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Why choose between taco night and pizza night when you can have both in one bite? This Easy Taco Pizza takes all your favorite taco flavors – seasoned beef, nacho cheese, fresh toppings – and piles them onto a golden, crispy pizza crust. It’s a flavor-packed crowd pleaser that’s as fun to make as it is to eat!
5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“We can’t get over this taco pizza recipe! A new favorite! It was incredibly delicious and enjoyable!” – Sharina
“This was so easy to make and my kids loved the idea of having a taco pizza.” – Kristen
Why I Love This Take on Pizza
This easy Taco Pizza is one of my favorite ways to change up pizza night. I start with a crisp baked crust, then layer on refried beans, seasoned taco meat, cheese, and fresh toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and olives. It has all the flavors of a taco, but in a sliceable, family-friendly dinner that is easy to serve and always disappears fast.
I’ve made this with homemade pizza dough, refrigerated dough, and pre-baked crusts, and the method stays the same every time. Baking the crust first keeps it crisp, and adding the cold toppings at the end gives it that fresh taco flavor without making the pizza soggy. It’s easy to customize, but this version has become one I come back to again and again.
🩷 Erica
Table of Contents
- 5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Why I Love This Take on Pizza
- What Makes This Pizza Different
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Best Crust Options
- How to Make Taco Pizza
- Easy Sour Cream Sauce
- Tips and Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Make-Ahead and Storage
- How to Reheat Taco Pizza
- More Tasty Pizza Recipes
- Easy Taco Pizza Recipe
What Makes This Pizza Different
There are a lot of taco pizza recipes out there, but this one is built for texture.
- The crust is baked first so it holds up under the toppings.
- Refried beans go on first to add flavor and help keep the crust from drying out.
- Warm nacho cheese adds richness and helps the taco meat stick to the pizza.
- Fresh toppings go on last so you still get the cool crunch of lettuce and tomatoes.
This isn’t meant to be a strict copycat of every regional taco pizza. It’s a homemade version that leans into crisp crust, taco flavor, and fresh toppings that actually taste good together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pizza dough – We like using our easy pizza dough recipe for this crust. The dough recipe makes 2 large pizzas so you can make them both up if you are having a party or you can save one for later.
- Butter – Melt the butter to be brushed over the top of the pizza dough. This will give a nice crisp edge.
- Ground beef – The most popular taco meat. It’s the one we almost always go for. It is so fast to cook up and it is easy to distribute evenly. Or go big with shredded Mexican beef, shredded chicken, or even sweet pork
- Onion – Chop the onion into small minced pieces. Add more or less to the beef depending on who you are feeding.
- Taco seasoning – Once the beef is cooked, season the meat with your traditional taco seasoning packet.
- Refried beans – Learn how to make easy refried beans from scratch or open a can and remove the refried beans to warm up.
- Nacho cheese – Homemade nacho cheese is delicious and easy to make. You can also make it simple by using your favorite canned flavor nacho cheese.
- Lettuce – Shredded lettuce sprinkled over the top of the taco is added last.
- Tomatoes – Diced tomatoes add a pop of color and flavor.
- Black olives – Drain and rinse the olives. For smaller pieces of olives slice them in half.
- Shredded cheese – Sprinkle thinly shredded cheese over top. We used a Mexican blend but cheddar cheese works great too.
Optional Toppings
- Sour cream – Perfect for cooling down the taco pizza and adding some tanginess.
- Spicy sauces – Taco sauce, hot sauce, Jalapeño peppers, and salsa all add a kick of heat for those who like things hot and spicy.
- Avocados – Slice or chop ripe avocados for a delicious topping.
- Guacamole – Mash avocados together with a few extra ingredients to make a homemade guacamole recipe.
- Cilantro – Fresh cilantro tossed on top of the mexican pizza will give it a boost of flavor.
- Green onion – Chop green onions into small pieces and garnish over top.
- Limes – Squeeze fresh lime juice over top for a zesty and refreshing flavor!
Best Crust Options
Not every crust gives you the same result. Here’s what to expect:
- Homemade Pizza Dough: Best overall texture. It gives you a crisp bottom with a chewy bite.
- Refrigerated dough: The easiest shortcut and still a solid choice for weeknights.
- Pre-baked crust: The fastest option and the best choice if you want a very crisp base.
- Crescent dough: Works in a pinch, but it gives you more of a soft, buttery flatbread texture than classic pizza crust.
For the crispiest taco pizza, bake the crust on a pizza stone or hot pizza pan and don’t overload it with wet toppings before it goes back into the oven.
How to Make Taco Pizza
- Bake dough – Spread pizza dough onto a pizza pan or stone. If using homemade dough, poke with a fork to prevent air pockets from forming. Bake until the crust is cooked through and golden brown. Remove the pizza crust from the oven when finished baking.
- Cook beef – While pizza dough is cooking, brown ground beef and onion together until the beef is cooked through and the onions are transparent. Add taco seasoning and water. Stir until well combined and keep warm on low heat until ready to use.
- Bottom layer – Spread a thin layer of refried beans over the top of the hot pizza crust.
- Warm the cheese – Heat nacho cheese in a saucepan or microwave until hot. Spread cheese in a layer over the refried beans.
- Meat Layer – Add cooked taco meat over the top and spread evenly.
- Top – Add all additional toppings.
Easy Sour Cream Sauce
This special sauce is a creamy and savory sauce that adds that extra flavor to this homemade taco pizza recipe! Mix together sour cream, mayonnaise, taco sauce, and a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. It blends together perfectly and adds a special touch to this taco pizza!
