This copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe is a healthier and actually more delicious way to enjoy a past comfort food. Honestly I can’t tell you the last time I visited Taco Bell, but I do remember how much I loved their Mexican Pizza recipe.
I’ve made changes not only to the pictures and the post but also the recipe so I decided to republish this today, the original publication was September, 2017.
Now is Mexican pizza really a thing? I don’t know that it actually exists in Mexico the way we think of it from Taco Bell, I think it’s another classic from America’s love with Tex-Mex food, and that’s OK. Taco Bell made this version famous so that’s the recipe I tried to replicate, only better. My 15 year old said it’s the best thing I’ve ever made. Hmmm, I may have to rethink those long, arduous dinners that I make and just stick with something simple like this copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe. Happy to oblige him with this easy weeknight dinner.
If you visit Mexico, you are more likely to find Mexican pizza topped with chorizo, bell peppers, onions, and cheeses like Oaxaca or manchego. Those toppings sound so good I’m sure at a later date I’ll be adding a more authentic pizza like this to my posts. The important thing here is that this Mexican Pizza recipe does justice to the ole Tex-Mex favorite dreamed up by Taco Bell.
I was saying earlier that I don’t remember the last time I went to Taco Bell. I’m thinking it was back in my 20’s when I used to eat more fast food and the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza was one of my favorite drive-through treats. I probably don’t want to know the sodium count in it. But I do know that Taco Bell’s recipe developers hit on a delicious combination. It’s really a taco laid out flat, a taco pizza. But you know, sometimes changing the way a food looks or is assembled makes a real difference in how we perceive it.
I have served plenty of tacos in my past, but when I served this Mexican Pizza my family thought it was a new idea and loved how it tasted. No one even mentioned that it tasted like tacos.
Taco Pizza Finger Food
Easy. Once the Mexican pizzas are removed from the oven, let them set for a about 5 minutes. Then use a large sharp knife and cut into 4 pieces. If you cut into the taco pizza right after taking them from the oven, the inner filling is likely to ooze out.
1 1/2″ tortilla rounds are the base for these mini tacos. Use the same idea for the Mexican pizzas to serve as an appetizer, finger food or for toddlers.
Cut tortillas into small 1 1/2″ circles and follow the regular Taco Pizza recipe instructions. See here for the Mini Taco Appetizers above.
How Do You Make a copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza?
Don’t let the tortillas brown too much or they’ll be too crispy or worse, burn. You just want a hint of brown.
Crisping the tortillas is optional but adds a nice crunch and it makes it much easier to eat Mexican pizza by hand………..if you don’t crisp the tortillas you’ll definitely be using a fork and knife. Bake tortillas in a 400 degree oven for 5-8 minutes until slightly brown like you see in the picture above.
The chili powder and cumin are the key to making this recipe taste like a taco. When I made this copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe the other night I didn’t have those spices so I just omitted it, and everyone still loved the meal but still, Chili powder and cumin are what make tacos taste like tacos…..just saying.
The beef doesn’t have to be browned dark, just cooked through before adding the enchilada sauce. Make sure you drain the excess fat before adding the sauce
To save time, I’ve changed the recipe to use store bought enchilada sauce and gave a link to our Homemade Enchilada Sauce. The homemade version is killer, but sometimes a time save is what’s needed.
Brown the beef and cook through. Then add the enchilada sauce and heat a minute. This picture is with the homemade enchilada sauce.
Brown the ground beef or chicken and make sure it’s just cooked through, don’t overcook it. Add the enchilada sauce and warm through for about a minute.
Fork mashed black beans. If you use refried beans there is no need to mash them.
I also used mashed black beans instead of refried beans. Reason being is that if at all possible, I try to make On The Go Bites recipes with regular ingredients you have on hand. I always have a can of black beans on hand, but rarely refried beans. And if you only have Great Northern or red kidney beans then use those. Any bean will do. You’ll want to mash them with the back of a fork to make the beans a little more like a paste.
Heating the refried beans helps make them easier to spread, but isn’t necessary.
Spreading refried beans on crispy baked tortillas.
Then add 1/6 of the cooked ground beef or chicken mixed with enchilada sauce on top of the beans.
Pour the cooked beef or chicken mixed with enchilada sauce on top of the beans
Now top the six semi made taco pizzas with another crisped tortilla. Top with cheese and other optional toppings like chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions and black olives.
Yet another substitution I made was with the beef. I had leftover slow cooker beef roast from making French Dip Sandwiches and used that. I didn’t add any of the traditional taco spices to it, meaning the chili powder or the cumin. But I did heat up the tomato sauce, added a pinch of salt and then heated the onion and garlic and cooked for about 10 minutes on low. That took the raw taste out of the onion and garlic.
