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3.50 from 2 votes

Fiesta Mexican Lasagna USDA Recipe for Child Care Centers

This main dish is filled with hearty, healthy ingredients. Its colorful vegetables are layered with crunchy corn chips, smooth black beans, flavorful cumin, oregano, and lively salsa, and baked to perfection as an aromatic, savory casserole.
CACFP CREDITING INFORMATION
1 piece provides:
Legume as Meat Alternate: 1 oz equivalent meat alternate, ¾ cup vegetable, and ¾ oz equivalent grains.
OR
Legume as Vegetable: 1 cup vegetable and ¾ oz equivalent grains.
Legume vegetable can be counted as either a meat alternate or as a legume vegetable but not as both simultaneously.
Course: Main Course, vegetarian
Keyword: Child Care Centers, CACFP
Age Group: Ages 6-18
Serving Size: 25-50
Program Type: CACFP
Program Meal Type: Lunch, Supper
Conventional Meal Category: Vegetarian, Main Dish (Entrée), Plant-based/Vegan
Program Meal Component: Grains, Vegetables, Meat Alternates
Vegetable Subgroup: Red-Orange Vegetables, Beans, Peas, and Lentils, Starchy Vegetables, Other Vegetables
Meal Service Temperature: Hot
Cooking Method: Roast, Sauté, Steam
Season: Fall, Winter
Multicultural Region: Mexico, Central and South America
25 Servings
Calories: 263.63

Ingredients

25 Servings

    Weight

    • - - Canola oil
    • 5 oz Fresh green bell peppers, diced
    • 1 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
    • 1 lb 8 oz Fresh onions, diced
    • 1 lb 12 oz Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
    • - - Ground oregano
    • - - Ground cumin
    • - - Granulated garlic
    • - - Chili powder
    • - - Paprika
    • - - Salt
    • 4 lb 4 oz Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
    • - - OR
    • 4 lb 4 oz *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
    • 2 lb 12 oz Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
    • 1 lb 12 oz Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
    • 1 lb 8 oz Low-sodium tortilla chips

    Measure

    • 2½ Tbsp Canola oil
    • ¾ cup Fresh green bell peppers, diced
    • 3¼ cups (⅓ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
    • 1 qt ¾ cup Fresh onions, diced
    • 1 qt 3½ cups Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
    • 2 tsp Ground oregano
    • 2 tsp Ground cumin
    • 2 tsp Granulated garlic
    • 2 tsp Chili powder
    • 2 tsp Paprika
    • 2 tsp Salt
    • 1 qt 3⅔ cups (1⅛ No. 10 cans) Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
    • - - OR
    • 1 qt 3⅔ cups *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
    • 1 qt 1 cup (½ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
    • 3½ cups (¼ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
    • About 265 chips Low-sodium tortilla chips

    50 Servings

      Weight

      • - - Canola oil
      • 10 oz *Fresh green bell peppers, diced
      • 3 lb Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
      • 3 lb *Fresh onions, diced
      • 3 lb 8 oz *Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
      • - - Ground oregano
      • - - Ground cumin
      • - - Granulated garlic
      • - - Chili powder
      • - - Paprika
      • - - Salt
      • 8 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
      • - - OR
      • 8 lb 8 oz *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
      • 5 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
      • 3 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
      • 3 lb Low-sodium tortilla chips

      Measure

      • ¼ cup 1 Tbsp Canola oil
      • 1½ cups *Fresh green bell peppers, diced
      • 1 qt 2½ cups (⅔ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
      • 2 qt 1³⁄8 cups *Fresh onions, diced
      • 3 qt 3 cups *Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ground oregano
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ground cumin
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Granulated garlic
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Chili powder
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Paprika
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Salt
      • 3 qt 3⅓ cups (2¼ No. 10 cans) Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
      • - - OR
      • 3 qt 3⅓ cups *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
      • 2 qt 2 cups (1 No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
      • 1 qt 3 cups (½ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
      • About 530 chips Low-sodium tortilla chips

      -

      25 Servings

        Weight

        • - - Canola oil
        • 5 oz Fresh green bell peppers, diced
        • 1 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
        • 1 lb 8 oz Fresh onions, diced
        • 1 lb 12 oz Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
        • - - Ground oregano
        • - - Ground cumin
        • - - Granulated garlic
        • - - Chili powder
        • - - Paprika
        • - - Salt
        • 4 lb 4 oz Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
        • - - OR
        • 4 lb 4 oz *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
        • 2 lb 12 oz Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
        • 1 lb 12 oz Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
        • 1 lb 8 oz Low-sodium tortilla chips

        Measure

        • 2½ Tbsp Canola oil
        • ¾ cup Fresh green bell peppers, diced
        • 3¼ cups (⅓ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
        • 1 qt ¾ cup Fresh onions, diced
        • 1 qt 3½ cups Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
        • 2 tsp Ground oregano
        • 2 tsp Ground cumin
        • 2 tsp Granulated garlic
        • 2 tsp Chili powder
        • 2 tsp Paprika
        • 2 tsp Salt
        • 1 qt 3⅔ cups (1⅛ No. 10 cans) Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
        • - - OR
        • 1 qt 3⅔ cups *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
        • 1 qt 1 cup (½ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
        • 3½ cups (¼ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
        • About 265 chips Low-sodium tortilla chips