Tips and Variations
- Pre-made crust – Need a shortcut? Refrigerated pizza dough (Trader Joe’s and Winco both carry great options) works perfectly. If you’re really in a rush, you can also use a pre-baked crust or even crescent roll dough pressed into a sheet pan.
- Sauces – We like to spread a layer of refried beans on the crust, then top it with nacho cheese. Not into nacho cheese? Swap it out for enchilada sauce or even salsa (both work great).
- Layers – Starting with the refried bean layer on the bottom is key. It acts as a barrier and keeps the crust from drying out, which is the most common problem with taco pizza.
- Taco bar – Serving a crowd or feeding picky eaters? Bake the crust with beans, cheese, and taco meat, then slice it up and set out the toppings separately. Everyone can build their own slice just the way they like it.
- Leftovers – If you know you’ll have leftovers, keep the toppings (especially lettuce) separate. That way your pizza reheats without the soggy greens. Lettuce just doesn’t hold up well once it’s been baked or microwaved.
- For a Crisp Crust – Bake the crust first, spread on only a thin layer of refried beans, and make sure the taco meat is thick instead of wet before adding it. Add lettuce and tomatoes only after baking, then slice and serve right away for the best texture. If you’re making it for a party, bake it with just the hot layers and let everyone add their own cold toppings at the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is claimed that the pizza parlor chain Happy Joe’s in Davenport, Iowa, invented the original taco pizza. Joe Whitty, the franchisee wanted to add tacos to the menu and was refused. Joe decided to make something better than tacos when he invented taco pizza.
Of course! Store-bought dough or pre-made crusts work great if you want to save time. You can also use crescent roll dough or flatbread as a base.
This version uses refried beans and nacho cheese as the main base layers instead of traditional pizza sauce. You can also use salsa, enchilada sauce, queso, or taco sauce depending on the flavor you want.
No. Lettuce should be added after baking so it stays crisp and fresh.
A Mexican blend works well, but cheddar, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack are also good options.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can prep most of this recipe ahead of time, but don’t fully assemble it until you’re ready to serve.
Make Ahead
- Bake the crust earlier in the day.
- Cook the taco meat ahead and refrigerate it.
- Chop the toppings and keep them cold.
- Warm the beans and cheese right before assembly.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover pizza and fresh toppings separately whenever possible. Lettuce and tomatoes do not hold up well once they sit on hot pizza.
How to Reheat Taco Pizza
- Microwave – On a plate microwave individual slices for 20 to 30 seconds intervals until it is warmed through. You don’t want it to become soggy on the bottom or rubbery from overcooking.
- Air fryer – This is our favorite method. Put a slice of two in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes or until it is warmed through. This gives the pizza a crispy crust without it becoming soggy.
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Once the pizza is warmed through it is ready to enjoy!
- Toppings – It is best to separate the leftover toppings into individual containers. This helps the toppings stay fresh and easy to add to the leftover taco pizza.
More Tasty Pizza Recipes
Pizza night just got a major upgrade with this taco pizza! Try it out, pile on your favorite toppings, and let me know how it turned out by leaving a ⭐️ rating and a comment. Your ideas and feedback make this recipe even better for everyone! 💛🍕🌮
Easy Taco Pizza
Video
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pizza dough, (1 large pizza, you can also use store-bought)
- 3 tablespoons butter, (melted)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion, (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 can refried beans, (16 oz)
- 1 cup nacho cheese, or your favorite queso dip
- shredded lettuce, to taste
- diced tomatoes, to taste
- sliced olives, to taste
- shredded cheese, to taste
Sour Cream Sauce
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons taco sauce, or to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Spread pizza dough onto a pizza pan or stone. If using a homemade dough, poke with a fork to prevent air pockets from forming. Bake at 450-degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until crust is cooked through and golden brown.
- While pizza dough is cooking, brown ground beef and onion together until beef is cooked through and onions are transparent.
- Add taco seasoning and ¼ cup water. Stir until well combined and keep warm on low heat until ready to use.
- Remove pizza crust from the oven when finished baking.
- Spread a thin layer or refried beans over the top of the hot pizza crust.
- Heat nacho cheese in a saucepan or microwave until hot. Spread cheese in a layer over the refried beans.
- Add cooked taco meat over the top and spread evenly.
- Top with additional toppings and sour cream sauce. Serve immediately.
For the Sour Cream Sauce
- Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, taco sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Mix until well combined.
Equipment
- 1 pizza pan
Notes
- Homemade dough gives the best texture, but refrigerated dough or a pre-baked crust both work well.
- Spread a thin layer of beans so the crust stays crisp.
- Simmer the taco meat until thick, not watery.
- Add lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and avocado after baking.
- For parties, bake the pizza with the hot layers first, then let everyone add their own toppings.
- Store toppings separately and reheat the pizza plain before adding fresh toppings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Looks like a Tostada to me.
Tacos and tostadas are very similar. “The main difference is that a tostada is flat and made on a crispy tortilla shell, usually corn. Tacos, while they can be made in crispy corn shells, are most commonly seen soft, folded, with either corn or flour tortillas,” says Jessica Formicola, chef and blogger at Savory Experiments. Since the word “tostada” means toasted, a toasted, crunchy base is a necessity for tostadas. The other difference?
“Because they are folded, tacos are typically less messy and easier to eat with your hands.”
Thank you for you comment. Good to know! 🙂
We can’t get over this taco pizza recipe! A new favorite! It was incredibly delicious and enjoyable!
This was so easy to make and my kids loved the idea of having a taco pizza.
Oh this was SO good! As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to try it right away. So glad that I did. We all loved it!