Miss Taco Bell Mexican pizza? This copycat tastes just like the fast-food fave, with layers of crunchy tortilla, beans, seasoned beef, tangy sauce, and plenty of cheese. A dead ringer for the Taco Bell retiree, this recipe is also naturally healthier and easy to make vegetarian, too.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. Should you click through to that product and make a purchase, 40 Aprons will receive a small compensation, at no additional cost to you. Anything mentioned here is referred solely based on my experience and satisfaction with the company and/or product, and not because of any potential commission. I’ll identify any affiliate links when they appear within the post!
What Makes This Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe So Good
Taco Bell has always been a late-night staple, although not so much now that I have kids. Their Mexican pizza was always a favorite, with layers of crunchy, crispy tortillas covered in rich refried beans, tangy sauce, and tons of melted cheese. When I heard they were retiring it from their menu (no!), I decided it was way past time to make my own version. This Taco Bell Mexican pizza recipe tastes so much like the original I was nostalgic for, plus it’s healthier! Now if I get the late-night cravings (just not so late), I can whip up a batch of these. I might even let the kids have some!
Key Ingredients for Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe
Taco seasoning – A half a packet of taco seasoning gives the beef in this recipe tons of delicious Mexican flavor.
Enchilada sauce – Tomato-y, tangy, and full of seasonings like chili powder and oregano, even a store-bought jar of this gives your Mexican pizza that authentic Taco Bell taste.
Salsa — This addition to the enchilada sauce makes it more than a sauce but less than a salsa. The perfect combo for topping your Mexican pizza!
Top Tips For Making
- To make vegetarian Mexican pizzas, just leave out the beef!
- You can top this pizza however you like, with things sour cream, sliced jalapeños, or guacamole. I like it Taco Bell style with some diced tomatoes!
More Delicious Mexican Recipes
- Shrimp Fajitas
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Healthy Mexican Chicken Meal Prep (Whole30, Paleo, Keto)
- Mexican Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (Whole30, Paleo, Instant Pot)
- 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Mexican Tortilla Wrap Hack (TikTok Hack)
- Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
- Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
- Green Chile Chorizo and Chicken Mexican Casserole
Hey – you’ve made it this far, and now we’re best friends! If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. Make sure you follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, too!
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ packet taco seasoning about 1-2 tablespoons
- ⅓ cup water
- spray oil
- 8 flour tortillas 6”, taco size
- 1 16-ounce can refried beans
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- ⅓ cup red salsa
- 1 8-ounce bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 tomato diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray tortillas with spray oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt, prick with a fork, and place on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, then flip over. Bake until golden brown, about 3-5 more minutes. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool.
- Increase heat to 400° F.
- Stir together enchilada sauce and salsa. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown and and crumble the ground beef. Sprinkle taco seasoning over, then add water and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer until thickened.
- Meanwhile, heat up the refried beans in a microwave-safe bowl. (This will make it easier to spread the beans onto the tortilla shells.) Slather a generous layer of refried beans on each tortilla, then top with seasoned ground beef.
- Place another tortilla on top. Slather about two tablespoons of enchilada sauce mixture on top, then sprinkle some shredded cheese on top of the sauce. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Place the pizzas on a large nonstick baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Vegetarian: Leave out the beef
- Topping suggestions: Sour cream, sliced jalapeños, guacamole, or Taco Bell style with some diced tomatoes
- Sauvignon Blanc, like 2019 Gallivant Sauvignon Blanc from Lake County, California
- Pinot Grigio, like 2019 Che Fico Pinot Grigio from DOC delle Venezie, Italy
- Pinot Noir, like 2018 Middle Jane Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out 40 Aprons Premium! 40 Aprons Premium offers exclusive recipes, monthly meal plans, grocery lists, and more – all completely ad free!
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.
Tricia says
Amazing recipe and so spot on to Taco Bell! I did something wrong because the top layer got too chewy…like hard to bite into chewy. I thought maybe I added too much sauce??? Didn’t effect the taste though and the bottom layer was surprisingly crispy. Many thanks!!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Were they crispy enough beforehand?
Karen says
This is the real deal. Yummy .
I used Siete tortillas because I am gluten free. It tasted exactly like Taco Bell’s and I topped it off with some sour cream and mild Taco Bell sauce
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yay! We are glad you enjoyed it, Karen. 🙂
Talisa Thompson says
How do you keep the shells crispy. Mine got really soft.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
You can try baking them until they’re quite crispy before layering! Also, make sure you don’t overbake them after they are layered. Otherwise, they won’t really stay super super crispy after baking. There will be a bit of give just like Taco Bell’s, but they should not be mushy.
Juli says
Can it be done with corn tortillas?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yes, absolutely. 🙂
RJ says
Taco bell uses corn tostadas (at least they used to). The corn flavor and crispy texture make these taste more like Mexican pizzas and not like baked burritos. Thanks for the recipe, though.
ALAN CROWDER says
Actually Taco Bell’s Mexican pizzas used fried flour tortillas. I worked as a training manager for TB in the 90’s and this recipe is just about spot on. The pizzas also had diced tomatoes on top of the cheese and green onions initially then were revamped and the green onions were eliminated.
David says
I always wondered what wine went with a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Now I know.
Cheryl Malik says
Lemme tell you, some real scientific, chemistry-esque work was put into those wine pairings. 😂
Angela says
I cannot BELIEVE how much this tasted like the real deal. I’ve been looking for a good Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe since they announced they were retiring it, and this totally hit the spot. Thanks so much!
Chris says
I made this and it was so good. Really tasted a lot like Taco Bell!!
Cheryl Malik says
I’m so glad you liked it ❤️