If you grew up on Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza, you’re gonna love this. Today we’re showing you how to make a quick, delicious copycat Mexican Pizza at home using basic pantry staples. It’s crispy, cheesy, and honestly? Even better than the original. Our family devoured it, and yours probably will too. Here’s how to make it!
Looking for more quick easy dinner recipes? Try Lazy Lasagna or Taco Casserole with Beans.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy Mexican Pizzas in Minutes: This homemade version comes together quickly for a perfect taco night dinner that's faster than a trip to Taco Bell.
Customizable with Favorite Toppings: Everyone in the whole family can add their favorite taco toppings, making it a crowd-pleaser for even picky eaters.
Better Than Fast Food: This Taco Bell copycat recipe lets you control the ingredients for a healthier, more flavorful version.
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Mexican Pizza Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef: For a leaner option, substitute it with ground turkey or chicken.
Taco Seasoning Packet: Gives the pizza an authentic Mexican flavor profile. You can make your own blend with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, paprika, and salt.
Flour Tortillas: Serve as the "crust" of your Mexican pizza. They also fry up beautifully to a crispy shell texture.
Refried Beans: You can mash pinto beans or black beans or even spread a layer of guacamole instead for a different flavor profile.
Enchilada Sauce: Adds tangy, slightly spicy flavor to the top tortilla.
Colby Jack Cheese: Delivers the perfect melt with a mild flavor that complements the spices.
Tomatoes, Olives, and Green Onions: Add freshness, color, and texture to your homemade Mexican pizza.
Vegetable Oil: Used for frying the tortillas. Cooking spray can be used for a lighter version, especially if using an air fryer method.
How To make Mexican Pizza Step-By-Step
Check out these step-by-step instructions with images. Just so you know, you'll find all the details and exact ingredients of this recipe on the printable recipe card below!
Step 1: Cook the Beef
Brown the ground beef and diced red onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat (about 5-7 minutes) then drain excess grease. Add taco seasoning and water, and stir.
Step 2: Fry or Bake the Tortillas
Method 1 (Fryer): Heat ½ inch of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry your tortillas one at a time for about 1-2 minutes per side until they turn golden brown and crispy. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil. For best results, make sure the tortillas are crispy.
Method 2 (Air Fryer): Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and air fry at 375°F for 3-4 minutes until they become crisp.
Method 3 (Baking): Brush your tortillas with a small amount of oil and bake them in a 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they become golden and crispy.
Step 3: Assemble the Mexican Pizza
Preheat your oven to 350°F and then place four tortillas on a baking sheet (or pie plates). Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each bottom tortilla, followed by the taco meat then lots of cheese.
Step 4: Top Them with Another Tortilla
Top them with another tortilla, then spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce or taco sauce and sprinkle lots of cheese on the top tortilla.
Step 5: Bake the Pizza
Bake your Mexican pizza for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 4: Top and Serve
Top each of your pizza with your favorite taco toppings like diced tomatoes, olives, and green onions. Enjoy!
Step 6: Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
Drain Excess Grease: After cooking the ground beef, be sure to drain excess grease completely to prevent your Mexican pizzas from becoming greasy or soggy.
Watch Oven Closely: Since every oven varies, check your pizzas after 6 minutes to ensure the cheese melts evenly.
Rest Before Cutting: Allow the assembled pizzas to rest for 1-2 minutes before cutting to give the layers time to set.
Assembly Line: For multiple pizzas, set up an assembly line and prepare all the bottom layers first, then add the top tortillas and toppings to streamline the process.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerating: Store your assembled but untopped Mexican pizzas (without fresh toppings) in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment paper. They'll keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Store any fresh toppings separately to prevent sogginess.
Reheating Refrigerated Pizzas: For best results, reheat the pizzas in an oven that has been preheated to 350°F for 5-7 minutes until they are heated through and the cheese is re-melted.
Reheating Frozen Pizzas: Reheat them directly from frozen in a 375°F oven for 12-15 minutes until they are heated through. You can also thaw them in the refrigerator overnight for faster reheating.
Crisping Trick: To restore crispiness to refrigerated pizzas, try reheating them in an air fryer at 350°F for 3-4 minutes, which will re-crisp the tortillas while warming the fillings.
Freezing: To freeze, wrap each assembled pizza (without the fresh toppings) individually in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze them for up to 1 month.
Additions and Substitutions
Editor Note: Here is where you can use LSI keywods that are not in the recipe
You can use leaner meats like ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef.
Corn tortillas make an excellent substitute in place of flour tortillas if that's what you prefer.
Taco sauce, salsa or green enchilada sauce can be used as a substitute for Enchilada sauce.
You can replace Colby Jack cheese with Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, Mexican blend, or dairy-free cheese alternatives.
Your Questions Answered
Yes! You can prepare all the ingredients separately up to 2 days ahead. Fry and cool the tortillas, cook the seasoned meat, and prepare your toppings. Store everything separately in the refrigerator, then assemble and bake just before serving.
This typically happens if the tortillas aren't fried until crispy enough or if they're assembled too far in advance. Make sure you fry the tortillas until they turn golden brown and firm, drain them well on paper towels, and apply a thin layer of refried beans to create a barrier between the tortilla and meat.
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We hope you love this Mexican Pizza recipe! If you make it, be sure to leave a rating so we know how you liked it!
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Recipe
Mexican Pizza
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef and diced red onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat (about 5-7 minutes) then drain excess grease. Add taco seasoning and water, and stir.
- Fry the Tortilla:Method 1 (Fryer): Heat ½ inch of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry your tortillas one at a time for about 1-2 minutes per side until they turn golden brown and crispy. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil. For best results, make sure the tortillas are crispy.Method 2 (Air Fryer): Spray both sides of the tortillas with cooking spray and air fry at 375°F for 3-4 minutes until they become crisp.Method 3 (Baking): Brush your tortillas with a small amount of oil and bake them in a 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes, flipping halfway through, until they become golden and crispy.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and then place four tortillas on a baking sheet (or pie plates). Spread a thin layer of refried beans on each bottom tortilla, followed by the taco meat then lots of cheese. Top them with another tortilla, then spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce or taco sauce and sprinkle lots of cheese on the top tortilla.
- Bake your Mexican pizza for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Top each of your pizza with your favorite taco toppings like diced tomatoes, olives, and green onions. Enjoy!
Tina says
Mexican pizza is a favorite at our house! So much better than the drive thru! Thanks for the recipe!
Risa says
This Mexican Pizza recipe looks like a fantastic weeknight dinner. We love our taco nights, and this pizza is our next Mexican recipe to try. Thanks for the easy and delicious dinner idea!
Eva says
What a fun idea! Bookmarked!!