Taco pizza

Ok, I know I’ve already done a pizza recipe post, but this one is different. This one is in a league of its own. This one is epic. It’s…. Taco pizza.

Ok, hear me out on this one. When I lived in Iowa as a kid the local Pizza Hut made a taco pizza that was absolutely amazing. The traditional Pizza Hut taco pizza included refried beans, minced meat (which we always left off), cheese, olives, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and tortilla chips (think they were doritos) and topped with a spicy pace picante sauce.

Can you imagine having that as a kid? It was like a party in my mouth. So just recently, for no apparent reason, I was inspired to make my own taco pizza again, but veganize it this time.

The end result is pretty amazing. Even my English husband, who thought I was absolutely crazy for making this, was blown away and requests it quite often now. Trust me on this one, it’s awesome and so easy to make – you won’t regret it.

So here it is – a very simple recipe, but one that’s perfect for a lazy Friday night in.

Ingredients

• 1 pizza base (I like the hand-stretched pizza bases from Sainsbury’s)
• Black olives, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• Shredded vegan cheese (optional)
• Green chilies (optional)
• 1 small head of lettuce, shredded
• 6 cherry tomatoes (or one large tomato), diced
• Handful of crumbled salted tortilla chips
• Hot sauce
• Avocado

For the beans

• 1/2 can of refried beans
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3 tbs water
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220c.
2. Empty the beans into a small saucepan, add the seasonings and water and heat until smooth and well-mixed. You want the beans to be smooth enough to spread on the pizza but not too watery.
3. Spread the beans in an even layer over the pizza base, then add the olives, onion, green chilies and cheese (if using) and cook for around 10 minutes.
4. Once the pizza is cooked, remove and add the shredded lettuce, tomatoes and tortilla chips. Top with a couple slices of avocado and your hot sauce of choice (I like cholula, tapatio or even Franks)

I like to serve our pizza with spicy wedges and a homemade vegan ranch. You can also add a bit of vegan nacho cheese (check out this recipe for the sauce). Enjoy!