I was sitting at work last weekend all bored and hungry when I was hit with two super strong cravings at once - tacos and pizza. I knew a taco pizza had to be in my near future. So, here it is. My version of the grade school lunchroom classic!

I decided to make this one a vegetarian pizza just because it seemed easier at the moment. To make it non-veg, just brown some ground beef (or chicken!) with taco seasoning and add it with the rest of the toppings.

I used a refried bean mixture as the "sauce" because I loved having a bean "sauce" on my hummus pizza. Another option would be to use straight taco sauce as the pizza sauce, and then sprinkle whole black beans on as a topping.

I cut costs by buying my cheese in bulk (the rest will be frozen) and making my own dough. I didn't include the dough instructions, but you can check them out here. Or, you can buy pre-made dough from your local pizzaria or grocery store.

Taco Pizza

Total Recipe cost: $6.74
Servings Per Recipe: 4 (two slices or 1/4 of the pizza)
Cost per serving: $1.69
Rise Time: 1-2 hrs. Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 15-17 min. Total: 1.5-2.5 hrs.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 large	pizza dough	$0.37
1 recipe	pico de gallo	$1.53
1 Tbsp	vegetable oil	$0.02
1 clove	garlic	$0.08
1 (15 oz.) can	refried beans	$1.29
1 cup	salsa	$0.99
1/2 Tbsp	chili powder	$0.07
1.5 cups	shredded cheddar	$1.40
1/2 cup	frozen corn kernels	$0.24
1/4 cup	sour cream	$0.22
handful	cilantro	$0.15
TOTAL		$6.74

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare the pico de gallo (click here for the recipe).

STEP 2: Mince the garlic and add it to a small pot with the vegetable oil. Heat for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic begins to soften. Add the refried beans, salsa, and chili powder. Stir until smooth and heat through.

STEP 3: Stretch the pizza dough to fit your pizza pan. If your pan doesn't have a perforated bottom, par-bake the crust by itself for about 5-7 minutes before topping with the bean mixture (it's fairly moist). Spread the bean mixture over the dough, top with the corn and cheddar cheese. Bake the pizza for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown (if you par-baked the crust, you won't need to bake as long after it's topped).

STEP 4: Top with the fresh ingredients: pico de gallo, more fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of sour cream. To drizzle the sour cream, spoon it into a plastic bag (sandwich bag or zip top bag), cut a small hole in the corner, and then squeeze it over the surface of the pizza. Now EAT.

Tacos are awesome because of their mix of hot and cold ingredients. If you don't like pico de gallo, substitute with fresh, diced tomatoes. If you don't like cilantro, substitute with cold, finely chopped lettuce. Green onions or avocado would also make excellent toppers.

Step By Step Photos

I made the pico de gallo first, so that the flavors could have a minute to blend. Pico is incredibly easy to make. Just chop equal parts tomato and onion, add a handful of chopped cilantro, squeeze some fresh lime juice over top, and then sprinkle with salt. Stir it up, taste it, and adjust as needed. EASY.


To start the bean "sauce," saute the minced garlic in a little bit of vegetable oil for 1-2 minutes.


Then add a whole can of refried beans and about one cup of salsa.


Add the chili powder, stir everything together, and then let it heat through. This makes a lot of "sauce" so if you have some left over after topping your pizza(s), it also makes a GREAT chip dip... or you can just shovel it into your mouth while making the pizza, like I did. I was really hungry, okay?


Stretch your pizza dough out to fit your pizza pan and then spread the bean sauce over top. If your pizza pan isn't perforated, you may want to par-bake the crust for a few minutes because the bean sauce has a lot of moisture in it and you don't want a soggy bottom. Perforated pizza pans allow a lot of air and heat to reach the bottom even if your toppings have a lot of moisture.


Next add the cheese and corn. I didn't even bother thawing the corn. My theory on pizzas is this: if your toppings are delicious enough, you don't need a lot of cheese. So, I sprinkle it on sparingly.


Bake the pizza in FULLY preheated 425 degree oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. I could have let mine go a few more minutes, but like I said, I was REALLY hungry.


Next add the cold toppings: pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and sour cream. This is also when you would want to add the lettuce, if you want to go that route. AFTER baking is the key.


To make a nice sour cream drizzle like this, simply spoon the sour cream into a small plastic bag (like a sandwich bag), cut a very small hole in the corner, and then squeeze it over top of the pizza. Pretty, eh?


That slice of pizza didn't stand a chance...