Taco Lasagna — The Table That Keeps Asking for More

New Year's 2027. Ten years sober. A decade. I write this the same way I write every annual marker: privately, intentionally, with gratitude that doesn't require an audience. Ten years of the kitchen. Ten years of being the person I wanted to be when I was the person I was afraid of being. Ten years of Ruben dead and me choosing to live in the direction he would have cheered for.

My daughter is going to Stanford in September. My son is playing college football and will likely play professionally after. The twins are twelve and reading and writing and becoming people who will be interesting to know at thirty. Lisa is a Regional Director and a partner and the first person I want to tell everything to. My father is alive and opinionated about cumin ratios. My mother drives him to basketball games. I have been sober for ten years and this is what the ten years produced. I'll keep going.

I went to a meeting this week — something I do less frequently now, but regularly. I've been going to the same group, more or less, for nine years. The people there know me. I've heard their stories and they've heard mine. There is a quality of fellowship in that room that I don't find elsewhere: the knowledge that the person next to you chose this morning too. Something is holding on all of our behalf. I don't know what to call it. I go to the room and it's there. That's sufficient.

Black-eyed peas with green chile. Gloria via FaceTime. The twins eating before noon. Ten years. The table holds everything that's been said at it and keeps asking for more.

The black-eyed peas were Gloria’s domain — FaceTime open on the counter, her voice in the kitchen the way it always has been. But feeding the twins, and the energy of a table that suddenly held ten years of everything, called for something more fortifying than tradition alone. Taco Lasagna is what I reach for when the occasion is too big for a single feeling: it’s layered the way a decade is layered, it feeds a crowd without apology, and my father has opinions about the cumin in it, which means it’s already exactly right.

Taco Lasagna

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 9

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can (15 oz) refried beans
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles, drained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups salsa (medium or hot)
• 3 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
• Sliced green onions and additional sour cream, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside in a single layer on a lightly oiled sheet of foil to prevent sticking.
2. Brown the beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef, breaking it apart, until no pink remains, about 7–8 minutes. Drain excess fat. Stir in taco seasoning and water; simmer 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
3. Mix the bean layer. In a medium bowl, combine refried beans, sour cream, diced green chiles, and black beans. Stir until smooth and evenly mixed.
4. Build the first layer. Arrange 4 noodles in the bottom of the prepared dish, overlapping slightly. Spread half the bean mixture evenly over the noodles. Spoon half the meat mixture on top. Pour 1 cup salsa over the meat, then sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
5. Add the middle layer. Lay 4 more noodles over the cheese. Spread remaining bean mixture, remaining meat, and the second cup of salsa. Top with another cup of shredded cheese and the sliced black olives if using.
6. Finish the top layer. Place the final 4 noodles over the filling. Spread remaining salsa across the top and finish with the remaining cup of shredded cheese.
7. Bake covered. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and heated through.
8. Uncover and finish. Remove foil and bake an additional 8–10 minutes until the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden.
9. Rest and serve. Let the lasagna rest 10 minutes before slicing — this helps the layers hold. Serve topped with sliced green onions and a dollop of sour cream.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 510 | Protein: 33g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 46g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 920mg