Mexican Pizza and Homemade Taco Seasoning

My apologies to Babette of Babette Feasts who chose this week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe (Tartest Lemon Tart). I would have loved to have tried it, but I just got back from my trip and I was so jet lagged. So instead of a tart this week, I bring you a super simple dinner idea - the Mexican Pizza.


I grew up in southern California and I'll admit, I used to go to Taco Bell. I almost always ordered the same thing whenever I went there - "Mexican Pizza with extra tomatoes, hold the olives please."

I haven't been to Taco Bell in years, and prefer to avoid fast food establishments in general now. So when I got a craving for a mexican pizza, I decided I could just as easily make them at home. Unlike most restaurants, there aren't many things on the Taco Bell menu that you couldn't make at home.


It was relatively easy to create the copycat Mexican Pizza recipe. Each component is simple to make, and this is actually a great weeknight meal because it comes together in no time. I don't like deep frying things, so I baked my tortillas instead. In our house, we buy the 10-inch tortillas in bulk, so that's what I used for this recipe. I then cut them into "slices" for serving. You can easily use smaller tortillas if you want to make individually sized servings instead. You can either use store bought taco seasoning, or you can just as easily make your own to cut back on the sodium (I've included a recipe below).


These are delicious, and a nice change from plain old tacos. I love that I can make my own mexican pizzas at home now, because I can customize them to suit my tastes - with extra tomatoes and no olives :) Give these a try - I think you'll enjoy them!

Mexican Pizza
from Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats

1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp taco seasoning, recipe below
1/4 cup water
4 flour tortillas (10 inch)
cooking spray
2 tbsp chopped green onions (scallions)
1/2 can (8 ounces) refried beans
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup taco sauce
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican Blend)
sliced black olives, optional


Preheat oven to 350F.

Cook the ground beef over medium heat until brown, then drain. Return the meat to the pan and add the taco seasoning and water. Continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring often.

Spray both sides of each tortilla with cooking spray and then place them on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for approximately 6 minutes, turning them half way through. The tortillas should be golden brown and crispy, but watch them closely because they will go from golden to burnt in a matter of seconds. (They may puff up slightly in the oven - you can prevent this by poking them a few times with a knife every few minutes in the oven.) After you remove the tortillas from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F.

Place the refried beans in a small bowl and heat them for 30-60 seconds in the microwave.

Assembling the pizzas:
Spread 1/2 cup beans, then 1 cup of seasoned ground beef on the first tortilla. Top with the second tortilla.

Top the second tortilla with 1/4 cup taco sauce. Layer with 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, then 1/2 cup cheese and 1 tablespoon scallions.

Bake for 5 minutes. Cut each pizza into four "slices" using a knife or kitchen scissors.

Yield: 3-4 Servings

Taco Seasoning
from Amber's Delectable Delights

1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix together all ingredients and store in airtight container.
Use within 6 months for best flavor.

Yield: 2 2/3 tablespoons (2 tbsp + 2 tsp)