Skip the drive-thru and make this Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza right at home! Crunchy, full of flavor, and a quick dinner the whole family will enjoy!
Have you heard the news? Taco Bell had officially removed their Mexican Pizzas from the menu but decided to bring them back. Now, maybe you aren’t a Taco Bell fan and yes, I know it’s not the best quality food…. but it sure is a tasty occasional treat!
A Taco Bell copycat recipe, this Mexican Pizza is made with fried tortillas, refried beans, taco meat, cheese, and your favorite taco toppings. It’s a flavor packed alternative to your everyday tacos and quick and easy to make!
This recipe is both simple and delicious. In fact, I always have the ingredients ready for those days when I’m short on time.
Essentially, you need the ingredients for basic taco night, but this is way more flavorful than a basic taco.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy- this recipe is basically foolproof. Make it your own, add your own spin on it, and have fun with toppings!
- Quick- from start to finish, you can be enjoying this in about 15 minutes!
- Flavor Packed- If you aren’t up for going out, but craving that fast food, this recipe is for you. Forget the drive-through! Plus, you can add your favorite toppings!
Mexican Pizza Ingredients
This tortilla pizza is quick, easy, and bursting with flavor! You only need a few common pantry items and your favorite toppings for a meal the entire family will love!
- Refried Beans- 1 standard sized can is all you need, 15 ounces
- Ground Beef- I use 80/20, but whatever you have on hand works great too
- Taco Seasoning- make your own homemade taco seasoning or use a store-bought packet. They even sell Taco Bell seasoning at the store for a more authentic flavor.
- Tortillas- use the standard soft taco flour tortilla size
- Red Enchilada Sauce- use the original or spicy blend for an added kick
- Mexican Cheese- shredded, fresh is best, but the bagged cheese works in this as well
- Toppings- (see below for ideas)
Optional Toppings
Tomatoes- diced, this is a standard addition to the classic drive-thru meal
Green Onions- chopped, adds a nice, slightly spicy flavor to this dish
Black Olives- a classic addition to any Tex-Mex meal
Onion- diced, these add a great crunch
Lettuce- shredded, adds a crisp burst of freshness to the top of these pizzas
Salsa- feel free to use mild, spicy, or whichever blend you prefer
Avocado- diced, this may go down as my fav addition as I LOVE fresh avocado
Recipe Variations
Just like tacos, there are many ways to switch up this Taco Bell pizza to fit desired tastes.
- Make it spicy. Like some heat to your food? Add some chopped jalapenos or use the hot taco sauce.
- Use ground turkey. Swap out the ground beef for ground turkey, if desired.
- Can I omit the beans? Technically, yes, but without the beans, it may fall apart a bit more as there is nothing to “hold” the meat in.
- Make it vegetarian. For a vegetarian Mexican pizza, simply omit the ground beef in the recipe and use the beans only.
Flour or Corn Tortillas?
Does Taco Bell use flour or corn tortillas to make their Mexican pizza? This is one of the most common questions I receive when people read this recipe. According to their website, they use flour tortillas – however, when they first released the pizzas, they were made on corn tortillas that were fried to get super crispy. Feel free to use whatever you prefer! We stick with flour because that is what my kids prefer, but you can’t go wrong either way.
Step by Step Instructions
These Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas come together in less time than it’d take you to go to the drive-thru following these simple steps. (Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the measurements and details, and don’t miss the video tutorial)
Prep: In a microwave safe dish, add the refried beans and heat until warm. About 45 seconds. Toast tortillas by spraying a little cooking spray on a skillet and adding a tortilla on top. Allow to cook for about 30-45 seconds on each, until slightly golden brown and toasted. Continue process until both sides of each tortilla are crisp. Place 6 toasted tortillas on a cookie sheet (you may need 2 cookie sheets to fit all).
How to store this Mexican Pizza Recipe
It’s best to enjoy your Mexican pizzas immediately, but if there are leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, without the added toppings as then it’s easier to reheat. Keep them covered or wrapped in foil. Reheat in the oven until the pizza is heated through. In the oven, they’ll crisp up to their original consistency a little bit better. The microwave will just turn them too soggy.
These can also be frozen. Wrap with plastic wrap then in aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator then re-heat.
Serving Suggestions
While this is a meal on its own, it’s always fun to serve it up with some other Mexican classics like chips and guacamole, or chips and queso.
You can even serve this with homemade Margaritas to really make these fun!
Check out these other great Tex-Mex recipes:
Homemade Taco Seasoning– why buy store bought when you can make it at your home anytime?
Taco Bake– a flavorful Tex Mex dish with seasoned ground beef, Fritos, cheese, and toppings!
Tater Tot Taco Bake– this dish is a family favorite! Combining tater tots and all the taco flavors into one family friendly meal!
The BEST Refried Beans– these homemade refried beans are quick, easy, and way more flavorful than store bought!
Homemade Mexican Pizza Recipe (Taco Bell Copycat)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz refried beans
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 tablespoon taco seasoning *see recipe above for homemade version
- 12 flour tortillas
- 10 oz red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
- Green Onions/ Tomatoes/ Hot Sauce *optional for toppings
Instructions
- In a microwave safe dish, add the refried beans and heat until warm. About 45 seconds.
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook beef until no longer pink.
- Drain fat and add in the taco seasoning.
- Stir to coat meat entirely. Set aside.
- Toast tortillas by spraying a little cooking spray on a skillet and adding a tortilla on top.
- Allow to cook for about 30-45 seconds on each, until slightly golden brown and toasted.
- Continue process until both sides of each tortilla are crisp.
- Place 6 toasted tortillas on a cookie sheet (you may need 2 cookie sheets to fit all).
- Spread about 1-2 tablespoon of refried beans onto the tortillas.
- Divide the cooked beef evenly between the 5 tortillas.
- Place another tortilla on top of the meat, creating a sandwich.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce evenly on top of each tortilla, followed by shredded cheese.
- Place cookie sheet in preheated oven (350 degrees) and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle desired toppings on. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Updated 10/11/2022
Chanel
Is medium heat the same thing as medium-high heat? Can I cook this recipe on medium-high heat?
Kristin
Absolutely! That is perfect! Enjoy!
Meredith
What size flour tortilla?
Kristin
Any size desired works, however, I tend to use the 6-inch tortillas. Hope you enjoy!
Viki Wickstrom
Enchilada sauce is a bit spicy for me. Can I leave it out and use only refried beans, beef tomatoes, and cheddar cheese?
Kristin
You can, but you may want a sauce of some sort for the extra flavor/moisture. Perhaps a mild salsa?