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Rich and spicy easy-to-make Keto Mexican Lasagna layered with homemade chorizo and a ricotta and Monterey Jack cheese filling.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I do love me some lasagna. Matter of fact, it’s my pièce de résistance my family requests over and over for special occasions. But alas, it’s not exactly keto friendly with those grain infested pasta noodles. No worries! Once the noodles are removed, the best parts remain anyway. So, it’s all good. I no longer miss the noodles. And I have a little trick that helps keep the dish together when serving since the structure the noodles provide is missing.
The version I use for this particular recipe is not a take on my traditional lasagna. Nope. It has a TexMex spin to it. Instead of Italian sausage, I use a homemade chorizo. Instead of mozzarella, I use Monterey Jack cheese.
And did I mention the best part is that it’s easy to make?
To make the chorizo, take your ground pork and place it in a large bowl. Add the spices and gently mix them by hand. Do not overwork it or the pork may get tough. Add the apple cider vinegar and incorporate it into the pork. Again, try not to overwork it.
NOTE: If you have the time, I recommend allowing the chorizo to chill in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
For the filling, mix all ingredients together and set aside.
NOTE: Check the ingredients of the ricotta cheese. I thought I had vetted the ricotta from the last time I bought it. Ugh! Apparently, not! Mine had carrageenan in it. Lesson learned AGAIN. Always check labels for ingredients to avoid even if you think you have in the past. Also, be sure it’s full fat.
Place the chorizo in a large skillet and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add in the tomato paste and continue to cook until it’s dry. This is important! You don’t want ANY liquid to remain at all. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. The mixture will almost be paste-like.
In a greased 11 X 7 inch baking dish, add 1/2 the chorizo mixture. Pack it down with a spatula and flatten as much as you can. This helps with the structure of the lasagna, so you’ll be able to cut and serve it easier.
Add the whole bowl of the ricotta mixture to the top of the chorizo. Spread it so it covers the meat.
Add the remaining half of the chorizo to the baking dish and pack it down with the spatula like the bottom layer. Top with the shredded cheddar.
Place dish in preheated 400 F oven and bake for 20 minutes until cheese it melted and starting to turn a golden brown.
Once done, remove dish from oven and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. This step is important, too. Otherwise, it may fall apart when serving.
Enjoy!
FYI: This freezes well.
*Nutritional label does not include net carbs, so I’ve added it below.
Total Carbs: 7 g
Dietary Fiber: 2 g
NET CARBS: 5 g
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 Tbsp minced garlic fresh
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 Tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 lbs ground pork or beef
- 6 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 6 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup cilantro
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
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Add all seasonings for the pork to a small bowl and mix together.
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In a larger bowl add the pork, then mix in the seasonings from the above step. Be careful not to overwork the pork or it can become tough.
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Add in the apple cider vinegar and carefully mix it into the meat. To get the best flavor, chill in refrigerator overnight. Not necessary, but it does make a difference.
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In a large skillet, add the meat and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is cooked away. Stir in the tomato paste and continue to cook until there is no liquid left. You want this part rather dry.
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Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Set aside.
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Preheat oven to 400 F.
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Add ricotta to a medium size bowl. Add in the shredded cheese and spices. Mix well.
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Lightly grease a 7 X 11" rectangular baking dish with non-stick spray or olive oil.
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Spoon 1/2 the meat mixture to the pan and pack down with a spatula as much as you can. Since there are no noodles to help keep the structure, this will help the lasagna stay together and make it easier to serve.
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Top meat layer with all the ricotta filling and spread evenly.
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Add the rest of the meat mixture on top of the ricotta filling and pack down with a spatula.
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Top with the shredded cheddar cheese.
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Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.
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Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
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Cut and serve.
Nutritional information is provided for recipes as a guide only. It cannot be 100% accurate. It’s included as a courtesy to give a general account of a recipe, so one can see if the macros are within the ballpark of where he/she needs to be. It is automatically calculated using WP recipe software integrated with a nutrition API. Please calculate your own nutritional information with the exact brand and ingredients you used before relying on the ones included with the recipe.
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