When I've got a lot of leftovers from taco night, I try to find new ways to re-purpose the parts. We all love the taco flavors but also need variety in how we serve it up.
This air fryer Mexican pizza is the answer! A mashup of pizza with taco night, you will love the flavors and textures your air fryer provides.
And since you can make these "personal size" it'll be incredibly easy to customize the Mexican pizzas to each person's preferences.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
To start, you get to re-purpose leftovers into a whole new form. Taco night just became pizza night!
These little pizzas are quick, customizable, and filled with cheesy goodness. Everyone will be happy with dinner!
Ingredients Needed
**Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**
How to Make Mexican Pizza in the Air Fryer
The first step is to air fry the tortillas a little bit to firm them up. Technically, this is optional, if you don't mind a soft crust. But trust me, the crispy crust is better.
Lightly spray one of the flour tortillas (both sides) and place in the air fryer basket. Please note that the tortilla needs to fit flat in your basket, so your air fryer model might determine the size tortilla you can use.
Air fry the first tortilla for 4 to 5 minutes at 350F, turning half way. The tortilla might bubble up a little in the air fryer; if so, just smoosh down the bubble with your tongs or whatever happens to be handy.
Remove the cooked tortilla and start the same cycle for the second one. (If you have a big basket and small tortillas you could cook both at once)
Spread a layer of refried beans over the cooked tortilla.
When the second tortilla has cooked, layer it on top of the refried beans.
This creates a "sandwich" of two tortillas with refried beans in between. This is the crust of your pizza, and it is much more sturdy that a single flour tortilla.
Now, sprinkle just a little shredded cheese over the tortilla, then add the meat. The cheese here helps prevent the meat from rolling off the tortilla. A thin layer of refried beans will also work.
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Now, drizzle with taco sauce. You want just enough that you get a taste of it in most of the bites.
And now is when you add the bulk of the shredded cheese. Because, you know, there's no such thing as too much cheese! This pizza is now ready for the air fryer.
Air fry the Mexican pizza for 5 minutes at 350F. The pizza will be fully warmed through, the crust crispy, and the cheese delightfully melted.
So if you're just a meat and cheese kinda person, the Mexican pizza is ready to eat. But what's a taco without the fixin's?
I add sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomato, at minimum.
But of course other toppings are up to you! Black olives are a popular choice. Maybe some corn, avocado, or peppers? Choose your favorites!
Serving Suggestions
If you want to really offer choices, don't forget about sauces. My guy loves salsa, I love cilantro-lime sauce. Quesadilla sauce would be another fantastic choice.
Need a few sides? Mexican avocado salad is easy, fast, and so delicious! And brown rice and bean bake is a satisfying and healthy main for side for any Tex-Mex meal!
Substitutions and Variations
Feel free to be creative with these pizzas! Use black beans for the protein to make a vegetarian Mexican pizza.
Try different tortillas! I've made Mexican pizza with 2 different flour tortilla brands and one low-carb brand. The timing is the same but keep a close watch for variations in brands and in your air fryer.
Storage
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in the air fryer or oven for the best results.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use gluten-free tortillas to make your pizza. Also check the sauce used to ensure it is gluten free.
Reheat in the air fryer or oven for a few minutes until the crust is crispy and the cheese is gooey. I do not recommend the microwave as it will make the crust very soft.
📖 Recipe
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Air Fryer Mexican Pizza
Video
Ingredients
- 2 flour tortillas burrito size*
- ¼ cup refried beans
- ⅓ cup taco meat
- 3 tablespoons taco sauce*
- ⅓ cup shredded cheese 4-cheese Mexican blend or similar
- Cooking spray
- Garnish: shredded lettuce chopped tomato, sour cream, as desired
Instructions
- Lightly oil the tortillas with cooking spray and place flat in the air fryer. Air fry at 350F for 5 minutes, flip halfway. You might need to do one at a time, depending upon the size of your air fryer and tortillas.2 flour tortillas, Cooking spray
- Take one crisped tortilla and spread it with a thin layer of refried beans. Place the other tortilla on top of the beans.¼ cup refried beans
- Once the beans and tortillas are assembled, I like to place them in the air fryer basket for the rest of the assembly.
- Sprinkle a little cheese (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) on the surface of the tortilla.⅓ cup shredded cheese
- Add the cooked taco meat, spreading evenly to cover the tortilla.⅓ cup taco meat
- Drizzle the taco sauce over the meat.3 tablespoons taco sauce*
- Top with the remaining cheese, evenly distributing to the tortilla edges.⅓ cup shredded cheese
- Air fry the assembled pizza for 5 minutes at 350F, or until warmed through and the cheese is melted.
- Garnish the pizza with shredded cheese, chopped tomato, and/or sour cream as desired.Garnish: shredded lettuce
- Cut into wedges and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Josie
I made this for dinner on the weekend and now I am thinking about when to make it next...The blend of cheesy goodness, taco sauce, refried beans, and taco meat is pure indulgence, it's a delightful medley of textures and flavors.
Sula
It really is the type of meal you want to have on repeat!
Jenny J
This was amazing! I used leftover salsa chicken to make our pizzas! Each kid made their own and there was no complaints, plus they all went back for seconds!
Sula
Salsa chicken makes an excellent pizza topping! Yum!
Beth
This is so much better than the Taco Bell version! I love how melty the cheese gets.
Sula
The melty cheese is the best!
Lisa
This air fryer pizza was perfect for a quick lunch. It's so simple to prepare and tastes great.
Sula
Oh yes I love it for lunch, dinner, and for game day munching!
Jean
Yum! Easy air fryer recipe for the win! Such a great way to use up leftover taco ingredients. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions.
Sula
So glad you enjoyed it! I'm always wanting creative ways to use leftover taco meat, for sure!
Kam
Never tried Mexican pizza! This turned out delicious. Will definitely make again. It’s so easy and so worth it. Thank you.
Sula
You're very welcome!!
Andrea
Ah! This is so sensible. I actually did use up all the leftovers from the Taco I made. My son just loved this version.
Sula
It's a really amazing way to re-purpose that leftover taco meat!
Leigh
This was such a fun dish to make! The kids were behind me the whole time, so excited to see how a mix of their favorite pizza and taco night dinners would come out. I used shredded pepper Jack cheese on mine and made their pizza with plain cheddar. I love the extra heat. It's great to custom-make these to suit everyone's preferences.
Sula
I love the "personal pan" approach too. It really guarantees that everyone is happy with dinner!
Lana
mmmmm! Munch munch munch! I've had some good meals out of the air fryer but this quickly pulled into the front of the pack. Already craving it again!
Sula
I know what you mean - I get asked when I'm making it again ALL. THE. TIME. LOL