        50 Servings

          Weight

          • - - Canola oil
          • 10 oz *Fresh green bell peppers, diced
          • 3 lb Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
          • 3 lb *Fresh onions, diced
          • 3 lb 8 oz *Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
          • - - Ground oregano
          • - - Ground cumin
          • - - Granulated garlic
          • - - Chili powder
          • - - Paprika
          • - - Salt
          • 8 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
          • - - OR
          • 8 lb 8 oz *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
          • 5 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
          • 3 lb 8 oz Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
          • 3 lb Low-sodium tortilla chips

          Measure

          • ¼ cup 1 Tbsp Canola oil
          • 1½ cups *Fresh green bell peppers, diced
          • 1 qt 2½ cups (⅔ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium corn, drained, rinsed
          • 2 qt 1³⁄8 cups *Fresh onions, diced
          • 3 qt 3 cups *Fresh butternut squash, peeled, cubed ½”
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ground oregano
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ground cumin
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Granulated garlic
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Chili powder
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Paprika
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Salt
          • 3 qt 3⅓ cups (2¼ No. 10 cans) Canned low-sodium black beans, drained, rinsed
          • - - OR
          • 3 qt 3⅓ cups *Dry black beans, cooked (See Notes Section)
          • 2 qt 2 cups (1 No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium meatless spaghetti sauce
          • 1 qt 3 cups (½ No. 10 can) Canned low-sodium salsa, mild
          • About 530 chips Low-sodium tortilla chips

          Instructions

          • Combine oil, green peppers, corn, and half of onions. Reserve remaining onions for step 5. Toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet pan (18” x 26” x 1”).
            For 25 servings, use 1 pan.
            For 50 servings, use 2 pans.
          • Roast uncovered until lightly brown around edges:
            Conventional oven: 350 °F for 20 minutes
            Convection oven: 350 °F for 12 minutes
          • Place squash in perforated steam table pan (12” x 20” x 2½”) and steam for 15 minutes or until tender.
            For 25 servings, use 1 pan.
            For 50 servings, use 2 pans.
          • Mash squash until smooth. Add roasted vegetables, half of oregano and half of cumin. Reserve remaining oregano and cumin for step 5. Mix well. Set aside.
          • Lightly coat nonstick pan with pan release spray. Sauté remaining onions, oregano, and cumin with garlic, chili powder, paprika, and salt for 5 minutes or until soft.
          • Puree onion mixture and beans in a food processor to a smooth consistency. If needed, add water to make puree smoother:
            For 25 servings, use about ⅛ cup water.
            For 50 servings, use about ¼ cup water.
            Set aside.
          • Combine spaghetti sauce and salsa. Set aside.
          • For 25 servings, crumble 8 oz tortilla chips for topping. Reserve remaining 1 lb whole tortilla chips for lasagna layers.
            For 50 servings, crumble 1 lb tortilla chips for topping. Reserve remaining 2 lb whole tortilla chips for lasagna layers.
          • Assembly:
            Lightly coat steam table pan (12” x 20” x 2½”) with pan release spray.
            For 25 servings, use 1 pan.
            For 50 servings, use 2 pans.
            First layer:
            a. 1 qt ¼ cup sauce
            Second layer:
            a. 8 oz whole chips (about 85 chips), slightly overlapping
            b. 1 qt 1 cup (about 2 lb 4 oz) bean mixture
            c. 1 qt ½ cup (about 1 lb 15 oz ) squash/vegetable mixture
            Third layer: Repeat second layer
            Fourth layer:
            a. 1 qt ¼ cup sauce
            b. 8 oz crumbled chips, about 2½ cups
          • Tightly cover pans.
          • Bake:
            Conventional oven: 350 °F for 40 minutes
            Convection oven: 350 °F for 30 minutes
            Critical Control Point: Heat to 140 °F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
          • Remove from oven. Uncover. Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.
          • Critical Control Point: Hold at 135 °F or higher.
          • Cut each pan 5 x 5 (25 pieces per pan).
            Serve 1 piece (2” x 3¾” square).

          Notes

          *See Marketing Guide for purchasing information on foods that will change during preparation or when a variation of the ingredient is available.
          Special tip for preparing dry beans:
          SOAKING BEANS
          OVERNIGHT METHOD: Add 1¾ qt cold water to every 1 lb of dry beans. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Discard the water. Proceed with recipe.
          QUICK-SOAK METHOD: Boil 1¾ qt of water for each 1 lb of dry beans. Add beans and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to soak for 1 hour. Discard the water. Proceed with recipe.
          COOKING BEANS
          Once the beans have been soaked, add 1¾ qt water for every lb of dry beans. Boil gently with lid tilted until tender, about 2 hours. Use hot beans immediately.
          Critical Control Point: Hold for hot service at 135 °F or higher.
          OR
          Chill for later use.
          Critical Control Point: Cool to 70 °F within 2 hours and to 40 °F or lower within an additional 4 hours.
          1 lb dry black beans = about 2½ cups dry or 4½ cups cooked beans.

          Nutrition

          Serving: 1piece | Calories: 263.63 | Total Carbohydrate: 52.16g | Protein: 8.71g | Total Fat: 4.09g | Saturated Fat: 0.51g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 425.06mg | Dietary Fiber: 9.37g | Total Sugars: 0g | Vitamin A: 3768.71IU | Vitamin C: 15.61mg | Vitamin D: 0IU | Calcium: 120.21mg | Iron: 2.35mg