This Mexican Pizza uses 2 layered tortillas stuffed with taco meat, refried beans, cheese, and topped with more cheese, olives, tomatoes, and lettuce.
What is a Mexican pizza? And why do you call it Mexican pizza? This Mexican pizza is almost like a layered taco quesadilla; a soft flour tortilla spread with refried beans, taco meat, and cheese layered with another soft flour tortilla baked in the oven for a melted cheesy, yumminess. After the first bake, spread more cheese on top with sliced olives and diced tomatoes and bake again to melt the second layer of cheese. Remove from the oven and slice like a pizza into 6 to 8 pieces. Serve with additional favorite toppings of shredded lettuce, torn cilantro, sour cream and/or salsa. We call it Mexican because of the taco meat and refried beans, pizza because it is sliced and served like pizza. But you can call it anything you want, especially delicious.
This Mexican pizza is easy to make and tastes delicious. Its so easy because the “crust” is made from tortillas. The rest of the ingredients are just like regular taco ingredients, seasoned taco meat, refried beans, cheese, olives, tomatoes, lettuce, and other favorites.
WHAT DO I NEED TO MAKE MEXICAN PIZZA
ground beef
refried beans – homemade or store bought
shredded cheese
flour tortillas
tomato sauce
sliced black olives
taco seasoning spices – prepackaged or chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper
onions and garlic
diced tomatoes
shredded lettuce
additional favorite toppings – sour cream, salsa, cilantro
IF I AM MAKING HOMEMADE REFRIED BLACK BEANS WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED
canned black beans
chicken broth
spices – cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic salt, salt, and pepper
lime juice
HOW EASY IS IT TO MAKE MEXICAN PIZZA
It is super easy to make Mexican pizza. Plan to do a little prep before assembling your Mexican pizzas. Go ahead and shred the cheese, diced the onions and tomatoes, mince the garlic, sliced the olives, and shred the lettuce. Shredded lettuce is more than torn lettuce in little pieces, you will take a head of washed and dried lettuce, lay on a cutting board, slice the lettuce across in 1/2 inch strips to make shredded lettuce. Most of this preparation can be done while you cook your ground beef with the onions and garlic; cook the ground beef until there is no pink left, cook the onion to translucent, add the garlic in about this point to prevent overcooking. Once the ground beef is to this point, add the tomato sauce and spices, let simmer until everything is ready.
Preheat your oven to 350 while you assemble the Mexican pizza. On a flat baking sheet lay 3 tortillas. Spread 1/3 of the refried beans over each tortilla. Layer with 1/3 of the taco meat spread over the refried beans. Add another layer of shredded cheese, how much cheese you use depends on how cheesy you like it. You can’t add too much, at least I don’t think so. Top off each pizza with another tortilla. Now you are ready to bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove from the oven and spread additional shredded cheese on each tortilla, sprinkle slice olives over each one, and diced tomatoes. Place bake in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to melt the last topping of cheese. Remove from oven and serve sliced like a pizza.
Each person will want to add more favorite toppings of sour cream, lettuce, cilantro, and/or salsa. That is a bonus to making Mexican pizza because each slice can be personalized. The combination comes together perfectly. And the toasted crunchy tortillas make it even better than just a taco. Yum!
HOW DO I MAKE HOMEMADE REFRIED BEANS
After making these refried black beans I am not sure I will go back to canned they were so flavorful and so easy. Add the chicken broth and spices to a medium sized saucepan and simmer over medium heat. Sample taste the broth to see if you think you need additional seasonings of salt or pepper. I suggest you start at the low spectrum of the seasonings, you can always add more if needed. Next add the drained can of black beans and simmer an additional 5 minutes. While simmering use a fork or potato masher to smash the black beans and stir into the spices and broth. If you prefer chunky beans, don’t smash as much; if you prefer smooth, keep smashing to your preferred consistency. After about 5 minutes the beans should be ready to spread on top of the tortillas. Please note the longer the beans sit around the thicker the beans are.
There you have it, all the steps you need to make your favorite Mexican pizza at home. So yummy, so easy, so ready for dinner tonight.
Mexican Pizza
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion (diced)
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 1/2 TBS taco seasoning
- 6 large tortillas
- 1/2 cup refried beans (store bought or homemade)
- cheddar cheese (grated)
- olives (sliced)
- tomatoes (diced)
- lettuce (shredded)
- additional toppings - sour cream, salsa, cilantro (optional)
Refried Black Beans
- 1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 TBS lemon or lime juice
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat. Drain off excess grease. Add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes.
- Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning to meat and cook for a few minutes until sauce gets thick.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread refried beans on the bottom of 3 of the tortillas.
- Spread cooked meat over the refried beans and sprinkle a little cheese over the top. Top meat and cheese with additional tortilla.
- Place on cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove “pizzas” from oven and top with cheese, olives, and tomatoes.
- Return to the oven and bake for about 5 to 10 more minutes until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and top with lettuce and additional favorite toppings
- Slice each pizza into 4 or 8 slices and serve.
Refried Black Beans
- In a medium sauce pan add chicken broth and spices
- Add drained black beans and stir
- Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
- While simmering, mash beans with a fork or potato masher (how much you mash depends on how chunky you like your beans)
- Continue to cook until you have reached your desired consistency - the longer it stands the thicker the beans will become
- Spread on tortillas for Mexican pizza
Enjoy this Mexican style pizzas for dinner or lunch!
Recipe was first posted on October 9, 2013. Recipe and images update May 2020.
jeni says
These are super easy and a fun dinner to make. The kids enjoy them. Thanks!
Aimee Berrett says
So glad you all like them!
Bonnie says
where is the “PRINT” button?????
Aimee Berrett says
I edited the recipe – so you should be able to find the print button now
Lee says
Hint — you need to place the last 3 tortillas on top of the hot beef and cheese mixture, then:
7. top with cheese, olives, and tomatoes.
8. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 more minutes until cheese is melted.
9. Remove from oven and top with lettuce (we didn’t do this, but it would be much better with it!)
10. Slice each pizza into 4 or 8 slices and serve.
Aimee Berrett says
You’re right Lee. Thanks for catching my mistake!
Laurie says
Green onions on top would be pretty.
Aimee Berrett says
I agree Laurie, I made this with what I had on hand, but I think green onions would be delicious and pretty and I’m going to put some fresh chopped lettuce on top next time too!
Kami says
LOVE this idea! I’ll definitely be trying it out soon.
Amber Brady says
This looks like something my husband would eat as a snack before dinner! We love tortillas & toppings! YUM!
Aimee Berrett says
Haha Amber, a snack before dinner? I love it! Sounds like something my husband would do.
peacelovenwhiskers says
Yummy!
Jesseca Hallows says
oh yum! I have some beef in the fridge that I wasn’t sure how to use. Looks like we’ll be having this for dinner!
Aimee Berrett says
Yes Jesseca, this is the perfect use of some beef in your fridge. Let me know if you try it!
Kari says
Mexican pizza? I’ve never had it before and now I NEED to try it. This looks delicious!