I reverse-engineered a Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizza and stripped it down to the exact ingredients plus a clever time-saving trick you’ll want to try.
I keep messing with my Mexican Pizza, trying to nail that crunchy-saucy thing everyone remembers from Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. I pile refried beans and seasoned ground beef into layers that get surprisingly crisp and messy, and it’s the kinda food thats better eaten with your hands.
People call my take Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza when I bring it over, and nobody believes how close it tastes until they bite. I’m not gonna say it’s delicate, but if you like bold, nostalgic fast-food vibes this will make you curious and probably pretty hungry.
Ingredients
- Flour tortillas: mostly carbs, quick energy, low fiber, can feel kinda heavy.
- Refried beans: good fiber and protein, filling and adds creamy savory depth.
- Ground beef: rich protein and iron, fattier cuts add flavor but more calories.
- Mexican blend cheese: melty, creamy, adds salt and fat, great for texture.
- Diced tomatoes: fresh, adds acidity and brightness, low calorie, some vitamin C.
- Shredded iceberg: crunchy, mostly water, light freshness, little nutrition but crisp.
- Sour cream: tangy creamy topping, adds richness and calories, watch portion sizes.
- Taco seasoning: mostly salt and spice, boosts flavor, has sodium, small calories.
Ingredient Quantities
- 6 to 8 small flour tortillas about 6 inches each
- 1 (15 ounce) can refried beans regular
- 1 lb ground beef 85 to 90% lean its best
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or enchilada sauce
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese cheddar and Monterey Jack
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- Vegetable oil for frying or baking
- Salt and black pepper
How to Make this
1. Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, add a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of water if they’re too thick so they spread easy.
2. In a skillet brown 1 lb ground beef over medium heat, drain excess fat, then stir in 1 tbsp taco seasoning, 1/2 cup pizza or enchilada sauce and 1/4 cup water; simmer 3 to 5 minutes until saucy and seasoned, taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
3. Make crisp shells: heat about 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry each 6 inch flour tortilla 30 to 60 seconds per side until golden and crisp, drain on paper towels; or brush both sides lightly with oil and bake on a rimmed sheet at 425 F for 8 to 10 minutes flipping once.
4. Place half of the crisp tortillas on a baking sheet or heatproof surface to build pizzas.
5. Spread a generous spoonful of warm refried beans onto each bottom tortilla, then sprinkle a layer of shredded Mexican blend cheese (use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per pizza).
6. Top each with a second crisp tortilla, spoon the seasoned beef evenly over them, spreading slightly, then add another good handful of cheese on top so it melts into the beef.
7. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven 5 to 8 minutes or under a hot broiler 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, watch it so it doesn’t burn.
8. Let pizzas rest 1 to 2 minutes so they set, then top with 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce, 1/2 cup sour cream dolloped or drizzled, and 1/4 cup sliced green onions.
9. Cut into wedges, serve hot. Tip: don’t overfill or the layers slide apart, and if you like extra crispness fry the shells a little longer before assembling.
Equipment Needed
1. Small saucepan (to warm the refried beans)
2. Large heavy skillet (cast-iron or nonstick) for browning the beef and frying tortillas — works best if it’s deep enough for 1/4 inch oil
3. Rimmed baking sheet (or two) for baking tortillas and for assembling/baking the pizzas
4. Tongs (or a sturdy spatula) for flipping and handling hot tortillas
5. Paper towels and a wire rack or heatproof surface for draining crisp shells
6. Measuring cups and spoons (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup and a tablespoon at least)
7. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for tomatoes and green onions
8. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for spreading beans and stirring the beef mixture
9. Cheese grater (if using a block) and a small bowl for shredded cheese
FAQ
Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell Copycat Recipe) Substitutions and Variations
- Flour tortillas: swap with corn tortillas for a more authentic taco taste, or use pita or naan for a sturdier base that wont get soggy, or try prebaked tostada shells for instant crunch
- Refried beans: use mashed pinto or black beans seasoned with cumin and salt, or spread guacamole for creamy brightness, or hummus in a pinch for a different but tasty twist
- Ground beef: substitute ground turkey for a leaner option, crumbled chorizo for bold spicy flavor, or cooked brown lentils seasoned like taco meat for an easy vegetarian choice
- Sour cream: replace with Mexican crema or plain Greek yogurt for similar tang, or use vegan sour cream or blended cashews to keep it dairy free
Pro Tips
1. Fry or bake the shells right before assembling and cool them on a wire rack not just paper towels, that keeps them crisp much longer. If you fry, heat oil until it shimmers then test with a tiny tortilla corner so you dont burn them, and if you bake brush both sides with oil and flip once for even color.
