Taco Pizza with Ground Beef

Name: Taco Pizza with Ground Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 pound (450 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature; 1 pound (450 g) ground beef (85% lean); 2 tablespoons (14 g) taco seasoning mix; ¼ cup (60 ml) water (for seasoning); 2 cups (200 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 cup (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded; ¾ cup (180 ml) pizza sauce or marinara; 2 cups (90 g) crisp lettuce (romaine or iceberg), shredded, shredded, dried; 2 medium (200 g) roma tomatoes, diced, seeds removed; ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream; ¾ cup (90 g) black olives, sliced, sliced, drained (optional); 1 small (20 g) jalapeño pepper, sliced, seeds removed (optional); 2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional); 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil; to taste kosher salt and black pepper

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crispy pizza crust topped with seasoned ground beef, melted cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. This Mexican-American fusion brings the flavors of a taco to a warm, baked pizza. Perfect for casual weeknight dinners or gatherings.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 1 large pizza (8 slices)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

4 servings

1 pound (450 g) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, at room temperature
1 pound (450 g) ground beef (85% lean)
2 tablespoons (14 g) taco seasoning mix
¼ cup (60 ml) water (for seasoning)
2 cups (200 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup (100 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded
¾ cup (180 ml) pizza sauce or marinara
2 cups (90 g) crisp lettuce (romaine or iceberg), shredded, shredded, dried
2 medium (200 g) roma tomatoes, diced, seeds removed
½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
¾ cup (90 g) black olives, sliced, sliced, drained (optional)
1 small (20 g) jalapeño pepper, sliced, seeds removed (optional)
2 tablespoons (8 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
to taste kosher salt and black pepper

Equipment (5)

14-inch (36 cm) pizza pan or baking sheet
Large skillet
Wooden spoon
Measuring spoons
Cutting board and knife

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C) 10 minutes ahead
If using homemade dough, prepare and let it come to room temperature
Have all toppings prepped and measured before cooking the beef

1
Brown the beef
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (7/10).
- Add ground beef, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5–6 minutes.
- Beef should be golden brown with no pink remaining.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beef is light brown throughout with no pink
Tip: Break the meat into small pieces for even cooking and better pizza distribution
2
Season the beef
- Drain excess fat from the skillet if needed.
- Stir in taco seasoning and water, mixing until fully combined.
- Simmer over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the liquid mostly absorbs and the meat is coated in seasoning.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beef is evenly coated and wet look is gone
Tip: Avoid letting all the liquid evaporate; a light coating is what you want
3
Stretch and oil the crust
- Lightly oil a 14-inch (36 cm) pizza pan with olive oil.
- Place pizza dough on the pan and gently stretch it to fit, working from the center outward.
- Let it rest for 2 minutes if it resists stretching.
- Don't worry about perfect edges—slightly thick edges are fine.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dough fills the pan and covers it evenly
Tip: If dough springs back, let it rest 2–3 minutes and stretch again rather than forcing it
4
Add sauce and cheese layers
- Spread pizza sauce evenly over the dough, leaving about ½ inch (1 cm) at the edges for crust.
- Sprinkle half of the shredded mozzarella (about ½ cup/50 g) over the sauce, then scatter all of the cooked seasoned beef in an even layer, and finally top with the remaining mozzarella.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beef and cheese are distributed across the surface
Tip: Splitting the mozzarella helps it melt evenly and gives you a better texture
5
Bake the pizzaOven 450°F / 230°C
- Sprinkle cheddar cheese over the mozzarella layer.
- Place the pizza in a preheated 450°F (230°C) oven on the middle rack.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbling.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Crust is golden brown, cheese is melted and bubbling at edges
Tip: Check around 15 minutes; if the edges are burning but the center isn't done, lower oven to 425°F (220°C)
6
Rest and prepare toppings
- Remove pizza from oven and let it rest for 3–5 minutes.
- While the pizza rests, pat the shredded lettuce dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture (this keeps it crispy).
- Mix sour cream with a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pizza has cooled slightly and toppings won't slide off easily
Tip: Drying the lettuce prevents the pizza from becoming soggy when you add it
7
Slice and finish
- Using a sharp pizza cutter or knife, cut the pizza into 8 slices.
- Top each slice with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, a dollop of seasoned sour cream, and optional black olives, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro.
- Serve immediately.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Pizza is cut and fresh toppings are added
Tip: Add lettuce and fresh toppings right before eating so they stay fresh and don't get warm or wilted

Good to know

Tips

For crispier crust, brush the pizza dough edges lightly with olive oil before baking and keep the oven rack in the lower third instead of the middle—but watch carefully to prevent burning.
Make sure to pat the lettuce dry after shredding; excess moisture from washing turns the pizza soggy.
Build this pizza like an assembled taco: use the warm baked cheese base as your foundation, then pile on fresh toppings just before eating so they stay crisp and cold against the warm pizza.
If your oven runs hot, reduce the baking temperature to 425°F (220°C) and add 2–3 minutes; if it runs cool, increase to 475°F (245°C) and start checking at 12 minutes.

Make ahead

The cooked seasoned beef can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat before adding to the pizza. The pizza dough (if homemade) can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator, then brought to room temperature 30 minutes before stretching.

Storage & reheating

Leftover pizza keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 days; reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. Do not freeze with fresh toppings added; instead, freeze the cooked baked pizza (without lettuce, tomato, and sour cream) in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes, then top with fresh garnishes.

Substitutions

pizza sauce or marinara → Salsa (mild or medium) or diced canned tomatoes with garlic and cumin. Use salsa to deepen the Mexican flavor; drain excess liquid first if using chunky salsa
sharp cheddar cheese, shredded → Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese (for more heat). Monterey Jack melts smoothly; pepper jack adds spice for those who like it
ground beef (85% lean) → Ground turkey (93% lean) or seasoned shredded chicken. Turkey and chicken will cook faster (4–5 minutes for turkey, 6–7 for chicken); adjust heat level accordingly
sour cream → Mexican crema, Greek yogurt, or mashed avocado. Crema is tangier; Greek yogurt is thinner (use less); avocado adds creaminess and richness