TikTok's Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Just Needs An Air Fryer
You likely know the saga of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza, but just in case, here's the short version: in 2020, T-Bell announced it would be discontinuing the beloved Mexican-Italian entrée. Two years later in May 2022, the chain delighted fans by resurrecting the dish — only to run out of ingredients so quickly that it had to be temporarily discontinued again. Fortunately, its second absence lasted only a few months, and in September 2022, the Mexican Pizza was permanently re-cemented on the Taco Bell menu. Phew.
Now, we don't want to put anything out into the universe that we're not prepared to experience in real life, but after the whirlwind that we all went through with the dish, it might not be a bad idea to have a backup plan in case the Mexican Pizza era comes to an end. Luckily, TikTok user @sweatininpink has us covered with a copycat recipe that only requires a single kitchen appliance: the air fryer.
In their November 2020 post, the TikToker demonstrates how to re-create the fan-favorite dish (or at least a vegetarian version of it) by first throwing two tortillas in the air fryer, turning them into tostadas. Once fried, they coat one in a layer of refried beans. The second tostada comes next, followed by enchilada sauce, shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, and green onions. Finally, the layered delicacy goes for another trip in the air fryer, and "voila." An easy, copycat Mexican Pizza made without dirtying a single dish.
You can make other Taco Bell faves in your air fryer, too
TikTokers and Taco Bell fans alike were thrilled to find Dr. Jemi (aka @sweatininpink)'s copycat Mexican Pizza recipe, especially since the dish had just been discontinued at the time it was posted. "Finally a video worth saving," one commenter quipped. Some noted that @sweatininpink's recipe was missing the ground beef, which can likely be chalked up to her personal diet — the creator's Instagram bio says "mostly vegan, always vegetarian." However, those that do want to incorporate more protein into the dish can simply add it on top of the refried beans and underneath the second tostada. (You can even make some copycat Taco Bell beef to make things even more official.
@sweatininpink @tacobell WHY DO YOU HATE ME?? any other Taco Bell recipes you wanna see? #tacobell #mexicanpizza #FanEdit #STEMLife #copycatrecipe
Since you've already got your air fryer out, you may be interested in whipping up a few more Taco Bell faves to add to your feast. A quick scroll past this copycat Mexican Pizza recipe will lead you to another video on Dr. Jemi's page with instructions on how to re-create the chain's cheesy fiesta potatoes. Food blogs across the internet have plenty of copycat T-Bell recipes that can be made using the device, from more savory fare to the eatery's fan-favorite dessert, Cinnabon Delights. Additionally, if you happen to have a leftover burrito laying around in your fridge from your last trip through the Taco Bell drive-thru, a number of Redditors have said that using the air fryer is the best method for reheating it.