The Best Easy Taco Pizza Recipe - Living Well Mom (2024)

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A family-favorite dinner, this delicious taco pizza is made with a crescent roll crust and simple ingredients. It’s fast and easy too; you can whip up this quick dinner ideain 30 minutes or less!

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Taco Pizza

Taco pizza – yup, it’s possible! Two of my favorite foods really can be combined into one incredibly delicious dinner.

I’m always on the lookout for easy meals my family will enjoy. I enjoy cooking but with four children, I’m busy and if I’m going to make dinner, it needs to be quick.

A few years ago, I discovered this taco pizza recipe with a crescent roll crust and with a few small adaptions, it quickly became a favorite family dinner that we make once a week.

Every time I make taco pizza, I can never be sure who loves it more – the kids or my husband. They all gobble it up and ask for more! Of course, I really enjoy it too.

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With a cream cheese and sour cream “sauce” and spicy taco flavor, Mexican taco pizza works well as a regular family meal and it’s also great as an appetizer and for parties.

I love recipes that work for many things, don’t you? It saves a lot of time and effort!

this idea now...

Crescent Roll Taco Pizza

There are two things that make this taco pizza super easy.

First, you can serve it cold – or warm. For most recipes that may sound gross, but trust me, cold taco pizza really works. This is what allows you to make it ahead of time, store it in the fridge, then serve a super delicious, filling dinner your family can gobble up immediately.

The second thing is that this recipe uses a crescent roll pizza crust. This makes it much faster and simpler than rolling out normal pizza dough. Plus the flaky crescent rolls make for a tasty pizza crust!

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How do you make a gluten-free version of this pizza?

You can find gluten-free crescent rolls in some grocery stores. That’s the simplest way to make this recipe gluten-free. You’ll want to check your other ingredients too but they should all be naturally gluten-free.

If you can’t find gluten-free crescent rolls (we had a hard time finding them until recently), you can try a gluten-free pizza dough recipe and follow the package instructions.

Try these homemade baked chicken nuggets for an easy picky-eater-approved recipe.

How to Make the Best Taco Pizza

Taco Pizza Ingredients

You’ll need refrigerated crescent rolls, softened cream cheese, sour cream, ground beef or turkey, taco seasoning, tomato, shredded cheese, and lettuce.

Feel free to adjust or add any toppings your family prefers with tacos. That’s another great thing about this easy meal – you can easily tweak it!

Taco Toppings

Here are a few more taco pizza topping suggestions from readers:

  • taco sauce
  • chopped onion
  • avocado
  • black olives
  • hot sauce
  • Fritos
  • Doritos
  • refried beans
  • black beans
  • enchilada sauce
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How to Make this Taco Pizza Step by Step

1. Preheat the oven and roll out crescent roll dough onto a large baking sheet

You can buy Pillsbury crescent roll dough without the perforations which makes it simpler to roll out. If not, just pinch together the perforations to seal it.

You want a large cookie or baking sheet. If you use a small one, you will have leftover crescent rolls.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

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2. Beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream together

Let the crescent roll pizza crust cool for a few minutes, then spread the cream cheese / sour cream mixture over it.

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3. Brown the ground beef and stir in taco seasoning

If you want a cold taco pizza or you are making this ahead of time to store until later, chill the cream cheese/crescent roll crust.

Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain any grease. Stir in the taco seasoning and water (according to the package directions on the taco seasoning packet.) Next, add more taco seasoning if you prefer more seasoning.

Then, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tip: if you want more protein or would like to have your meat go farther, add a can of drained black beans to the meat mixture.

4. Layer the meat over the cream cheese / sour cream

You won’t completely cover the cream cheese layer with the ground beef; there’s plenty of other toppings so don’t worry.

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5. Add the remaining toppings

Sprinkle with the lettuce and tomatoes…

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And shredded cheese. Along with any other toppings you prefer. We sometimes add sliced avocado and homemade taco sauce.

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5. Cut your homemade taco pizza into slices

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You can eat it with your hands.Because it is Taco Pizza after all!

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Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator.

Tip: If you plan to make Taco Pizza the night before, I recommend waiting until just before serving before adding the lettuce, tomato, and cheese to prevent sogginess.

Although, I have made this recipe in the morning (complete with all toppings and covered lightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator) and it was perfectly fine hours later for dinner.

This family-favorite Taco Pizza recipe is perfect for hot summer days too since it can be made ahead of time. You could even bring it in a cooler for family outings.

Looking for another kid-friendly Mexican dinner? These creamy chicken enchiladas are a hit every single time!

Enjoy!

More Easy Dinners

  • Kid-Friendly Easy Mac and Cheese
  • Unbelievably Easy Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew
  • Easy Sloppy Joe Dinners

Print

Taco Pizza

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Print Recipe
★★★★★5 from 24 reviews

This easy taco pizza is made with a crescent roll crust and a tasty hit with the whole family. With simple ingredients, you can whip up this filling meal in under 30 minutes!

