with Mexican lasagna are Mexican rice, black beans, and tacos. Tortilla chips will help you clear the leftover sauce, so just dip the chips in the creamy, cheesy sauce and get the authentic Mexican flavors.
Expert Tips
- Tortillas are the base of lasagna, and they do the same job as lasagna sheets. We fry our corn tortillas for a few seconds to make them soft and moist. Frying for too long will make them crispy and crunchy, so don’t do that because we want soft corn tortillas for layering lasagna.
- Blend the green sauce for 1 minute. The blending time may vary based on how powerful your blender is. Just make sure that you achieve a smooth consistency.
Mexican Pastel Azteca Loaded With Cheesy Layers
- Total Time: 1 hour
Description
Pastel Azteca or pastel de tortillas is a kind of Mexican lasagna that is rich in Mexican flavors. Have you ever imagined lasagna made with a fusion of salsa, cheese, corn tortillas, and smoky poblano sauce? If not, then it is your turn to make this at home.
Italian lasagna has layers of pasta sheets, while this Mexican lasagna has layers of corn tortillas. Pastel Azteca came from the ancient Aztec civilization in pre-Columbian times. This is the dish you rarely find in restaurants because it is a homemade casserole dish for family dinner. Although there are many variations to this dish, the sauce may be red tomato-based or poblano green chile-based. Mozzarella, Manchego, Pecorino Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Cheddar or any Mexican cheese are stuffed in between layers for nice cheesy layers. The poblano pepper is the heart of this lasagna
Ingredients
- 18 Corn tortillas
- 1 cup oil for frying
- 1 ½ cups Manchego cheese shred
For creamy poblano sauce
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 1 cup white onion, sliced
- 2 cloves roasted garlic
- 5 poblano pepper
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For chicken filling
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken, Cooked and shredded
- 1 cup poblano pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup yellow corn, canned
Instructions
- Make Poblano Sauce: Add diced onion, roasted garlic cloves, roasted poblano pepper, chicken broth, heavy whipped cream, cream cheese, salt, black pepper, and cilantro to a blender. Blend for about 1-2 minutes until you get a creamy, smooth poblano sauce.
- Make Chicken Filling: Cook onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Add garlic, shredded chicken, chopped poblano pepper, and canned yellow corn. Mix all the ingredients well and add half of the poblano sauce that we prepared. Mix and cook the chicken filling for 5 minutes on medium-low heat until it is cooked and reduced.
- Fry Corn Tortillas: Heat vegetable oil in a pan and fry all the corn tortillas for a softer and tender lasagna base. We will not fry for long, but each tortilla should be fried for 30 seconds until it is soft and moist.
- Assemble Mexican Lasagna: Divide the corn tortillas and cheese into three parts and the chicken filling into two parts because we must create three layers of Mexican lasagna. Layer 6 tortillas on the base of a 9×13-inch deep casserole baking dish, then layer the chicken filling and shredded Manchego cheese. Repeat the process to create a second beautiful layer. Layer the third layer with tortillas. Spread the remaining poblano sauce on top and decorate it with lots of cheese.
- Bake: Set the oven at 400°F and bake the layered pastel Azteca for about 10 minutes or until cheese on top is brown and bubbly. Serve this with a lot of poblano sauce, avocado slices, corn, cheese sprinkle, or cilantro leaf for a nice presentation. Enjoy this homemade Mexican lasagna.
Notes
- Tortillas are the base of lasagna, and they do the same job as lasagna sheets. We fry our corn tortillas for a few seconds to make them soft and moist. Frying for too long will make them crispy and crunchy, so don’t do that because we want soft corn tortillas for layering lasagna.
- Blend the green sauce for 1 minute. The blending time may vary based on how powerful your blender is. Just make sure that you achieve a smooth consistency.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Meal
FAQ’s for This Pastel Azteca
Where does Pastel Azteca come from?
Pastel Azteca comes from the ancient Aztec civilization in pre-Columbian times. It is a homemade casserole dish for family dinners that is rarely found in restaurants.
What temperature do you bake pastel Azteca?
The Aztec cake takes some time. The ideal temperature to bake the pastel Azteca casserole is between 350F-400F. Bake the lasagna casserole for about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese melts and brown blister bubbles are formed.
