In my ongoing quest for all things taco, I made up this recipe over 20 years ago, and it is one of my weeknight favorites because it is so quick and easy to make.
My husband had a dish called Taco Pizza at a friend’s house and like it so much that he came home and described it to me. This recipe is what I came up with. He said it was nothing like the Taco Pizza he had, but he loved it anyway! It’s really more of a Taco Pie than a Taco Pizza, but the original name stuck, and a new dish was born!
The cast of characters.
Note: I have tried to use the fat free refried beans, and they just don’t work in this recipe. They make the pie too runny. And don’t be afraid of the beans either – even if you don’t like refried beans, you will like them in this. With the cheese and meat, you almost don’t realize they are in there.
You will need to pre-bake the pie crust according to the package directions.
I buy pre-made pie crust for this recipe, but feel free to prepare from scratch if you like. Just make sure to use a deep dish pie pan.
Brown the ground beef, drain, and add taco seasoning mix. Cook according to package directions. (I make my own taco seasoning mix and put it into an old container).
Use freshly grated cheese. It melts so much better than the pre-grated stuff, but I’ll understand if you don’t! This is an easy weeknight recipe after all!
Note on cheese: I usually use sharp cheddar but this is one of those recipes where I will use up whatever cheeses I may have hanging out in the fridge. Also, I have been known to add extra cheese.
You are now ready to put together the Taco Pizza.
Layer the refried beans into the cooked crust. Run it up the sides, too, but be careful not to break the crust.
Add 1 cup of the cheese.
Add the meat mixture. Press down firmly.
Add the rest of the cheese.
Finish baking in a 350° oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The cheese will be nice and melted and the beans will be warm. If you wait a few minutes for the Taco Pizza to settle, it will cut nicely.
This is good served with some chopped lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, hot sauce, or whatever strikes your fancy. It’s a good “clean out the fridge†dish, that’s just as good plain, too.
I usually serve some sweet corn on the side. The sweetness of the corn with the creaminess of the taco pizza go well together.
Taco Pizza
Serves 4 to 6
1 whole Deep Dish Pre-made Pie Crust
1 pound Ground Beef
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix (1.25 Ounce)
â…” cups Water
1 can Refried Beans (16 Oz)
2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Preheat oven to 400°. Put pie crust into preheated oven and cook 11 to 14 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
While crust is baking, brown ground beef and drain well. Add taco seasoning mix and water, and cook according to package directions. Using a spatula, spread refried beans carefully into the bottom of the cooked pie crust. Layer 1 cup of cheese. Layer the ground beef mixture. You should now have a nicely rounded mound in your pie pan. Press down on the mound firmly. Carefully top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
Return to oven and allow to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Basically, you are just heating up the beans and melting the cheese. Remove from oven. If you allow it to cool slightly, it will cut more nicely.
Serve with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, or other favorite taco toppings.
