Gourmet Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Recipe

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Taco Bell has long been the go-to chain for Mexican-inspired fast-food feasts. Along with best sellers like tacos and burritos, the menu also features plenty of creative spins, including a Mexican pizza. Consisting of crispy tortilla shells loaded with beef, refried beans, sauce, tomatoes, and assorted cheeses, it’s iconic enough to warrant a slew of copycat recipes to enjoy it at home. Chowhound recipe developer Patterson Watkins describes herself as a “‘Live Mas’ kinda gal” and was up to the task of recreating such an iconic dish. “To be given an opportunity to create an upscale version of the iconic Mexican Pizza, I couldn’t contain my excitement,” she quips.

Watkins tweaks her gourmet Taco Bell Mexican pizza recipe in a few ways to further enhance it, without detracting from its deliciousness. “My favorite thing about this recipe has to be the beef barbacoa sub-in for the seasoned ground beef,” she says. “This chipotle-spiked, garlic-rich, lime and vinegar-zested pulled beef is magic and is an absolute upgrade from the original.” Then, she swaps ordinary refried beans for homemade mashed pinto beans. “The beans are simmered in a hearty glug of the barbacoa broth,” she explains, which leaves them ultra tender and adds layers of “succulent flavors and enticing aromatics.” If it sounds like too much, she asserts, “Mexican Pizza purists will not be disappointed in this gourmet reworking (I count myself in that category and was quickly won over).”

For this recipe, get a chuck or sirloin roast portioned into large chunks. To season it, you’ll need salt, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, yellow onion (minced), garlic cloves (peeled and minced), lime juice, apple cider vinegar, canned chipotle peppers in adobo (minced), beef broth, bay leaves, and whole cloves. Next, get tomato paste, olive oil, and a can of pinto beans (drained and rinsed). To assemble the pizza, you’ll need taco-sized flour tortillas, Oaxaca cheese (shredded), cheddar cheese (grated), fresh tomatoes (diced), pickled red onion, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh cilantro.

Add the salt, cumin, oregano, pepper, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Add the lime juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers, beef broth, bay leaves, and cloves, and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef from the slow cooker, and set aside on a large platter.

Remove 2 cups and 4 tablespoons (separated) of the pan drippings from the slow cooker and set aside.

Using a fork, pull the beef into bite-sized shreds.

Return the pulled beef to the slow cooker pot, stir to combine with the remaining pan drippings, and program the cooker to the warm setting for 20 minutes.

To make the pizza sauce, place the 2 cups of the reserved pan drippings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Once simmering, add the tomato paste, and whisk to combine.

Simmer the sauce for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened (about the consistency of enchilada sauce). Remove from the heat and set aside.

To make the mashed pinto beans, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once hot, add the beans and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the reserved 4 tablespoons of pan drippings to the skillet and stir to combine with the beans. Cook for 2 more minutes or until the beans become very soft.

Remove the skillet from the heat and mash the beans using a potato masher (alternatively, you can puree the beans using a food processor). Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place 2 tortillas on each baking sheet.

Divide the mashed pinto beans between the tortillas and spread out evenly.

Divide the pulled beef between the tortillas, spreading out evenly over the beans.

Top the beef with a light sprinkle of the Oaxaca and cheddar cheeses (about 2 to 3 tablespoons in total).

Place a tortilla on top of each pizza and gently press to create a flat surface.

Top these tortillas with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pizza sauce, spreading out evenly.

Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses and place in the oven.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the edges of the pizzas are crisp.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and slice the pizzas into quarters.

Top pizzas with tomatoes, pickled red onion, sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro before serving.

It’s no secret that slow-cooking meat yields decadently tender results, but 8 hours can be long if you’re craving a Mexican pizza now. Although it won’t be immediate, Watkins notes that you can shorten the cook time in a few different ways. For starters, you can increase the slow cooker to high and cook the meat for half the duration. Alternatively, skip the slow cooker method and instead cook the beef on the stovetop in a pot or Dutch oven, or in the oven. 

If you’re going for the stovetop method, she recommends, “You’ll want to sear the sirloin/chuck pieces before proceeding (medium-high heat, a little oil, seared on all sides).” This will give the meat some browning, building more complexity into the dish. “Then, remove the seared beef, and construct the broth (as instructed) by adding those ingredients to your pot/Dutch oven, and bringing to a simmer,” she advises. “Reduce the heat to low once the broth comes to a simmer.” Then, return the beef to the pot, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until fork tender. 

Meanwhile, if you’d rather cook the meat in the oven, Watkins says, “Preheat to 350 F, return the seared beef to the simmering broth, cover (either with the lid or aluminum foil), and braise for three hours (until fork tender).” 

Whether you’re ordering a Mexican pizza off the Taco Bell app or making your own, Watkins notes, “There are so many customizable options available at Taco Bell, you can ad-lib your homemade gourmet Mexican Pizza to include any (or all) of your favorites.” For her recipe, she chooses straightforward toppings like sour cream, diced tomatoes, and guacamole. However, you don’t have to stop there. 

“Feel free to add jalapeños, black olive rings, shredded lettuce, seasoned rice, or, my favorite, those tasty fiesta strips,” Watkins recommends. Meanwhile, Mexican pizza sauce is a fun twist on classic tomato, but you can take the inspiration further and opt for more creative sauces. “You can absolutely include your favorite taco sauces (I keep a few Taco Bell packets in the packet drawer just for occasions like this one),” Watkins wisely recommends. Otherwise, you can easily treat the Mexican pizza as you would a platter of nachos, piling on your favorite toppings or even layering them in as you construct for a one-of-a-kind, truly gourmet Mexican pizza.