School Fiestada Pizza
This tasty lunch treat was one of the highest requested school lunch recipe requests. While our school bought them already made, I found the brand they bought, dissected the list of ingredients and created a homemade version that is spot-on!!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 378kcal
Ingredients
- 13.8 ounces prepared or homemade pizza dough
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup pizza sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a 10x15 1/2-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Press the pizza dough in an even layer in the prepared pan. Pierce with a fork all over. Bake 3 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- To a skillet on medium-high heat, crumble and cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease.
- To the beef in the skillet, stir in taco seasoning.
- In a small bowl, mix together pizza sauce, cumin, and salt. Spread the sauce over the par-baked crust.
- Sprinkle evenly on top half of the cheese, followed by the beef, then the remaining cheese.
- Bake 11-13 minutes or until the cheese is starting to brown and dough cooked through. Cut the pizza into 6 hexagons as they were served in school, or your desired shape. The unused portion cut away can be consumed separately.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips and Substitutions
- Homemade taco seasoning. Measuring from a packet of taco seasoning works great, but if you prefer a homemade version, simply mix together these ingredients and adjust to your preference: 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tbsp ground cumin, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper. You'll only use 2 1/2 teaspoons of this blend.
- Crust Alternatives. Use store-bought pizza dough or homemade.
- Protein Variations. Swap ground beef for sausage, Italian sausage, ground turkey, chicken, or even beans for a vegetarian option.
- Spice Adjustments. Add chopped jalapeños or hot sauce for extra heat, or reduce spices for milder flavor.
- Cheese Options. You can swap the Mexican cheese blend with shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, or a spicy pepper jack.
- Additional Toppings. Consider adding taco-style fixings like chopped lettuce, sliced olives, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, or chopped cilantro for extra freshness.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. The BEST way to reheat this pizza or any pizza is in a skillet. If you haven't tried this method, you are in for a treat. Simply place your leftover pizza slices in a skillet on medium-high heat, cover with a lid, and allow the pizza to do its thing for 5-8 minutes. The crust will become crisp again, toppings will heat through, and cheese will become ooey gooey melted again.Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1057mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 443mg | Iron: 4mg
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