Some kids have a special blanket or stuffed animal they turn to on really hard days. But that’s apparently frowned upon once you become an adult, so we have to get creative. For me, that has meant grabbing Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza when I can’t seem to adult anymore. It’s my stuffed animal, my blanket that’s worn to threads, my pacifier. So when I heard that Taco Bell was removing it from their menu line up, my world shattered just a little. What’s a girl to do? So many of you suggested that I replicate it in a recipe. I happily obliged with four trips to Taco Bell for market research. Dare I say, the result may even be better than the original.
The first requirement was obvious: it had to be super quick and easy, because that’s the exact reason we resort to fast food in the first place. So this recipe is as simple as they come. There’s not even set quantities to measure!
Begin by preheating the oven to 375 F. Then, brown some ground beef. I chose to do half a pound, but feel free to cook for an army and save the rest for later!
While the beef is cooking, heat up the refried beans. If they are a little too thick, stir in a splash of milk to make them more spreadable.
When the beef is brown, add taco seasoning. Use 1 packet for every pound of meat.
I like using store bought tostadas, which are basically like big chips. You can fry up your own, but I feel like they never get quite crispy enough. Plus, buying them at the store eliminates the step of needing to fry something.
Spread a layer of the refried beans and top with ground beef. You could even make it vegetarian by omitting the beef, and it would still be delicious.
Top with another tostada shell.
Spoon the enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle the Mexican cheese. (I even managed to find the Taco Bell brand to make it even more authentic! It seemed like a match made in heaven.)
Repeat the process to assemble the rest of the pizzas. Then it’s into the oven! They only need two or three minutes for the cheese to melt since everything is already cooked through.
Once they are out of the oven, you can completely customize the toppings. This is what makes the homemade mexican pizza even better than the original. The traditional mexican pizzas from Taco Bell have lettuce and tomatoes, but we also added sliced olives, green onions and sour cream. Avocado would also be really good! (Note to self: add guacamole next time).
The most difficult part of this recipe is deciding whether to eat it with a fork or your hands! I typically choose the best-of-both worlds and eat the top with a fork and the bottom with my hands.
What is your go-to comfort food as an adult? Think about it. Take your time. I’ll just be sitting here eating mine while I wait.
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Looks great! I will have to try. I do t know if you did this but I like to heat my tostadas in the oven for a hotter shell. Also, I never had the Taco Bell, but I like the idea of a stacked tostada or rather Mexican pizza!
Hey Elizabeth! Yes I heated the whole thing in the oven, but do you heat the tostadas on their own before the toppings? Maybe I’ll have to try that next time!
Hi Brittany!
I tried your Taco Bell Tostadas, loved them!
We will make these forever! Thanks for the culinary detective work!
Yes, we always put tostadas in the oven for a few minutes when we make tostadas. It makes a big difference.
Made these for the fam the other night. So yummy and so easy! Everyone loved them. Now I feel like I need to go try the Mexican pizza at Taco Bell before it’s gone.
So glad to hear your family loved them! And yes I think you’ve got a couple more weeks to grab an original from Taco Bell before they’re gone!