Tostada Pizza

Half pizza, half tostada, totally a weeknight winner. A quick biscuit-style dough gets rolled into a 13-inch round, par-baked for five minutes, then loaded up Mexican style with refried beans, taco-seasoned ground beef, and shredded cheese. Two more minutes in the oven melts the cheese, and the fresh cold toppings go on after.

The crust here isn’t a yeast dough. It’s flour, baking powder, milk, and oil kneaded just ten times. That minimal handling keeps it tender rather than chewy. It bakes up more like a giant biscuit than a pizza crust, which is actually what you want since it’s sturdy enough to hold all the heavy toppings without going soggy.

Par-baking the crust before loading it up is the smart move. Five minutes in a hot oven sets the structure so it won’t turn to mush under the wet beans and meat. Without that head start, you’d end up with a doughy center no matter how long you bake it.

The hot-cold contrast is what makes this work. Warm, melted cheese and spiced beef meet crisp shredded lettuce, raw tomato, chopped onion, and green chiles piled on top. Drizzle taco sauce over everything and cut it into wedges.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface and transfer to the pan before pinching the edges. Moving it after shaping is tricky
• Don’t over-knead. Ten times means ten times. More than that toughens the dough
• Spread the refried beans in a thin, even layer. Too thick and it slides off when you pick up a slice
• Serve immediately. The lettuce wilts and the crust softens if this sits too long

Variations

• Use seasoned ground turkey instead of beef for a lighter version
• Swap American cheese for pepper jack for more kick
• Add a layer of sour cream or guacamole after baking for extra richness