Description
This Taco Pizza combines the bold flavors of classic taco ingredients with a cheesy baked pizza crust for a fun and delicious meal. A crispy par-baked dough topped with refried beans, seasoned ground beef, salsa, olives, and Mexican blend cheese is baked to bubbly perfection, then garnished with fresh taco toppings like diced tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and red onions. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or casual gathering, this recipe serves 6 and takes only 30 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
Pizza Base
- 1 pizza dough (store-bought or homemade, enough for one 12-inch pizza)
Meat and Seasoning
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 ounce)
Spread & Toppings
- 1 cup refried beans
- ¼ cup salsa
- 2 cups Mexican blend cheese (shredded)
- ¼ cup olives, sliced
Fresh Garnishes
- Diced tomatoes (to taste)
- Fresh cilantro (to taste)
- Sour cream (to taste)
- Avocado slices (to taste)
- Red onions, thinly sliced (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat and par-bake the crust: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll or press the pizza dough onto a greased pizza pan or baking sheet. Bake the crust for 8 minutes until slightly firm but not fully baked, then remove it from the oven to prepare toppings.
- Cook the seasoned beef: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the ground beef until it is browned and cooked through, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess fat. Stir in the taco seasoning and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes to fully incorporate the flavors.
- Assemble the pizza: Spread an even layer of refried beans over the par-baked pizza crust. Spoon the salsa evenly across the beans, then evenly distribute the cooked taco-seasoned beef on top. Sprinkle the Mexican blend cheese generously, followed by the sliced olives.
- Bake to finish: Return the assembled pizza to the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and the crust turns golden brown.
- Add fresh taco toppings and serve: Remove the pizza from the oven and garnish with fresh diced tomatoes, chopped cilantro, slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and thin slices of red onions according to your preference. Slice and serve warm.
Notes
- Par-baking the crust ensures it stays crispy under the moist toppings.
- You can customize the taco seasoning to taste or use homemade seasoning mix.
- Optional toppings can be adjusted or omitted based on preferences or dietary needs.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute ground beef with plant-based meat crumbles or cooked lentils.
- Make sure to drain excess fat from beef to avoid a soggy pizza crust.
