Can’t decide between pizza or tacos? This easy Taco Pizza combines refried beans, seasoned taco meat, chunky salsa, and melty cheese on pizza dough for a fun, flavorful mashup of two favorites.
If you enjoy taco-inspired meals, try related recipes for taco casserole, taco soup, or taco pasta for more tasty variations.
Kristen’s Keys for Taco Pizza (Start Here)
This Taco Pizza is simple and adaptable, but a few details will make it turn out best. Keep these tips in mind, and don’t skip the meal-prep suggestion if you like shortcuts.
- Use refried beans as the base. They form a barrier that helps keep the crust from getting soggy while adding flavor.
- Choose a chunky, thick salsa. Thin, watery salsa can make toppings and crust soggy even with the bean layer.
- Make tacos one night and Taco Pizza the next. Leftover taco meat, refried beans, salsa, cheese, and toppings all work perfectly for a second-night pizza.
How to Make Taco Pizza
Below is a step-by-step guide with a few helpful tips and shortcuts to streamline the process.
Step One: Prepare Dough
If you plan to use homemade pizza dough, make it first so it has time to rest before rolling. To make the dough from scratch, combine warm water, yeast, and honey and let it foam. Stir in oil, then gradually add flour and salt until a dough forms. Knead until smooth, place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 20–30 minutes or until doubled.
Step Two: Prepare Meat
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground meat, breaking it into small pieces until cooked through. Drain excess grease if necessary, then add tomato sauce, taco seasoning, and a splash of water. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
Shortcut: Use leftover taco meat or swap in shredded chicken, carnitas, Sofritas, or another prepared protein to save time.
Step Three: Assemble
Roll out the prepared or store-bought dough on a lightly floured surface and transfer it to a greased 12-inch pan.
Spread a layer of refried beans over the dough, then top with chunky salsa. Add the taco meat (or your chosen protein) and finish with a generous layer of shredded cheese.
Step Four: Bake
Bake the pizza at 400°F until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly, about 15–18 minutes depending on your oven.
Step Five: Serve
Let the pizza rest 5–10 minutes so it’s easier to slice and won’t burn. Slice and top with your favorite taco additions: shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, olives, and more.
Recipe Variations
This Taco Pizza is very customizable—swap salsas, proteins, and toppings to suit your taste or pantry.
- Meatless option: Skip the meat and use vegetarian refried beans. Add Sofritas, lentil taco filling, or canned pinto beans for extra substance.
- Make it heartier: Use a full pound of meat and double the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and water for a meatier pie.
- Swap the protein: Use leftover shredded chicken, Instant Pot barbacoa, carnitas, or another cooked protein in place of ground beef.
- Dairy-free: Omit the cheese and finish with guacamole or a dollop of dairy-free crema for creaminess.
More Pizza Recipes
For other creative pizza ideas, try pull-apart pizza bread, margherita-style or tomato pizza, chicken pesto, spinach pizza, or buffalo chicken pizza.
Taco Pizza
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- ¾ cup warm water (100–105°F)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
For Taco Pizza
- ½ pound ground beef (or chicken or turkey)
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup refried beans
- ¾ cup thick, chunky salsa
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocado, olives, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
For the Pizza Dough
- Combine warm water, yeast, and honey in a large bowl and let sit about 5 minutes until foamy.
- Add oil, then slowly mix in flour and salt until combined.
- Knead 5–9 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface or 3–4 minutes with a mixer until the dough forms a smooth, shiny ball.
- Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot 20–30 minutes or until doubled.
Taco Pizza
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray or oil.
- In a medium skillet, brown the ground meat over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces. Drain excess grease if needed. Stir in tomato sauce, water, and taco seasoning and simmer 5–10 minutes until thickened.
- Roll out the prepared dough on the greased pan.
- Spread refried beans evenly over the crust, top with chunky salsa, then add the taco meat and cover with shredded cheese.
- Bake 15–18 minutes until the crust is cooked through and the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Let the pizza cool 5–10 minutes, slice, and add fresh taco toppings before serving.
Notes
Pizza dough: You can substitute 1 pound of store-bought pizza dough if you prefer.
Salsa: Use a thick, chunky jarred salsa so it won’t water down the pizza. Choose mild, medium, or hot to suit your taste.
Taco meat: Swap the ground beef mixture for 2–3 cups of leftover taco meat such as carnitas, shredded chicken, barbacoa, or Sofritas.
Make it heartier: Increase the meat to 1 pound and double the seasoning, tomato sauce, and water.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 38g
Protein: 23g
Fat: 18g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and updated in 2026.