Craving that unique Taco Bell Pizza flavor but don’t want to leave the house? This copycat recipe reveals how to recreate the real deal loaded pizza with taco beef, beans, tomato sauce, and melted cheese layers baked between crispy flour tortillas.
With just 10 supermarket ingredients, you’ll have piping hot Mexican Pizza ready in 30 minutes flat – no drive-thru waits required. Customize it with all your favorite toppings too. So say bye to Taco Bell runs and make our simplified step-by-step Mexican pizza recipe instead.
This guide has everything you need to crush those comfort food cravings at home, any night of the week!
Key Takeaways
- Seasoned ground beef as the protein
- Cheese blend for melty topping
- Refried beans as the “glue”
- Pizza sauce + enchilada sauce + spices
- Two crispy flour tortillas instead of deep dish crust
- Bake 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly
Why Make Copycat Taco Bell Pizza?
There are several great reasons to recreate the Taco Bell pizza experience yourself at home:
- It saves time and money instead of visiting your local Taco Bell
- You can customize ingredients to your taste
- Make it even healthier by substituting lower-calorie ingredients
- Satisfy those late night Mexican pizza cravings without leaving your pajamas
- Impress friends with your cooking skills
Do You Need Exactly the Same Ingredients as Taco Bell?
You don’t need the exact same ingredients Taco Bell uses to mimic their famous Mexican pizza. With just a handful of supermarket ingredients, you can closely recreate their classic flavor. We’ll cover everything you need step-by-step later on.
What is Taco Bell Pizza?
For those unfamiliar, the Taco Bell Pizza is a crispy flatbread pizza topped with typical taco ingredients like seasoned ground beef, beans, tomatoes, cheese, and more. Customize with all your other Taco Bell favorites too!
Why Did Taco Bell Discontinue the Mexican Pizza?
Taco Bell removed the beloved Mexican Pizza from menus in 2020 to simplify operations, but brought it back in 2022 due to popular demand. It can still sell out quickly though, which makes this copycat recipe so useful.
How Long Does it Take to Make Mexican Pizza at Home?
From start to finish, this homemade Taco Bell pizza takes about 30-45 minutes. That includes prep time for cooking meat, making the custom sauce, and assembling everything. Once you’ve made it a few times, expect the process to speed up.
Ground Beef or Turkey for Mexican Pizza?
Ground turkey makes a solid protein substitute, but for true Taco Bell flavor, stick with regular ground beef. Make sure to season the beef while cooking to really replicate that taco taste. Drain any excess fat after cooking too.
What Type of Cheese is Best for Mexican Pizza?
For optimum flavor and texture, use a blend of shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. You can also experiment with pepper jack or Monterey Jack for extra kick. Just be sure to have plenty of cheese to satisfy those late night cravings!
How to Make the Mexican Pizza Sauce
The sauce brings everything together. Combine tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, and a pinch of other taco spices like oregano, chili powder, and cayenne pepper (optional). Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Do You Bake or Pan Fry the Mexican Pizza?
Unlike deep dish pizza, this Mexican pizza bakes right on a crispy flour tortilla crust. Place your layers of beans, beef, sauce, cheese, etc on one tortilla then bake until the cheese melts. Top with another tortilla toward the end.
Step-by-Step Mexican Pizza Copycat Recipe
Now let’s walk through exactly how to recreate Taco Bell’s famous Mexican Pizza, step-by-step:
Ingredients:
- Flour tortillas
- Ground beef
- Taco seasoning
- Refried beans
- Pizza/tomato sauce
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Diced tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Olives (optional)
Instructions:
- Brown ground beef in skillet with taco seasoning
- Drain excess fat from beef when finished cooking
- Combine sauce ingredients (tomato sauce, enchilada sauce, spices) and simmer
- Lightly grease a baking sheet or pizza pan
- Place one flour tortilla on the baking sheet
- Spread refried beans evenly across
- Sprinkle half the shredded cheese across tortilla
- Top with cooked taco meat
- Pour desired amount of custom pizza sauce
- Sprinkle more cheese and add tomatoes
- Bake 10-15 minutes until hot and bubbly
- Remove from oven and add additional toppings like olives or sour cream
- Place second tortilla on top and return to oven just to warm
- Slice, serve, and enjoy your Mexican pizza creation! Add extra taco toppings if desired.
Be sure to experiment with spices and ingredients until you achieve the perfect balance of Taco Bell flavor. This copycat recipe can be tailored to satisfy even the strongest Mexican pizza cravings!
Tips for Making the Best Copycat Mexican Pizza
Here are some helpful tips when recreating the Taco Bell masterpiece:
- Grease your baking sheet so the bottom tortilla gets crispy
- Drain fat from beef so pizza doesn’t get soggy
- Use hot sauce or jalapeños for extra spice
- Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder to sauce
- Sprinkle cheddar and mozzarella cheese for best melt factor
- Customize with favorites like black olives, green onions, guacamole etc.
The great thing about making this at home is customizing it just how you like!
Can You Prepare Mexican Pizza in Advance?
To save more time, you can make the sauce, cook the ground beef, and shred cheese 1-2 days ahead of time. Just refrigerate them in sealed containers. Assemble and bake your pizzas fresh whenever you’re ready for that Taco Bell flavor!
| Base | Meat | Cheese | Veggies | Sauce | Toppings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flour tortilla | Ground beef | Mexican blend | Tomatoes | Enchilada sauce | Sour cream |
| Corn tortilla | Ground turkey | Cheddar | Lettuce | Pizza sauce | Guacamole |
| Nacho chips | Ground chicken | Pepper jack | Olives | Nacho cheese | Jalapeños |
| Tostada bowl | Plant-based crumbles | Monterey Jack | Onions | Queso | Salsa |
| Rice bowl | Soy chorizo | Queso fresco | Bell peppers | Verde sauce | Green onions |
| Lettuce wrap | Steak | Black beans | Nacho cheese | Cilantro |
Other Taco Bell Copycat Recipes to Try
If the Mexican Pizza sparks your interest in recreating more Taco Bell favorites, give these recipes a try next:
- Crunchwrap Supreme
- Cheesy Gordita Crunch
- Loaded Nacho Tacos
- Cinnabon Delights Copycat
The options are endless when you channel your inner Taco Bell chef!
Armed with this simple copycat recipe and helpful tips, you can now satisfy those intense Taco Bell pizza cravings in your own kitchen! Adjust and customize to your liking until it matches the real deal. ¡Buen provecho!
FAQs:
What’s the shelf life for the taco sauce?
The custom taco sauce keeps 1 week refrigerated or 2 months frozen. Place in airtight containers.
What beverage pairs best with Mexican pizza?
Ice-cold Mexican Coke, Jarritos soda, Dos Equis beer, or a refreshing margarita.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, use certified gluten-free tortillas, beef, and cheese. Verify taco seasoning, beans, sauces are all GF certified too.
Conclusion:
Recreating Taco Bell’s famously craveworthy Mexican Pizza at home is easy with this copycat recipe. Just bake layers of custom taco sauce, beans, beef, cheese, and veggies between two crisp tortillas.
Feel free to customize ingredients to satisfy those late night Mexican pizza urges. With this simple blueprint, you can now skip the drive-thru and make healthier, tastier Mexican pizzas anytime. ¡Salud!