Triple decker supreme Mexican pizza made with leftover beef from French Dip sandwiches
For a “Supreme” Mexican Pizza, repeat with beans and meat and top with another crisped tortilla. Most of us will skip that extra layer, but men and teenagers seem to like that triple decker action.
Additional toppings add a lot of flavor. Think about sliced black olives, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, shredded lettuce or crumbled cooked bacon. Whatever you have in your hydrator drawer will probably make a great topping for this copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza.
Assorted toppings like sliced green onions, black olives and tomatoes
Vegetarian Mexican Pizza Recipe
Easy, just remove the meat and you now have an easy vegetarian weeknight meal.
Gluten Free Mexican Pizza Recipe
Again, easy, just remove the tortilla and layer on top of cooked rice. It’s a Mexican Unpizza Rice Bowl! Or use gluten free tortillas.
Make Ahead
Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza ingredients
The enchilada sauce and meat can be cooked and tossed together, tortillas crisped and the vegetables chopped a day or two ahead of time. Store in separate containers. If you don’t have a lot of small containers for all of the vegetables, use small snack size resealable plastic bags, or place all of the vegetables on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Then it’s just assemble and warm in the 375 degree oven when you are ready to eat them. Ready in 15 minutes. I would not assemble beforehand as it will make the crispy tortillas uncrispy, read soggy.
Serve with:
Use Slow Cooker Beef Roast instead of ground beef and taco spices for a more mellow flavor
Any green salad
Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe
Quick weeknight meal, this Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe is a twist from the fast food version. Healthy and delicious. If you have leftover beef from another recipe you can save a ton of time by substituting that meat and skip the "Beef and Fixings" section of the recipe.
Ingredients
Beef and Fixings
- 1 Pound Ground Beef I used leftover meat from French Dip Sandwiches
- 1 Tablespoon Canola oil
- 1/2 Small Onion Diced
- 16 Ounces Enchilada sauce or homemade enchilada sauce
Fillings and Toppings
- 14 Ounce Refried beans or sub drained, mashed black beans, my personal favorite
- 2 Whole Roma tomatoes diced or sub drained can of diced tomatoes
- 2 Cups Shredded cheese cheddar, or a blend is nice
- 1 Whole Green onion sliced, green and white parts
- 12 6 inch Flour tortillas
- 10 Whole Black olives sliced
- 1/4 Cup Sour cream
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-
Bake tortillas for about 5-8 minutes or until crispy and golden flecks. Keep an eye on the tortillas so they don’t over crisp. Remove tortillas from oven and reduce temperature to 375 degrees.
Beef & Fixings
-
Chop onion. While tortillas crisp, heat oil in skillet and add chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
-
Add beef to the onions. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir, breaking up beef so that it can cook evenly. When cooked through drain the excess fat.
-
While meat is cooking, if using black beans drain and then mash with a fork.
Assemble the Mexican Pizza
-
If the refried beans are hard to spread, you can heat them gently until they become a little thinner, but this isn't necessary.
-
Chop tomatoes, slice green onions and black olives.
-
Line a baking tray with parchment paper (or brush with oil), place 6 crisped tortillas on paper lined tray. Spread a thin layer of beans on tortillas (1/6 of the can). Then spread some meat (1/6 of the total). Top with another crisped tortilla.
-
For a “Supreme” Mexican Pizza, repeat with beans and meat and top with another crisped tortilla. Most of us will skip that extra layer, but men and teenagers seem to like that triple decker action.
-
Then on the top tortilla, top with ¼ cup shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced green onions and black olives and any other toppings of your choice.
-
Place assembled Mexican pizzas in oven for 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese and heat up the other ingredients.
Recipe Notes
Suggested toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Black olives
Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa
Crumbled cooked bacon
Traditional toppings for the actual Taco Bell Mexican Pizza is just cheese and tomatoes, they also add an enchilada sauce on the top but we've already added that to the meat.
Substitution: Switch out the ground beef for shredded cooked chicken.
No tortillas, not problem. Toast a plain bagel then top with the seasoned meat and toppings. Great for eating at your desk or in a lunchbox.
Time Saver: If you have leftover slow cooker beef roast instead of the ground beef and taco seasonings, it makes an incredible meal. It's no longer a taco pizza, but who cares, it's delicious!
For a quick alternative you can buy deli roast beef and just dip it in au jus. Done!
This is a fun recipe. My son loves it.
Glad you liked it.
Enjoy!