Say hello to my Better Than Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas, because they are, in fact, better than Taco Bell, and they are made with more nutritious ingredients. Say what? That’s right. I don’t mess around.
Taco Bell Mexican pizzas will always have a special place in my heart. Growing up, I remember begging my mom to take me to Taco Bell after school as many days of the week as I could get away with. And every time, my order was the same: a Mexican pizza and a beef & bean burrito with extra cheese.
If you are cringing inside, even just a little, I get it. It was a lot of processed food, packed with sodium and (unhealthy) fats, enough to make anyone feel sluggish after eating it. And to think back, there were weeks when my mom gave into my begging for Taco Bell three nights a week!
Anyway, that is neither here nor there anymore, but I share that with you to remind you that food often has nostalgic memories tied to it.
When I healed from my eating disorder, I started experimenting in the kitchen, creating all the foods I used to love/restrict/binge on, and create more nutritious versions of them. This is one of them. You might be looking at these photos, thinking: but that’s a lot of carbs; or thats a lot of cheese; or wow, there’s sour cream, too? And you would be correct.
But, homemade anything is always better for you than processed fast food. And, you can definitely customize this recipe to meet your own dietary needs/preferences.
Are you gluten-free? Use a gluten-free tortilla! Are you vegan? Great! Use a plant-based meat crumble substitute, vegan cheese, and vegan sour cream or yogurt. My point is, you’ve got options!
What you need to make homemade Taco Bell Mexican pizzas
- Olive oil: You can use any oil you’d like. I recommend using olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: Any onion variety will work.
- Garlic: Don’t forget the yummy garlic! If you don’t have fresh garlic, just use 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder.
- Ground beef: I love using ground beef in this recipe so that it truly tastes like a Taco Bell Mexican pizza. However, if you are vegan, you can omit it all together, or substitute for any plant-based meat crumble. For my non-vegan friends, ground chicken and ground turkey also work great.
- Taco seasoning: I always look for lower sodium seasoning, but it doesn’t matter. Just grab a packet of taco seasoning from your grocery store and call it a day! It’s in the spice aisle.
- Tortillas: For the photos that you see here, we used regular flour tortillas. No one in my family has a gluten intolerance, so while we mostly eat gluten-free because it’s a preference, we don’t do it all the time. This is a case in point. If you are gluten-free, I always recommending Siete Foods almond flour tortillas.
- Refried pinto beans: Refried pinto beans are super easy to find these days at the grocery store. You can definitely make homemade beans, and tbh, nothing beats homemade. But, alas, I am always in a rush and don’t plan properly, so canned refried beans come in handy.
- Red enchilada sauce: I personally think that the red enchilada sauce is the key to the amazing flavor of these Mexican pizzas. So what ever you do, please don’t skip it.
- Mexican blend cheese: Finely shredded Mexican blend cheese is also key if you are going to be exact in replicating Taco Bell Mexican pizzas. I use the brand Organic Valley, but if I’m out and can’t find organic Mexican blend cheese, I’ll just go with non-organic and call it a day.
- Tomatoes: Tomatoes are key to making a true Taco Bell Mexican pizza, so use them!
- Garnishes: cilantro, chopped, slice black olives, shredded lettuce, sour cream: Here is where you can really get creative. Feel free to use any toppings of choice. Sometimes I’ll add a big scoop of guac on top!
How to make perfect healthier Taco Bell Mexican pizzas!
- To make these Mexican pizzas, the first thing you need to do is prepare the ground beef mixture.
- After that, it’s time to warm up the tortillas on a baking sheet and getting them slightly crisp in the oven.
- Then, warm up the beans and set aside.
- On three of the tortillas, spread a thin layer of the beans, followed by the ground beef mixture.
- Then place the remaining three tortillas on top, and spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on each one, followed by the cheese.
- Pop the pizzas in the oven and bake for about 3 – 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and top with the diced tomatoes and garnishes, and gently cut each pizza into six slices.
If you try this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and a comment below – this helps other people decide whether to make this recipe as well. And since I practically live on Instagram, tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories. Nothing makes me happier! XX
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ onion, diced finely
- 1 clove garlic, mashed or minced finely
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 6 flour tortillas, about 5-6 inch size
- Cooking spray
- 1 can refried pinto beans
- 1 15- ounce bottle red enchilada sauce
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 2 small tomatoes, diced into cubes
- Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced black olives, shredded lettuce, sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- In a pan on the stove over medium heat, add the olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes, then add the ground beef and taco seasoning, breaking it down with a spoon until everything is cooked through well, and the beef is in tiny pieces! Once cooked through, drain the oil from the pan and set aside.
- Line up the tortillas on two baking sheets (if you can fit three on each baking sheet). If not, then just put two on each baking sheet. Spray the tortillas lightly with cooking spray and bake for about 2 minutes on each side. Watch them to make sure they don’t burn.
- Add beans to a small sauce pan and warm over low heat. You can also do this in a microwave if you prefer.
- On three of the tortillas, make a thin layer of the beans.
- Then add some of the beef mixture.
- Then add the remaining three tortillas on top.
- Then add about 3 tablespoons enchilada sauce on top, followed by the cheese.
- Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and top with diced tomatoes and garnishes of choice.
- Gently cut each pizza into six slices and enjoy immediately.
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Chicken quesadillas are my Taco Bell go-to, which doesn’t happen very often. Only once have I had a homemade version, and it was really good! If only it were possible to find the necessary meat chunks without raiding multiple 3-in-1 protein snack packs just to get one of the key ingredients.
That’s nice, Pete! I hope you enjoy these Mexican pizzas.
Can you recommend a brand of refried pinto beans? Thanks!
Hi Eileen! I love the Siete brand!
These were so good! I used siete almond tortillas, siete black refried beans and siete green enchilada sauce. Topped with raw cheese. Definitely want to try your exact way next time but the whole family loved em. And added Fody taco sauce and that was the thing for Taco Bell vibes!
Yum! That sounds like a wonderful variation to this recipe, Nicole! Thank you so much for making this recipe, and for leaving such a kind review!