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Taco Pizza is a delicious Tex-Mex twist on the usual pizza night! Fluffy pizza crust is topped with refried beans, salsa, ground beef, and cheese, and loaded with taco toppings like shredded lettuce, sour cream, green onions, and olives.
Pizza night is a big thing in my house. My husband and I look forward to it every week, and my kid does, too.
But after eating the same kind of pizza every week for a month, we (meaning I) started getting tired of the same thing over and over again. So I decided to branch out and combine my two favorite things – tacos and pizza!
And this taco pizza was born. Here’s why I love it:
- It’s easy and no fuss. This recipe can easily be made in under an hour if you use a prepared store-bought pizza dough. It’s super simple to make, not complicated, and a really great dish to add to your dinner rotation to keep meals interesting and fun!
- A big crowd-pleaser. My family loves pizza, and this recipe was no exception. My kiddo had 2 slices, which is a big deal! This is definitely staying on the menu for next time. It’s a fun way to change up the usual pizza night or even Taco Tuesday.
Ingredients
- Pizza dough: You can use your favorite store-bought pizza dough, or make your own from scratch. I really like using the homemade pizza dough from Sugar Spun Run. It only requires one rise and uses staple ingredients I always have in my pantry. It makes a great hand-tossed pizza crust, and I will definitely be using it again!
- Refried beans and red salsa: These act as the “pizza sauce” and add creaminess. I recommend using jarred red salsa instead of fresh. Fresh salsa has a lot more water content and can make your crust too soggy.
- Ground beef and seasonings: I used lean ground beef and seasoned it with my homemade taco seasoning, tomato paste, and a little bit of water.
- Shredded cheese: I used a blend of thick-cut Monterey Jack and mild cheddar cheese. I recommend using thick-cut pre-shredded cheese or buying a block of cheese and shredding it yourself so it melts nicely.
- Toppings: Adding toppings is a must! I used regular taco toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and green onion. Olives and sour cream are also a great addition.
How to Make Taco Pizza
Prepare pizza crust. Prepare your pizza dough based on its specific instructions. I used a homemade pizza crust or you can use a store-bought dough.
Cook ground beef. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once heated, add ground beef and cook while breaking apart with a wooden spoon until it is browned about 8-10 minutes. Discard any excess grease.
Continuing on the heat, add taco seasoning and mix to combine. Next, add tomato paste and water and stir until the paste is fully dissolved and the mixture thickens. Take off the heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven and assemble the pizza. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Assemble the taco pizza by arranging the pizza dough on a 12-inch round pizza pan or pizza stone. Based on the type of pizza dough you use, you may or may not have to pre-bake it.
Spread refried beans evenly over the pizza dough in one layer. Next, spread the salsa over the refried beans. Add the the ground beef mixture on top of the salsa and sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.
Bake in the center rack of your oven for 13-15 minutes, or what is specified on your pizza dough instructions, until the toppings reach a light golden brown color.
Add toppings and serve. Once fully cooked, remove the pizza from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, green onions, olives, and sour cream. Slice with a pizza cutter and serve.
Tips
- Choose your dough. If you’re short on time, use your favorite prepared pizza dough from the grocery store. If you have a little more time, try making your own pizza dough at home. I really like this recipe from Sugar Spun Run. It bakes well and has a great consistency.
- Opt for a chunky salsa. I recommend using a store-bought chunky salsa instead of a fresh salsa. Fresh salsa has more moisture and can make your crust soggy and too heavy.
- Choose your cheese wisely. Use thick-cut shredded cheese, or buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself for even more melty and gooey cheese that’s perfect for pizza.
Serving Suggestions
I topped my Taco Pizza with traditional taco toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, some green onions, and sour cream. Diced red onions, black olives, chopped cilantro, guacamole, and pickled jalapeños are also great options!
If you want it extra cheesy and decadent, add a drizzle of queso blanco on top. Thank me later.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different protein. You can easily swap ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or even chorizo.
- Use a different cheese. You can use sharp cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, or any combination of your favorite melty shredded cheese that you prefer.
- Want a thin-crust pizza? Roll your dough out to fit a rectangular 9×13-inch baking sheet. Just note you may have to adjust the ingredients and baking time accordingly.
Recommended Tools
- Pizza pan. I used a 12-inch round pizza pan, and it worked great! It cooks the pizza crust evenly and is a good tool to keep in your kitchen.
- Pizza cutter. A must-have for slicing pizza. It’s also a great tool for slicing other types of dough.
Storing and Reheating
To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 1 week.
To reheat, place the pizza in the oven for 5 to 10 at 375°F until warmed through and the cheese is bubbly. You can also air fry the pizza at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes or microwave it on high for 2 minutes.
More Recipes
Taco Pizza
Ingredients
- 12 inch pizza dough
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup refried beans
- ½ cup chunky red salsa
- ¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¾ cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
- Toppings: diced tomatoes, shredded romaine lettuce, sliced green onions, black olives, sour cream
Instructions
- Start by making 1 batch of homemade pizza dough, or if using store-bought, allow the dough to reach room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Make the ground beef by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and browning the ground beef. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart meat into crumbles with a wooden spoon. Discard any excess grease.
- Stir in the taco seasoning, tomato paste, and water until it's fully combined and creates a thickened mixture. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. While the oven preheats, assemble the pizza.
- Arrange the pizza dough onto a 12 or 14-inch round pizza pan. Poke holes in the dough with a fork to avoid getting large air bubbles.
- Gently spread the refried beans over the pizza dough in an even layer, followed by the red salsa on top.
- Evenly sprinkle the ground beef mixture on top followed by the shredded cheese.
- Bake in the center rack for 13-15 minutes until the toppings reach a light golden brown and the cheese is fully melted.
- Allow the pizza to cool slightly for 5-10 minutes. Top with desired toppings and slice and serve.
Notes
- Choose your dough. If you’re short on time, use your favorite prepared pizza dough from the grocery store. If you have a little more time, try making your own pizza dough at home. I like this recipe from Sugar Spun Run. It bakes well, is easy to make, and has a great consistency.
- Opt for a chunky salsa. I recommend using a store-bought chunky salsa instead of a fresh salsa. Fresh salsa has more moisture and can make your crust soggy and too heavy.
- Choose your cheese wisely. Use thick-cut shredded cheese, or buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself for even more melty and gooey cheese that’s perfect for pizza.
- Make your own seasoning. You can use store bought or use my homemade taco seasoning recipe for a bit more control over the flavor profile.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Erin Jensen of The Wooden Skillet.
It was a great way to use up leftover refried beans.