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This DIY Mex Pizza brings the beloved Taco Bell classic straight to your home, layering crunchy tortillas, rich beans, flavorful taco meat, and gooey cheese for a family meal that's on your table in just half an hour.
I whipped up this dish after Taco Bell took their famous pizza off the menu and my little ones were heartbroken. These days they actually like my version better and ask for it twice monthly during our Mexican dinner rotation.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: forms the meaty base that gives authentic south-of-the-border taste
- Taco seasoning packet: cuts down prep work but still gives that perfect blend of spices
- Corn tortillas: create the essential crunchy foundation that supports all toppings
- Refried beans: bring smoothness and extra protein to make the meal filling
- Enchilada sauce: works with taco sauce to create that unmistakable zesty flavor
- Mexican cheese blend: turns deliciously gooey and ties all elements together
- Fresh diced tomatoes: contribute freshness and vibrant color contrast
- Black olives: deliver that classic finishing touch fans always remember
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the tortillas:
- Coat tortillas with cooking spray on both sides and toast in a medium-hot pan until crisp and golden. This step ensures they won't turn mushy under wet ingredients. Let them fully cool to keep their crunch when you build your pizzas.
- Brown the meat:
- Cook ground beef in a skillet on medium-high until completely browned. Break it into tiny bits while cooking for the right texture. Get rid of all the extra fat to avoid soggy pizzas, then mix in taco seasoning and water, letting it bubble until sauce thickens around the meat.
- Warm the beans:
- Put refried beans in a microwave dish and heat for 2-3 minutes till soft and spreadable. Warming helps them glide over tortillas without ripping them. Give them a stir halfway for even heating.
- Create the sauce mixture:
- Mix enchilada sauce with taco sauce in a bowl until well blended. This combo delivers that unique zingy flavor that defines Mexican pizza. You want it runny enough to pour but not too thin.
- Assemble the pizzas:
- Start with one crunchy tortilla, then spread a thin layer of warm beans all the way across. Add a quarter of your spiced beef, making sure it's evenly placed. Top with another tortilla and drizzle several spoonfuls of your sauce mix, spreading it to the edges.
- Add cheese and bake:
- Cover each pizza with plenty of shredded Mexican cheese, making sure no spots are bare. Put your creations on a baking sheet and slide them into a 400°F oven just until cheese gets melty with a hint of gold, around 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
- Finish with toppings:
- Take from oven and right away sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and sliced olives. These fresh additions give pop of color, extra texture, and that real Taco Bell look everyone loves. Cut each pizza into four pieces using a sharp knife.
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The secret that makes this dish stand out is mixing enchilada and taco sauces together. I stumbled on this combo when I ran out of enchilada sauce one evening, and surprisingly, the flavor matched the restaurant version better than using just one sauce. My hubby thinks this happy accident actually improved on the original recipe.
Make Ahead Options
These Mex pizzas are perfect for planning ahead. You can fix all parts separately and keep them in your fridge up to three days. Cook the meat, heat the beans, and crisp the tortillas beforehand. When hunger strikes, just stack everything up and warm until cheese bubbles. This approach saves tons of time on busy nights when everyone's starving and you're short on minutes.
Customize Your Toppings
While this version mimics the famous Taco Bell favorite, making it at home means you can switch things up. Try adding some hot peppers for kick, green onions for bite, or a spoonful of sour cream and guac after it comes out of the oven. My kids love setting up a DIY topping station so they can deck out their own pizzas. It turns dinner into a fun activity and lets everyone build exactly what they're craving.
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Vegetarian Adaptation
You can easily turn this into a meatless treat. Just skip the beef and put in twice as many refried beans, or swap in a plant-based ground meat substitute. Mixing black or pinto beans with taco seasoning also works great as a protein stand-in. The flavors stay just as yummy, and you'll still get that awesome Mexican Pizza experience without any meat.
Serving Suggestions
These pizzas go great with a basic green salad dressed with some lime juice and fresh cilantro. For a full fiesta, put them next to some Spanish rice and a small dish of queso for dipping those pizza edges. They're awesome party food when cut smaller, and always disappear fast at game watches or casual get-togethers where handheld snacks work best.
Common Recipe Questions
- → How do I make tortillas crispy for the pizza?
Put cooking spray on both sides of your tortillas and cook them in a pan on medium heat until they turn golden and crunchy. Let them sit out after cooking for extra crispiness.
- → What toppings can I add to my Mexican Pizza?
You can add chopped tomatoes, black olives, shredded lettuce, spicy jalapeños or whatever taco toppings you love for more flavor.
- → Can I use chicken instead of beef?
You can definitely swap in seasoned shredded chicken or cooked ground chicken instead of beef for a tasty alternative version.
- → What's the best way to heat refried beans?
Put them in a bowl that's safe for microwave use and warm them up in 30-second bursts, giving them a good stir each time until they're hot and easy to spread.
- → Can I make this dairy-free?
You sure can! Just grab some dairy-free cheese and double check that your taco and enchilada sauces don't contain any dairy products.