Taco Pizza

5 from 1 vote

Made on top of a store-bought piece of naan, these pizzas are going to rock your world. Make them immediately.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Total Time25

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Tex Mex

Servings: people

In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat. Once hot, add the tortilla strips in a single layer, frying quickly for about 30-45 seconds, flipping them once to ensure both sides get crisp. Remove the tortillas once crisp with a pair of tongs and transfer them to a paper towel lined plate to dry.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
On 2 a large baking sheets, arrange the naan flatbread on top of a piece of parchment paper. Spread equal amounts of the refried beans on top of each flatbread, followed by equal amounts of the shredded cheese. Place the baking sheets into the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and top with equal amounts of the shredded lettuce, cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Drizzle some of the Mexican crema on top and sprinkle with the crisp tortilla strips.
Serve immediately alongside your favorite salsa.

Pre-toast the naan or pizza dough alone for 4 minutes. Otherwise the bottom stays soft from the moisture in the beans and toppings. Pre-toasting locks the structure.
Spread the refried beans thin. A thick layer makes the pizza heavy and bottom-soggy. Aim for a ⅛-inch coverage.
Cheese goes on the beans, not the bread. Beans first, cheese second. Cheese on bread before beans turns into a slick layer that the beans slide off of.
Bake at 425 degrees, not 350. Hot oven crisps the crust before the toppings dump moisture. 12 to 15 minutes is the sweet spot.
Cold toppings go on AFTER baking. Lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, crema all hit the pizza after it comes out of the oven. Wilted lettuce is the death of this dish.
Fry your own tortilla strips. 30 seconds in 350-degree vegetable oil, drain on paper towel, salt immediately. Store-bought tortilla chips work, but fresh-fried is the upgrade.
Halve the cherry tomatoes the long way. Long ribbons distribute better across the pizza than little spheres.
Shred the romaine just before serving. Pre-shredded romaine wilts in 30 minutes; freshly cut holds crispness through the meal.
Squeeze fresh lime over the top. Right before eating; the bright acid cuts through the cheese and beans. Bottled lime juice doesn't deliver the same lift.
Set up a build-your-own bar for kids. Bake the cheesy base, put toppings in separate bowls, let everyone customize. The buy-in alone is worth the extra dishwashing.