You can find 1000+ of my kitchen-tested recipes using the Recipes tab, watch nearly 100 of my Kitchen Encounters/WHVL-TV segments using the TV Videos tab, join the discussion about all of my creations using the Facebook tab, or Email your questions and comments directly to me--none go unanswered. Have fun!

07/25/2023

~ Beefy, Cheesy, Fully-Loaded Mexican Tortilla Pizza ~

6a0120a8551282970b01b8d29cda43970cI haven't eaten at a Taco Bell in years, but, it's worth mentioning the first time I ate a Mexican pizza was the first time I ate at a Taco Bell -- and I liked it a lot.    My personal-sized snack pizza came as a pleasant surprise.  It contained refried beans, nicely-seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, a few small-diced tomatoes and red enchilada sauce -- all sandwiched between two slightly-crispy flour tortillas.  It wasn't my choice to stop at their drive-thru window on that day, but, I must admit, it indeed inspired me to make many a Mexican snack pizza for our three boys..

IMG_2038Mexican-style snack pizza -- Taco Bell made me to do it.

IMG_1802After a week of cooking and blogging about New Mexico-style red chile enchilada sauce, plus two recipes for the ever-popular kid- and tailgate-tested New Mexico-style spicy ground beef, lots-of-onion and green chiles enchiladas, and, Jack cheese, black bean and sweet corn enchiladas, I have just enough of yummy "this" and "that" leftover in my refrigerator to make a really tasty "snack pizza" -- just for myself.

That said, when it comes to IMG_1917Mexican-style flour-tortilla pizza in general, I've often made several of them (four will fit on a 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking sheet lined with parchment paper). Once they're cut into wedges, I place 'em all on a big plate and serve 'em up as super-wonderful appetizers at cocktail or tailgate parties. They're also a great idea for a kids party as all kids love getting a personal-sized pizza.

Use the following recipe as a template (a guide, a method).  Pick and choose your favorite toppings -- or use what you have leftover.  Taco Bell copycat recipes use all store-bought ingredients: ground beef seasoned with a Taco seasoning packet, a can of red enchilada sauce (or a jar of salsa), refried beans and sliced black olives, and, a bag of shredded cheddar.  Don't roll your eyes -- all kids love it, and, at midnight, in secret, most adults do too.

IMG_1705Think of it this way, anything that you would put in a quesadilla, will work in a tortilla pizza (and it doesn't have to be Mexican fare).  I just happen to have leftover homemade enchilada sauce, grated Monterey Jack jalapeño cheese, diced tomatoes and minced cilantro, plus, meat filling and cheese filling (from the enchiladas pictured above) -- it's going to be a great combination. 

For each 6"-round Mexican pizza (ingredients are in "layering order"):

1  flour tortilla

IMG_18691/4  cup refried beans

1  tablespoon enchilada sauce

1/2  cup seasoned ground beef (Note:  I'm using 1/4 cup of both of my fillings today.)

1  flour tortilla

1  tablespoon red enchilada sauce, preferably homemade

1/4  cup grated jalapeño Jack & 2 tablespoons yellow cheddar

2 tablespoons diced tomato

1  tablespoon sliced black olives 

1  tablespoon minced, fresh cilantro or green scallion tops, for garnish after baking pizza

IMG_1967 IMG_1970 IMG_1974Step 1.  Spray an 8" nonstick skillet with no-stick cooking spray and place it over medium-high heat.  Place one flour tortilla in the skillet and spray the top of the tortilla too.  Cook, flipping the tortilla frequently (three-four times), until it is turning lightly-golden and puffing up in random spots across the surface, 1-1 1/2 minutes per side.  Repeat this process with second tortilla (or as many as you are making).

IMG_1965 IMG_1978 IMG_1982 IMG_1983~Step 2.  Line a pie dish (or a baking sheet for multiples) with parchment paper.  Place one (or more) tortilla on the parchment.  Spread 1/4 cup refried beans across the surface, then spread 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce atop the refried beans.  Distribute 1/2 cup filling mixture atop sauce (I'm using 1/4 cup beef filling and 1/4 cup cheese filling, for a total of 1/2 cup filling).

IMG_1989 IMG_1993 IMG_1995 IMG_1997~Step 3.  Place a second tortilla atop the filling and spread 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce across the surface.  Distribute 1/4 cup jalapeño Jack cheese atop the sauce followed by 2 tablespoons yellow cheddar.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons diced tomato atop the cheese.  Bake on center rack of preheated 350° oven 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Remove from oven and cool for 4-5 minutes prior to garnishing with minced cilantro, slicing and serving.

Bake in 350° oven 8-10 minutes & cool 4-5 minutes:

IMG_2026Garnish w/minced cilantro, slice & eat ASAP:

IMG_2052Beefy, Cheesy, Fully-Loaded Mexican Tortilla Pizza:  Recipe yields instructions to make 1, individually-sized, 6"-round Mexican tortilla pizza/1 serving/4 small wedges per person.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; hand-held box grater; 8" nonstick skillet; 9" pie dish (for 1 pizza) or 17 1/2" x 12 1/2" baking pan (for 4 pizzas); parchment paper

6a0120a8551282970b01bb09b5033b970dCook's Note:  Flour tortillas, along with most types of flatbread, make a delicious base for pizza.  When our garden tomatoes and basil are at their peak (which is just about two weeks from now) I make a fantastic tomato-basil pita pizza to snack upon on an almost daily basis.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment