Pastel Azteca de Mariscos (Seafood Aztec Tortilla Bake)
Layers of corn tortillas, refried beans, prawns and white fish in green chilli sauce, baked under melted cheese like a Mexican lasagne.
Made with Green enchilada sauce and Corn tortillas from masa harina and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.51 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the onion and poblano for 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7 min - 2
Add the fish and prawns and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring gently, until the prawns are pink and the fish is just opaque. Stir in 150 ml of your ready made green enchilada sauce (see the base recipe) and take off the heat.
4 min - 3
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or microwave until soft. Spread a thin layer of your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe) on 8 of them, leaving a small border.
- 4
Spread 100 ml of the green sauce in a baking dish about 25 x 20 cm. Lay 3 plain tortillas, overlapping, over the sauce. Add a third of the seafood, a third of the cheese and a drizzle of sauce.
- 5
Repeat with 3 bean-spread tortillas, seafood, cheese and sauce for the second layer, then again for the third. Finish with the last 3 tortillas, the remaining sauce and cheese.
- 6
Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbling and golden. Rest for 10 minutes, drizzle with the soured cream, scatter with coriander and cut into squares.
35 min
Tips
- Do not skip the 10 minute rest. It lets the layers set so you can cut clean squares.
- Keep the seafood filling fairly dry so the bake does not become watery. Cook off any liquid in the pan.
- Oaxaca cheese melts beautifully. Mozzarella mixed with a little mature cheddar is a good UK swap.
- Make sure the middle is steaming hot before serving, and that the prawns and fish are cooked all the way through.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat portions in the oven at 180 degrees C until steaming hot all the way through. Freezing is not recommended because of the seafood.
Questions
What is pastel azteca?
It is a Mexican layered casserole of tortillas, a filling and sauce and cheese, sometimes called an Aztec pie or Mexican lasagne. The filling is often chicken or poblano, and here it is seafood.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Assemble the bake without baking, cover and chill for up to 1 day. Bake from cold, adding 10 minutes to the covered cooking time and checking it is steaming hot in the middle.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free corn tortillas. The beans, sauce, seafood and cheese contain no gluten. It contains milk, fish and shellfish, so it is not for those allergies.
More made with green enchilada sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.