2. Warm and thin the refried beans with a splash of water or a little milk so they spread easy, and season them while warm with a pinch of cumin or garlic powder and a squeeze of lime to brighten the whole thing. It sounds small but a seasoned bean layer makes every bite better.
3. Don’t over sauce the beef, simmer until it clings to the meat not pools everywhere. Drain most of the fat but keep a spoonful for flavor, break the meat into small bits while cooking so it layers neatly and doesnt make the shells slide apart.
4. Keep wet toppings off until the last second, pat tomatoes and lettuce really dry and dollop the sour cream just before serving so the shells stay crunchy. If you need to hold stacks during baking poke a toothpick through the center, remove before eating.
Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell Copycat Recipe)
I reverse-engineered a Homemade Taco Bell Mexican Pizza and stripped it down to the exact ingredients plus a clever time-saving trick you'll want to try.
6
servings
487
kcal
Equipment: 1. Small saucepan (to warm the refried beans)
2. Large heavy skillet (cast-iron or nonstick) for browning the beef and frying tortillas — works best if it’s deep enough for 1/4 inch oil
3. Rimmed baking sheet (or two) for baking tortillas and for assembling/baking the pizzas
4. Tongs (or a sturdy spatula) for flipping and handling hot tortillas
5. Paper towels and a wire rack or heatproof surface for draining crisp shells
6. Measuring cups and spoons (1/4 cup, 1/2 cup and a tablespoon at least)
7. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife for tomatoes and green onions
8. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon for spreading beans and stirring the beef mixture
9. Cheese grater (if using a block) and a small bowl for shredded cheese
Ingredients
6 to 8 small flour tortillas about 6 inches each
1 (15 ounce) can refried beans regular
1 lb ground beef 85 to 90% lean its best
1/2 cup pizza sauce or enchilada sauce
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese cheddar and Monterey Jack
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Vegetable oil for frying or baking
Salt and black pepper
Directions
- Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, add a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of water if they're too thick so they spread easy.
- In a skillet brown 1 lb ground beef over medium heat, drain excess fat, then stir in 1 tbsp taco seasoning, 1/2 cup pizza or enchilada sauce and 1/4 cup water; simmer 3 to 5 minutes until saucy and seasoned, taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
- Make crisp shells: heat about 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and fry each 6 inch flour tortilla 30 to 60 seconds per side until golden and crisp, drain on paper towels; or brush both sides lightly with oil and bake on a rimmed sheet at 425 F for 8 to 10 minutes flipping once.
- Place half of the crisp tortillas on a baking sheet or heatproof surface to build pizzas.
- Spread a generous spoonful of warm refried beans onto each bottom tortilla, then sprinkle a layer of shredded Mexican blend cheese (use about 1/4 to 1/3 cup per pizza).
- Top each with a second crisp tortilla, spoon the seasoned beef evenly over them, spreading slightly, then add another good handful of cheese on top so it melts into the beef.
- Bake in a preheated 375 F oven 5 to 8 minutes or under a hot broiler 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, watch it so it doesn't burn.
- Let pizzas rest 1 to 2 minutes so they set, then top with 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce, 1/2 cup sour cream dolloped or drizzled, and 1/4 cup sliced green onions.
- Cut into wedges, serve hot. Tip: don't overfill or the layers slide apart, and if you like extra crispness fry the shells a little longer before assembling.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 283g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 487kcal
- Fat: 31.7g
- Saturated Fat: 14.8g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.7g
- Monounsaturated: 13.3g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sodium: 757mg
- Potassium: 500mg
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Sugar: 1.7g
- Protein: 31.5g
- Vitamin A: 1000IU
- Vitamin C: 4mg
- Calcium: 132mg
- Iron: 1.8mg
