Taco pizza is a pizza crust spread with refried beans and salsa, covered with taco-seasoned ground beef, melted cheddar and sliced olives, then finished with cold diced tomatoes and green onions after it comes out of the oven. It tastes like a crunchy beef taco and a slice of pizza at once. It is a fun dinner for taco night, game day or a house full of kids.
How to make taco pizza: Let pizza dough rest for about 20 minutes while you brown ground beef with taco seasoning. Press the dough onto a pan and bake it at 400°F for 8 minutes. Spread on refried beans mixed with salsa, add the beef, cheddar and olives, and bake about 5 minutes more, until the cheese melts. Top with tomatoes and green onions.
Why You’ll Love It
- Two favorites in one. Taco night and pizza night on the same pan.
- A bean base. Refried beans and salsa take the place of pizza sauce.
- A crust that holds up. It is baked on its own first, before the toppings go on.
- Fresh on top. Cold tomatoes and green onions go on after baking.
- Everyone tops their own. Set out the extras at the table.
Ingredient Notes
Pizza dough. One ball, 12 to 16 ounces, depending on how thick you like the crust.
Ground beef. One pound.
Taco seasoning. One 1-ounce packet. Use the amount of water the packet calls for.
Refried beans. One 15-ounce can.
Salsa. A 1/4 cup, stirred into the beans so they spread easily.
Cheddar cheese. Two cups, shredded. A Mexican-blend cheese is another option.
Olives. About 1/4 cup, sliced.
Tomatoes and green onions. Diced and sliced, for the top.
Sour cream and taco sauce. Optional, for serving.
Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough, 12 to 16 ounces
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (1 ounce)
- 1 can refried beans (15 ounces)
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced olives
- Diced tomatoes, for topping
- Sliced green onions, for topping
- Sour cream, optional, for serving
- Taco sauce, optional, for serving
How to Make Taco Pizza
1. Rest the dough. Let the pizza dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
2. Cook the beef. While the dough rests, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the taco seasoning and the water called for on its packet, and cook according to the packet instructions. Check the ground beef with a food thermometer. It must reach 160°F. Set aside.
3. Parbake the crust. Heat the oven to 400°F. Press or roll the dough onto a 12-inch pizza pan, a pizza stone or a larger pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove it from the oven.
4. Add the bean base. Stir the refried beans and salsa together. Spread a thin layer over the crust. You may not need all of the mixture on a 12-inch pan.
5. Finish baking. Add the beef mixture, cheese and olives. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.
6. Add the fresh toppings. Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with diced tomatoes and sliced green onions. Add sour cream and taco sauce if you like, or let everyone add their own.
What Is the Best Way to Reheat Taco Pizza?
Take the cold toppings off first. That is the whole secret. A slice of taco pizza is part hot food and part salad, and the two do not reheat the same way. Warm tomatoes and hot sour cream are nobody’s favorite.
| Part of the slice | Before reheating | After reheating |
|---|---|---|
| Crust, beans, beef and cheese | Reheat, covered, to 165°F | Ready to eat |
| Diced tomatoes | Lift off, or leave off to begin with | Add fresh |
| Green onions | Lift off | Add fresh |
| Sour cream and taco sauce | Keep in the refrigerator | Add at the table |
The easiest plan starts at dinner. If you think there will be leftovers, put the tomatoes, green onions and sour cream on individual slices as you serve them, not on the whole pizza. The slices that go into the refrigerator will then be plain, and plain slices reheat well.
Reheat leftover slices in the oven or the microwave until they reach 165°F on a food thermometer.
Tips for Success
Why rest the dough?
Dough straight from the refrigerator is tight and springs back. About 20 minutes on the counter relaxes it, so it presses out to the edge of the pan.
Why bake the crust before topping it?
Beans, beef and cheese are heavy. Eight minutes alone in the oven sets the crust so it can carry them.
How thick should the bean layer be?
Thin. On a 12-inch pan you may have some of the bean and salsa mixture left over. A larger pizza pan or a 9-by-13-inch pan will use all of it.
Should I drain the beef?
If there is a lot of fat in the skillet after browning, drain it before you add the seasoning and water.
When do the tomatoes go on?
After baking. They stay cool, fresh and juicy that way.
How Long Does It Take?
About 45 minutes in all: 10 minutes of prep, about 15 minutes of cooking and a dough rest of about 20 minutes. You brown the beef while the dough rests, so the time overlaps.
Variations
- Mexican-blend cheese. Use it in place of the cheddar.
- A bigger pan. A large pizza pan or a 9-by-13-inch pan gives a thinner crust and uses all of the beans.
- Toppings bar. Serve the optional toppings on the side and let each person finish a slice.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate leftover pizza within 2 hours, in covered, shallow containers, and eat it within 3 to 4 days. Leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven or the microwave to 165°F, then add fresh cold toppings.
What to Serve With It
A green salad or chips and salsa are plenty. For more taco-flavored dinners, try the layered taco bake, the taco casserole, one-pot taco spaghetti or taco stuffed baked potatoes. For another pizza night, make the school pizza or the pizza casserole pie.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to reheat taco pizza?
Remove the cold toppings, reheat the slice to 165°F, then add fresh tomatoes, green onions and sour cream.
What sauce goes on taco pizza?
Refried beans mixed with a little salsa. Taco sauce can be drizzled on at the table.
Can I use store-bought pizza dough?
Yes. Any ball of pizza dough between 12 and 16 ounces works.
How many does it serve?
It cuts into 10 servings.
Final Notes
I dice the tomatoes while the pizza is in the oven for its last 5 minutes, so they go on cold and fresh. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Taco Pizza
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Ingredients
- 1 pizza dough 12 to 16 ounces, depending on desired crust thickness
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning 1 ounce; use the water amount called for on the packet
- 1 can refried beans 15 ounces
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded; Mexican-blend cheese is an option
- 1/4 cup olives sliced, approximate amount
- tomatoes diced, for topping
- green onions sliced, for topping
- sour cream optional, for serving
- taco sauce optional, for serving
Instructions
- Let the pizza dough rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- While the dough rests, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the taco seasoning and the water called for on its packet, and cook according to the packet instructions. Check the ground beef with a food thermometer. It must reach 160°F. Set aside.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Press or roll the dough onto a 12-inch pizza pan, a pizza stone or a larger pan. Bake for 8 minutes, then remove it from the oven.
- Stir the refried beans and salsa together. Spread a thin layer over the crust. You may not need all of the mixture on a 12-inch pan.
- Add the beef mixture, cheese and olives. Bake for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Remove the pizza from the oven and top it with diced tomatoes and sliced green onions. Add sour cream and taco sauce if you like, or let everyone add their own.
