A copycat vegetarian version of the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe that tastes better than the original, and it's BAKED. This Mexican Pizza is vegetarian, made with refried beans, cheese, tomatoes, scallions, and jalapenos.
"So, I just tried the Taco Bell Mexican pizza for the first time this weekend, then I was inspired to try this recipe. Nisha, this is SOOO DELICIOUS! I followed your instructions & topped with guac & salsa. 1000x better than the Bell! Thanks so much for another scrumptious creation!"
Kim
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Taco Bell Obsession!
Taco Bell is my absolute favorite fast-food place in the world. Oh stop, don’t judge me for it. It's a chain I have loved since the age of 14 and the older I got my affinity towards Taco Bell only grew stronger.
My favorite item to order is the Mexican Tortilla Pizza. Aside from their Mexican Pizza, my other favorite items are the Bean Burrito, 7 Layer Burrito, and Spicy Tostada.
Since I do watch what I eat most of the time, I can't afford to eat Taco Bell's fried version as often as I'd like to, however I am capable of replicating some of their delicious menu items at home.
Recipe Rating: 4.95 from 53 votes
What is Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza
Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza is two flour tortillas that are deep-fried, then layered and topped with refried beans, salsa, and cheese. The pizza is then heated up and topped with tomatoes, scallions, and jalapenos.
At Taco Bell, you can get a beef version or a vegetarian version of the pizza. Of course, since I prefer vegetarian to meat, I love the Veggie Mexican Pizza at Taco Bell.
Bold Claim - My version of this vegetarian Mexican Pizza tastes way better than Taco Bell's version. I know, I know, it's a bold claim, but it's true. Just check out the reviews below.
Taco Bell's pizza can get soggy, and I find that half the cheese and veggies fall off, so trust me when I say my version is better, not to mention, homemade too. Hope you guys will give this recipe a try.
Ingredients for Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza ingredients... it's nothing complicated and to the point.
Tortillas: As much as I prefer using whole wheat, for this Taco Bell copycat, you need to use an 8" white flour tortilla. The ingredients are not great, but at least it's homemade.
Refried Pinto Beans: I used canned organic refried pinto beans from Trader Joe's and they're delicious.
Taco Seasoning: Any brand of taco seasoning works, but I love Trader Joe's as it's a little spicy.
Water: You'll need a little water to dilute the beans slightly.
White Onion: You'll need some chopped white onion for the beans, yes we are adding some flavor to the beans.
Pizza Toppings: Tomatoes, Jalapeno, Scallions, Mexican Cheese, Salsa. You'll need all the ingredients for the pizza toppings.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's delicious
- Crunchy & Cheesy
- It tastes way better than Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza
- Satisfying & Comforting
- It's Baked, NOT Fried
- Because homemade is better
- Gluten-free option (use gf tortillas)
How to make Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe
Step 1 - Bake the Tortillas
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a tray with foil.
2. Place 2 tortillas on a flat surface and lightly brush both sides of the tortilla with avocado oil. Prick the tortillas with a fork - this prevents them from puffing.
3. Once preheated, put the tray in the oven. Bake for 11 minutes total, 5 ½ minutes on each side - so flip halfway. You can add multiple tortillas at a time.
4. Tortillas are done.
Step 2 - Make the Beans & Chop Veggies
1. In the meantime, make the beans. Empty the contents of the refried beans into a pot and cook on medium heat.
2. Add ¼ - ½ cups of water and taco seasoning. Do not add salt since the taco seasoning has enough salt.
3. In the meantime, chop an onion. Add the onion to the beans. Once heated through, turn off the stove.
4. Chop the tomatoes, scallions, and jalapenos. Set cheese aside.
Step 3 - Assemble Mexican Pizza
1. Spread a couple of dollops of beans over the tortilla.
2. Top off with a little salsa and spread. Use your favorite salsa or even Taco Bell sauce will work.
3. Place the second piece of tortilla on top.
4. Now top with salsa again. Spread.
5. Top with scallions, tomatoes, and jalapenos.
6. Top with cheese, make sure you get the sides.
7. Place the Mexican Tortilla Pizza back on the foiled tray and into the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Check after 3 minutes.
8. Mexican Pizza is ready. Cut into 4 pieces and serve hot with Taco Bell sauce. You can also garnish with onions, cilantro, or sour cream. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the Mexican Pizza with:
- Taco Bell Sauce, of course... hot, mild, or fire. I prefer hot.
- You can also serve it with Guacamole and sour cream.
- A side of Mexican Rice with lettuce would also be delicious.
Expert Tips on Making Baked Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
- First, prepare the refried beans.
- Prep all the ingredients you'll need for this recipe. - scallions, jalapenos, tomatoes, and cheese.
- Next, prepare the tortillas by brushing them with oil and baking them in the oven, flipping them halfway.
- Assemble your Mexican Pizza.
- Bake it in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!
FAQ
You could say, my version is a healthy Taco Bell Mexican Pizza.
Here's how I make it:
The key is to brush a little oil on the tortilla and then bake both sides. This results in a crispy outer shell.
Once done, proceed to layer the Mexican Pizza and then bake again.
This makes a great dish to celebrate Cinco De Mayo!
Absolutely! Although I don't own a good air fryer, I would air fry these Mexican Pizzas at 375 for 8 minutes. Check on it. Then add more time if you need.
