Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Are you a fan of Taco Bell’s classic Mexican pizza? This cheesy little number was first invented in 1985, and it stayed popular for decades! Made with fried flour tortillas, refried beans, seasoned ground beef, cheese, and toppings, it’s an easy, tasty recipe that you can definitely re-create at home.

Making Mexican pizza is fun to do and doesn’t take long. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that you can make, with all of the fun flavor of the drive-through and none of the guilt. Customize them with your own toppings, or stick to the classics – it’s all good!

Why Make Mexican Pizzas at Home?

• Crispy, Cheesy, and Loaded with Flavor: Crunchy tortillas, perfectly seasoned beef, melty cheese, and that signature sauce. What’s not to love?
• Fast Food, but Make It Fresh: No sad, soggy tortillas here! This homemade version is fresher, crispier, and just plain better.
• So Easy: Just a few simple ingredients and a quick pan-fry, and dinner is ready. These will become a family favorite.
• Customize It However You Like: Extra cheese? Spicier sauce? A vegetarian twist? Make it your own with whatever toppings you love.
• Reheats Like a Dream: If you somehow have leftovers (rare, but possible), a quick toast in the oven or air fryer brings them right back to life.

Want even more Taco Bell copycat recipes? Try my Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito and Taco Bell Cinnamon Twists!

What You’ll Need

My version of a Mexican pizza is actually very easy. You can use your favorite ground beef, taco seasoning, tortillas, etc. I do like using real Taco Bell sauce though, because it adds that distinctive taste. If you can find it, go for it!

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.

• Ground Beef: You can use lean ground beef, or a fattier ground beef like chuck. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken. Either way, it’s a good idea to drain the excess grease so that your Mexican pizzas aren’t too oily.
• Taco Seasoning: Use Taco Bell taco seasoning for the same taste.
• Water: A couple of tablespoons of water make the taco meat just saucy enough.
• Tortillas: A real Taco Bell Mexican pizza is made with flour tortillas, but if you want to use corn tortillas that is also fine. The texture and flavor will be a little different, but still yummy.
• Oil: For frying the tortillas.
• Refried Beans: I often use canned refried beans, but homemade refried beans would be amazing.
• Taco Bell Sauce: If you don’t have this, red enchilada sauce would also be good.
• Cheese: Shredded Mexican cheese.
• Tomato: Roma tomatoes are my favorite for this kind of dish, because they are juicy and firm, without being too watery.
• Green Onions: Slice these up for topping the baked pizzas.
• Black Olives: Sliced.
• Sour Cream: Don’t skip the sour cream! It adds the perfect tangy richness. In a pinch, Greek yogurt would be a good substitute.

Let’s Make a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza!

Similar to making tacos, this recipe is very easy to pull together. You’ll make the taco meat, arrange the toppings, and then bake up those tempting pizzas for a melty, cheesy finish. Check out these step-by-step photos!

• Cook the Taco Meat. Set a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the ground beef. Cook the meat until it’s no longer pink, and then add the water and taco seasoning to the saucepan, and let those ingredients cook for another minute to thicken up. Take the saucepan off of the heat, and set it aside for now.
• Pan-Fry the Tortillas. At this point, you can go ahead and get your oven preheating to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with a bit of cooking spray. Heat the oil in a skillet, and cook the tortillas one at a time until lightly browned on each side. Place the pan-fried tortillas on a paper towel-lined plate to cool as you go. 

• Prep the Refried Beans. Heat the refried beans until warmed through. I do this in the microwave, but you could also do it in a covered skillet or a small saucepan, stirring occasionally. 
• Assemble the First Layer of the Mexican Pizzas. Place 4 pan-fried tortillas on your prepared baking sheet, and spread some of the refried beans on each one. Next, add the cooked beef to the tortillas. 

• Add the Second Layer, and Bake. Place a second tortilla on each of the meat-filled tortillas, and spread Taco Bell sauce or enchilada sauce on top. Sprinkle with cheese, and then place in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.

• Add Toppings and Serve. Remove the baked Mexican pizzas from the oven, and top them with tomato, black olives, and green onions. Cut each pizza into fourths and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!

Chef’s Tips

• Baked, Not Fried: If frying the tortillas isn’t your thing, no worries – baking them until crispy works really well, too.
• Sauce: I love, love, love using real Taco Bell sauce in this recipe, and you can actually purchase it in stores or online by the bottle. My advice? Keep some Taco Bell sauce around so you can make this dinner anytime.
• Topping Options: While the original Mexican pizza featured black olives and green onions, you can totally leave those out if you don’t like them. You can also add other toppings, like sauteed chopped mushrooms, cotija cheese crumbles, or finely diced jalapeno. 

How to Store Extras

• Store in the Fridge: I definitely recommend making only as many of these little Mexican pizzas as you think you can enjoy in one sitting. They are really at their best served fresh. However, if needed, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Can I Freeze This? Actually, yes! I recommend freezing them without the fresh tomatoes, since those can be watery when you freeze and thaw them. Using heavy-duty foil is a good way to get a firm, close wrap that won’t let in freezer burn. Freeze Mexican pizzas for up to three months, and bake directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time as needed.
• To Reheat: Preheat your oven to 375°F and place the pizza on a baking sheet. Heat for 8–10 minutes until the cheese is melty and the tortillas are crisp again. For extra crunch, broil for the last 1–2 minutes, keeping a close eye to prevent burning. Enjoy!

More Easy, Cheesy Favorites

• Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
• Mexican Casserole
• Million Dollar Spaghetti
• Loaded Baked Potato
• Chicken Enchilada Pasta Bake