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.
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!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
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 it 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 the top!
How To Make This Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe
Spray the tortillas with your spray oil on both sides, then sprinkle them with salt and prick them a few times with a fork to keep them from puffing up. Add them to a baking sheet and bake until they’re lightly brown.
While your tortillas are baking, brown and crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over it, then add the water and stir. Bring everything to a boil, and then turn down the heat. Let it simmer until it’s thickened.
Mix your enchilada sauce and salsa together. This will go on top.
While your beef is simmering, heat up the refried beans in the microwave. This makes them much easier to spread on the tortillas.
On each baked tortilla, slather a generous layer of the refried beans. Top it with the ground beef.
Place another baked tortilla on top of the beef. Slather the enchilada sauce on top and top it off with shredded cheese. Make the rest of the pizzas in the same way.
Bake until the cheese is nice and melty. Serve with your favorite toppings.
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
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Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Late night cravings for Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza are no more with this delicious copycat version.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 packet taco seasoning about 1-2 tablespoons
- 1/3 cup water
- spray oil
- 8 flour tortillas 6”, taco size
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- 1/3 cup red salsa
- 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 tomato diced
Instructions
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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.
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Increase heat to 400° F.
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Stir together enchilada sauce and salsa. Set aside.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Recipe Notes
- Vegetarian: Leave out the beef
- Topping suggestions: Sour cream, sliced jalapeños, guacamole, or Taco Bell style with some diced tomatoes
Wine pairings
I recommend buying wine from Scout and Cellar, especially for lower carb or sugar and the health conscious. There’s no added sugar to these wines, and they’re all much lower in carbs, calories, and sugar. For me, there’s no headache or fogginess the next day!
Wine with Taco Bell, you say? Trust me. A crisp, acidic wine with your Mexican pizza makes it a real adult meal. Try:
– 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
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
Yay! We are glad you enjoyed it, Karen. 🙂
How do you keep the shells crispy. Mine got really soft.
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.
Can it be done with corn tortillas?
Yes, absolutely. 🙂
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.
I always wondered what wine went with a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Now I know.
Lemme tell you, some real scientific, chemistry-esque work was put into those wine pairings. 😂
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!
I made this and it was so good. Really tasted a lot like Taco Bell!!
I’m so glad you liked it ❤️