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: serves 6-8 1x
  • Category: dinner
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 tubes (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls
  • 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
  • 1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
  • 12 envelopes or 24 Tbsp taco seasoning, to taste
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • optional: avocado, taco sauce, hot sauce, black beans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll the crescent roll dough and lay out on a large ungreased cookie sheet. Pinch the perforations together to seal. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.

While the crescent rolls are baking, mix the softened cream cheese and sour cream together. Remove any lumps with a whisk. Set aside.

Brown the ground beef and drain. Add a can of drained black beans, optional, for more protein if desired. Add the taco seasoning and 1/4 cups of water. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the crescent roll pizza crust is finished baking, remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 3-5 minutes. Spread the sour cream / cream cheese mixture over the crescent rolls. Sprinkle the ground beef mixture evenly over the top, followed by lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and any other desired toppings.

Cut into serving-size pieces and serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for cold taco pizza to be served later.

Keywords: taco pizza, mexican taco pizza, dinner, quick and easy

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FAQs

How to make pizza well? ›

Baking Your Homemade Pizza

Don't be afraid to crank the heat up to its highest setting. The high heat will help make a crunchier and more flavorful crust. Let the oven heat for at least half an hour before baking your pizzas. If you have a baking stone or steel, place it in the lower-middle of your oven.

Who made the first taco pizza? ›

Joseph Whitty's "Happy Joe's" claimed to be the first pizza restaurant to offer a taco pizza (a pizza with refried bean/tomato sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomato and taco chips). After a franchisee suggested adding tacos to the menu, Whitty invented the restaurant's best-selling product, the Taco Pizza.

What is on a Casey's taco pizza? ›

Our Taco Pizza starts with refried beans and salsa, beef or chicken, mozzarella cheese, and is finished with lettuce, tomatoes, taco chips and cheddar cheese.

Why did Pizza Hut stop making taco pizza? ›

While Pizza Hut has never officially stated the reason for its discontinuation, it's possible that lack of demand and a messy eating experience were two big reasons for its demise. Taco-inspired pizzas remain a staple of other chains, such as Taco Bell, which added Mexican pizza to its permanent menu in 2022.

What is the secret to the best pizza? ›

11 Essential Tips for Better Pizza | The Food Lab
  • Pick the Right Style.
  • Remember Your Dough-Making Options.
  • For a Better Crust, Try Cold Fermenting.
  • Buy Dough If You're in a Hurry.
  • Use a Rolling Pin If You Need To.
  • Top Your Pies Wisely.
  • Get Your Oven As Hot As You Can.
  • Use a Baking Steel.

What makes a pizza taste best? ›

Quality of ingredients: Using fresh and high-quality ingredients, such as whole-milk mozzarella cheese, flavorful tomato sauce, and high-quality meats, can greatly enhance the taste of pizza. Crust: A crispy, thin, and chewy crust can greatly improve the taste of pizza.

What is a fun fact about taco pizza? ›

Taco pizza is, unsurprisingly, a fairly new invention: the earliest known record takes place in 1972 – in Davenport, Iowa! As the tale goes, Joe Whitty, the owner of Iowa-local chain Happy Joe's Pizza, refused to permit a franchisee to add tacos to their pizza-only menu.

Is taco pizza a Midwestern thing? ›

Many Midwesterners will point to two main purveyors of taco pizza: Happy Joe's and Casey's (yes the gas station chain), both headquartered in Iowa.

Did Happy Joe's invent taco pizza? ›

Happy Joe's was the first restaurant company in the world to create a taco pizza, and although many other Pizza competitors have tried to mimic Joe's famous recipe, absolutely no-one can hold a candle to Joe's original Taco Joe Pizza!

Why does my pizza dough keep springing back? ›

If your pizza dough is quickly snapping back or difficult to stretch, your dough is too tight. Cover your dough with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. After a bit of rest, the gluten in the dough will relax, making the process of stretching much easier.

Is it better to stretch or roll pizza dough? ›

It's The Dough That Matters Most

It doesn't matter if you roll your pizza dough or stretch it; the dough itself should always be the same. No effort to improve the dough will improve the final product of a poorly made pie.

Does Pizza Hut taco pizza have beans? ›

Taco Pizza has a chewy pizza crust, topped with refried beans, seasoned ground beef and all your favorite taco toppings.

What is taco pizza made of? ›

Taco Pizza is a Mexican meets Italian dinner. Pizza dough topped with beans, salsa, beef, cheese, and all the toppings.If you're looking to switch up your Taco Tuesday, this Taco Pizza is the perfect twist on dinner!

What comes on Taco Bell's pizza? ›

What's Included
  • Seasoned Beef.
  • Beans.
  • Three-Cheese Blend.
  • Mexican Pizza Sauce.
  • Tomatoes.

When did Pizza Hut have taco pizza? ›

A 1979 TV commercial for Pizza Hut promoting its short lived taco pizza.

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