🌮🍕 RICK’S COPYCAT FIESTADAS

The school-lunch classic, made at home.

If you remember Fiestadas from the school cafeteria, you probably remember that unmistakable combination of taco-seasoned beef, pizza sauce, and melted cheese. This is my homemade copycat version—simple to make, loaded with flavor, and a whole lot better than I remember getting on a lunch tray.

Ingredients

  • 2 Pillsbury Pizza Crust doughs

  • 2 lbs ground beef

  • 2 packets taco seasoning

  • 1 tablespoon cumin

  • 1 (14 oz) pizza sauce

  • 4 cups shredded cheese

  • Cooking spray or oil for greasing pans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven according to the temperature listed on the Pillsbury pizza dough package.

  2. Brown the 2 lbs of ground beef. Prepare the beef with the 2 packets of taco seasoning, following the directions on the seasoning packets.

  3. In a bowl, combine the pizza sauce and 1 tablespoon cumin. Mix well and set aside.

  4. Grease two baking pans and spread one pizza dough onto each pan.

  5. Par-bake the crusts for 8 minutes.

  6. Remove the crusts from the oven and spread half of the pizza sauce mixture over each crust.

  7. Top each pizza with approximately ¾ lb of the prepared taco meat. You won't need all 2 lbs of the ground beef.

  8. Divide the 4 cups of shredded cheese between the two pizzas, covering the meat and sauce.

  9. Return to the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the crust is cooked through.

  10. Let them cool for a few minutes, slice, and serve.

🔥 Campfire Tip

You've got some taco meat left over for a reason! Save it for nachos, tacos, or a quick bowl of taco meat and cheese later. And if you want to dress up your Fiestada, throw on some sour cream, taco sauce, or pickled jalapeños after it comes out of the oven.

Makes 2 Fiestada pizzas.