You love tacos. But you also love pizza. Can there be too much of a good thing? Cue the taco pizza, the ingenious combo where Italian meets Mexican, taco meets pizza. This fast and easy dinner is equally perfect for Taco Tuesday (still counts) and a weekend pizza night.
Anything you might fill your taco with is great for a taco pizza. Spread refried beans and salsa are across pizza dough (homemade or store-bought, we’re not judging). Then top with taco-seasoned ground beef, Mexican shredded cheese blend, and sliced black olives. Garnish with shredded lettuce, more salsa, jalapeños, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream to finish.
You might already have a favorite pizza dough recipe, but in case you need some inspiration, check out this no-knead pizza dough. Rather than make it all in one go, you can make this dough a day in advance.
In a bit of a rush? Nab pre-made dough at your local supermarket, or pop into your favorite pizzeria and ask if you can buy a couple balls of dough.
You can use two 12-inch pre-baked pizza crusts if you’re pressed for time. Assemble the pizzas as written in Step 4 and bake according to the directions on the package.
You can use two 12-inch pre-baked pizza crusts if you’re pressed for time. Assemble the pizzas as written in Step 5 and bake according to the directions on the package.
- 1 (1-pound) ball homemade or store-bought pizza dough
- 1 pound ground beef (90:10 works well)
- 1 (1-ounce) package taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons homemade)
- 1 cup water
- 1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup black olives
- 1/2 cup salsa, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup fresh or jarred jalapeño slices
- 2 cups shredded lettuce, divided, plus more for serving
- 4 tablespoons sour cream, divided, plus more for serving
- 2 (12-inch) pizza pans
- Preheat the oven to 500°F:
Remove the pizza dough from the fridge.
- Cook the ground beef:
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, crumble and cook until no longer pink, about 4-6 minutes. If the beef is very greasy, spoon off a little of the grease and discard.
Add the taco seasoning and water to the ground beef and stir to combine. Simmer until most of the water has evaporated but the beef is still somewhat saucy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the bean topping:
Combine the refried beans and salsa together in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Set aside.
- Shape the dough:
Lightly oil a baking sheet or 12-inch pizza pans.
Shape one of the balls of dough into a 12-inch circle on a clean, lightly floured or oiled surface. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan.
This pizza works best with 12-inch rounds; don’t be tempted to stretch it thinner. A thin crust can’t support the hearty topping of beans and taco meat as well.
- Add the toppings:
Spread half of the refried bean mixture over the bottom of the dough (an offset metal spatula works best), leaving a 1/2 to 1/4-inch border around the pizza crust.
Top with half of the ground beef, cheese, and black olives.
- Bake the pizza:
Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the pizza crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Prepare the next pizza:
While the first pizza bakes, prepare the next pizza.
If you’re baking both pizzas at once, swap them on the racks midway through baking so they brown equally on the top and bottom.
- Cool briefly and serve:
Remove the cooked pizza from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes. Pop the second pizza in the oven.
Top the slightly cooled baked pizza with half of the salsa, jalapeño slices, and sliced scallions. Then add half of the shredded lettuce. Place a dollop of the sour cream in the center. Slice and serve with additional salsa, lettuce, and sour cream.
This pizza is best enjoyed shortly after it’s baked, but you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days (you may want to remove any lettuce, as it will brown and wilt).
If you’re only going to eat one of the pizzas, hold off on adding the lettuce and other fresh toppings until it’s time to reheat.