Make sure your beans are not super liquidy, it's okay for the beans to be runny, but avoid them getting so liquidy that your tortillas become soggy. Also, spread some salsa over the beans, but don't go overboard so that the tortillas get soggy.
No, this homemade version of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza is not gluten-free. I used flour tortillas for this recipe as they're soft.
For a gluten-free option, feel free to use your favorite gluten-free tortillas, just make sure they're soft for the best results.
Simply replace regular cheese with vegan cheddar cheese and you've got yourself vegan Mexican Pizza.
My homemade version of the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza version is baked (not fried) with 495 calories per serving. I did use larger flour tortillas for this recipe.
For a healthy alternative, use whole-wheat tortillas instead of white flour tortillas. Also, you can use low-fat cheddar cheese.
Yes, they did, but as of May 19, 2022, the Mexican Pizza is now back at Taco Bell. I still love my healthier baked version 100 times more than Taco Bell's because it does not get soggy and I don't skimp on the ingredients.
More Mexican Recipes!
- Taco Bell 7-Layer Burrito
- Taco Bell Spicy Tostada
- Black Bean Enchilada Pasta
- Crunchy Tortilla Salsa Mac & Cheese
- Enchilada Bean Dip
📖 Recipe Card
Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
for the baked tortillas
- 8 flour tortillas 2 tortillas per pizza, use wheat for a healthier option
- avocado oil to brush both sides of tortilla
for the beans
- 15 ounces organic pinto refried beans salsa style I like Trader Joe's
- 1 ½ tablespoon taco seasoning I like Trader Joe's
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup white onion chopped
for the veggies, cheese, salsa (divided in 4 servings)
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 jalapeno deseeded & chopped
- 2 stalks scallions chopped
- 2 cups cheese shredded, ½ cup cheese each pizza
- few spoonfuls salsa or taco bell sauce
Instructions
Bake the Tortillas
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a tray with foil.
- Place 2 tortillas on a flat surface and lightly brush both sides of the tortilla with avocado oil. Prick the tortillas with a fork - this prevents them from puffing.
- Once preheated, put the tray in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes total, 5 minutes on each side so flip halfway. You can add multiple tortillas at a time.
- Tortillas are done.
Make the Beans & Chop Veggies
- In the meantime, make the beans. Empty the contents of the refried beans into a pot and cook on medium heat.
- Add ¼ - ½ cup of water and taco seasoning. Do not add salt since the taco seasoning has enough salt.
- In the meantime, chop an onion. Add the onion to the beans. Once heated through, turn off the stove.
- Chop the tomatoes, scallions, and jalapeno. Set cheese aside.
Assemble Mexican Pizza
- Spread a couple of dollops of beans over the tortilla.
- Top off with a little salsa and spread. Use your favorite salsa, or even Taco Bell sauce will work.
- Place the second piece of tortilla on top.
- Now top with salsa again. Spread.
- Top with scallions, tomatoes, and jalapeno.
- Top with cheese, make sure you get the sides.
- Place the Mexican Tortilla Pizza back on the foiled tray and into the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes. Check after 3 minutes.
- Mexican Pizza is ready. Cut into 4 pieces and serve hot with Taco Bell sauce. You can also garnish with onions, cilantro, or sour cream.
kim says
So, I just tried the Taco Bell Mexican pizza for the first time this weekend, then I was inspired to try this recipe. Nisha, this is SOOO DELICIOUS! I followed your instructions & topped with guac & salsa. 1000x better than the Bell! Thanks so much for another scrumptious creation!
Lakshmi says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was SO DELICIOUS! Perfectly spicy, crunchy, cheesy and filling. My husband and I really enjoyed it. Definitely will be making this recipe again 🙂
Carolyn Wong says
Everything worked out! Thank you! I did the same as in your review, two pizzas at once. I really liked the dough, it turned out like in a pizzeria, thin. Before this recipe, I tried many different ones with yeast, they just make pies. And it's just wonderful!
Dhara Patel says
Hey Nisha I never tried mexican pizza. It is the first time I made and its a 💣.
Sheema says
This Mexican pizza turned out amazing! Thanks Nisha for the copycat recipe!
Sandy says
The Mexican Pizzas came out AMAZING 🤤 and the recipe was perfect as always! Thanks Nisha!😍🥰
Khush says
This was super yummy! I air fried the tortillas instead of baking them and it was so much better than the Taco Bell version! And healthier too!!
Niki Bhatia says
Perfect quick, easy, and healthy alternative to a Taco Bell favorite! 5 stars from hubby and me for sure. Thanks for this recipe!
Vai Patel says
Love this easy and delicious recipe!! The Mexican Pizza's came out wonderful and it was kid approved as well 🙂 Thank you, Nisha!
Hema says
Super delicious and so easy to make!
Shailee says
Out of all the Mexican Pizza recipes out there this one is my favorite because it gives a healthy alternative by baking the tortillas. They came out so yummy and my whole family loved it! Thank you Nisha!
Jyoti says
Excellent delicious recipe and easy to follow the steps. I made the pizza and added chopped jalapeno to the beans to make it spicy. Plus I didn't have scallions on hand so I added cilantro also on the topping. My husband and I really enjoyed your recipe. Thank you Nisha for sharing.👌🏼 😍 😋
Esha says
This pizza is absolutely divine! Thanks Nisha for the recipe! I love your blog and recipes!