Mexican pizza puts a zesty, spicy twist on traditional pizza. Seasoned taco meat, cheese, and refried beans are layered and baked between tortillas, leaving you with a flavor-packed and healthier alternative to the Taco Bell classic.
If you’ve been lucky enough to indulge in a Taco Bell Mexican pizza, then you know just how delicious this snack really is!
Unlike traditional Italian pizza layered with pizza staples like pizza sauce and pepperoni, it stuffs your favorite taco toppings in between tortilla shells. This copycat Mexican pizza recipe is even better than the Taco Bell creation and healthier, too!
Table of Contents
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredients needed
- How to make homemade Mexican pizza
- Recipe tips and tricks
- Recipe variations
- Storage instructions
- More recipes for Mexican night
- Frequently asked questions
- Mexican Pizza
Why this recipe works
I am the kind of person who eats something at a restaurant or fast food restaurant and then immediately tries to recreate it! This Mexican pizza recipe is the perfect example, and like my other copycat recipes, I never end up eating them out again!
- They are both adult and kid-approved. Mexican pizza puts a fun spin on traditional pizza. It tastes just like the tacos you know and love, but it’s in the shape of a pizza! Who wouldn’t love that?
- It’s healthier than the Taco Bell version. Generally, the homemade version is much better for you than the fast-food counterpart. You know exactly what’s going into these pizzas and you can adjust the ingredients and toppings to make them even healthier.
- So customizable! The fast food version limits the toppings you can add but that isn’t the case for the homemade version. Customize the pizzas any way you like, with different toppings, another kind of taco meat, more veggies, and more!
- Quick and easy. Altogether, this recipe cooks up in less than 15 minutes, so it makes a fun and delicious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients needed
The ingredients in these Mexican-inspired pizzas will remind you of your favorite tacos:
For the taco meat:
- Onion and garlic – This pair of aromatics is a must for the most flavorful beef.
- Ground beef – Lean to extra lean ground beef is best. If your ground beef has more fat, you may need to brown the meat first, drain the excess fast, and then combine it with sauteed onion, garlic, and seasonings.
- Taco seasoning – Use your favorite store-bought brand or make your own.
- Oil – To crisp the taco meat and the tortillas.
For the pizza:
- Flour tortillas – These are best for this recipe. Corn tortillas will work but they don’t hold up as well when weighed down by the toppings. If all you have are corn tortillas at home, use a double layer for both the bottom and top.
- Refried beans – Keep it simple with store-bought refried beans or make your own.
- Enchilada sauce – Again, a can of red enchilada sauce from the store works, or you can make enchilada sauce from scratch. Green enchilada sauce is a great alternative, too!
- Cheese – I used equal parts mozzarella and Mexican-blend cheese, but any good melting cheese works. Try pepper jack, cheddar, Havarti, Colby, or Monterey jack.
- Toppings – I used diced tomato, sliced black olives, finely chopped green bell peppers, and sour cream, but you can get as creative as you want. Check out the taco-topping ideas below.
How to make homemade Mexican pizza
Cook the ground beef: Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant. Next, add the ground beef and taco seasoning and continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink.
Warm the tortillas: Warm more oil in a new pan, then add one or two tortillas (depending on the size of your pan) and crisp on both sides.
Assemble the pizzas: To start assembling, place one crisped tortilla on a parchment-lined baking sheet and top it with refried beans and seasoned taco meat.
Top it with a second crisped tortilla. Pour enchilada sauce and sprinkle both kinds of cheese on top (leaving room around the edges for the “crust”).
Bake: Transfer the assembled pizzas to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted.
Add the toppings and serve: When they’re done, top the Mexican pizzas with the taco toppings of your choice. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, then enjoy!
Recipe tips and tricks
- You don’t want the cheese to ooze off the sides as the pizzas bake, so leave about a ½-inch border around the edges of the tortillas.
- Don’t crowd the pizzas on one baking sheet. You may need to use two baking sheets if your tortillas are large.
- Only craving one pizza? Cook it quickly in the air fryer! Spray the basket generously with cooking spray before cooking the pizza at 400°F for 4 to 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Recipe variations
Use other ground meat. Swap out the ground beef with ground chicken, ground pork, or ground turkey.
Change the vegetables. Thinly sliced mushrooms, zucchini, and even summer squash all make fabulous additions.
Add more taco fix-ins. Love spice? Add some sliced jalapenos or sliced chilies. Extra salsa and guacamole are also must-haves or even a squeeze of lime juice.
Make it vegetarian. We often do this on meatless Mondays, but we substitute the beef for homemade sofritas.
Storage instructions
To store: I highly recommend eating the pizzas as soon as they come out of the oven. Any leftovers will keep for about two days in a sealed container in the fridge, but they tend to become soggy quickly.
If you’re anticipating leftovers, don’t add any fresh toppings. Instead, store the pizzas and toppings in separate containers, so they don’t become soggy as quickly.
To reheat: Place the leftover pizzas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and reheat in a 375°F oven until the cheese is remelted and the tortilla’s crispiness is restored.
More recipes for Mexican night
Frequently asked questions
You can swap ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, pork, or your favorite vegan ground “meat”. Alternatively, layer carnitas, beef barbacoa, or chopped pollo asado between the tortillas.
Yes. To make gluten free Mexican pizzas, replace the flour tortillas with corn tortillas or your favorite gluten free brand.
I don’t see why not. Keep it simple with store-bought pizza dough, or make your own.
To assemble, roll the dough into a personal pizza size (7 to 10 inches in diameter), top with refried beans, beef, enchilada sauce, and cheese, and then bake. Pile on the fresh toppings as soon as it’s finished. You may also enjoy a birria pizza too.
Prevent your screen from going dark
In a non-stick pan, add the olive oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the ground beef and taco seasoning, and cook until the beef is no longer pink.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Heat the oil in a new pan and crisp up the tortillas on both sides.
- Place a tortilla on a baking sheet. Place some refried beans on a tortilla,followed by some ground beef mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cover it with some enchilada sauce, and then 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, 1/3 of the Mexican cheese. (Keep some room from the edge, so the cheese doesn’t fall off). Repeat the process until all three tortilla pizzas are done.
Place the pizzas in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sliced tomatoes, olives, and finely chopped bell peppers. Serve with sour cream on top.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 337kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 29gFat: 11gSodium: 1169mgPotassium: 345mgFiber: 5gVitamin A: 610IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 385mgIron: 4mgNET CARBS: 23g
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Mexican Pizza
