Taco Bell just took a beloved staple — the Mexican Pizza — and shrunk it into a handheld: the Mexican Pizza Empanada, currently testing at select Phoenix locations. This move, announced at Taco Bell’s Live Más Live 2025 showcase, feels like a remix of pizza culture: familiar flavors, reimagined delivery. For pizza obsessives, shop owners, and suppliers, this isn’t just a gimmick — it’s a pulse check on convenience, nostalgia, and where pizza innovation meets fast-food R&D.
Why pizza people should care
Taco Bell’s pivot highlights three big trends that are reshaping the pizza world:
- Portability of pizza flavor — delivering pizza profiles in new formats (think empanada, pocket, or roll) expands where and how people eat pizza.
- Nostalgia-driven menu plays — the Mexican Pizza’s fan-driven return proves legacy items can power viral demand.
- R&D speed and testing — fast-food labs are iterating rapidly; taste tests in a single metro become proof-of-concept for national rollouts.
Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s Chief Food Innovation Officer, captured the ethos at Live Más Live: “For more than 60 years, Taco Bell has been crafting bold, beautiful flavors that ignite cravings and redefine what’s possible. Our fans inspire us to push boundaries, break the rules, and explore the limitless potential of flavor.” (Taco Bell Newsroom)
The anatomy of the Mexican Pizza Empanada
What’s inside? The test version swaps the dual-tostada format for a deep-fried empanada shell packed with:
- seasoned beef,
- a three-cheese blend,
- refried-bean-style texture,
- diced tomatoes,
- and a side of Mexican Pizza sauce.
It’s essentially a pizza-flavored calzone/empanada hybrid — and it’s priced as a snack (3- or 6-packs priced around $3.50 / $6 in test markets).
What this signals for home pizza makers and enthusiasts
If Taco Bell can monetize a pizza’s essence in handheld form, the same creativity should inspire home cooks. Thinking beyond classic pies opens the door to:
- pizza hand pies and empanadas using your favorite dough,
- pizza-inspired dips and sauces,
- portable slices cooked in countertop appliances.
Pro tip: if you want to build consistent handhelds at home, start with a rock-solid pizza dough recipe and a reliable setup: a quality pizza stone, a sturdy pizza peel, and an oven that can reach high temps. For tested recipes and ingredient sourcing, check pizzaiolo.ai — a useful resource for dough formulas, hydration ratios, and ingredient swaps. (recipes & ingredients: https://pizzaiolo.ai)
Want gear? Invest in the right tools: a top-rated best home pizza oven, a heavy-duty pizza stone, and a long-handled pizza peel to mimic the high-heat cook of restaurant pies.
For pizza shop owners: extract the lessons
Taco Bell’s test teaches operators a few tight lessons that translate to better margins and customer excitement:
- Experiment locally, iterate fast.
- Test limited-time handhelds or value snack packs in one neighborhood before scaling.
- Use nostalgia as a lever.
- Bring back a local favorite or twist it — nostalgia plus novelty sells.
- Operational simplicity matters.
- Create menu items that fit existing workflow. A handheld that uses shared fillings reduces training and waste.
If you run a shop, also evaluate your tech stack: modern pizza POS system integrations and pizza delivery software can accelerate test rollouts and monitor sales performance by SKU in real time. Need suppliers or equipment? Start with a suppliers-first plan — bulk ingredients, dough mixers, and cleaning systems are core investments; see our suppliers directory for vetted partners: https://thepizzaweekly.com/suppliers/
(Products like commercial mixers or dough presses can speed production — consider ROI carefully.)
For pizza suppliers and industry observers
The success of pizza-flavored handhelds means procurement teams should:
- forecast demand for bulk cheeses, taco-seasoned meats, and specialty sauces,
- consider flexible packaging suppliers for multipacks,
- plan for co-manufacturing runs if a regional test scales national.
Keywords to watch in procurement conversations: bulk pizza ingredients, commercial pizza equipment, food service technology pizza, and sustainable pizza sourcing (supply chain commitments matter to consumers).
Need trusted supplier partners? Browse vetted options: https://thepizzaweekly.com/suppliers/
Quick pro tips
- If you want empanada-style pizza at home, roll dough thin and freeze before frying — it holds filling and reduces sogginess.
- Use high-fat cheese blends for melty stretch in a pocket format.
- For delivery or grab-and-go, design packaging that lets steam vent; soggy crust kills repeat buys.
FAQ — People Also Ask (PAA targeted)
Q: What is a Mexican Pizza Empanada?
A: A portable handheld inspired by the Mexican Pizza: empanada dough encasing seasoned beef, cheese, beans-like texture, diced tomatoes, and served with Mexican Pizza sauce for dipping.
Q: Is Taco Bell testing Mexican Pizza Empanadas nationwide?
A: Not yet. The rollout is in select Phoenix locations as a market test (People). If tests perform, Taco Bell often scales regionally or nationally.
Q: How can I recreate Mexican Pizza flavors at home?
A: Start with a sturdy, slightly oily dough, layer refried-bean-style spread, seasoned beef, cheese blend, and diced tomato. For recipes and tested formulas, visit pizzaiolo.ai (https://pizzaiolo.ai).
Q: What tools do I need to make handheld pizza items at home?
A: A quality best home pizza oven or high-temp conventional oven, pizza stone, long pizza peel, and a reliable pizza making tools kit.
Q: Where can pizza shops source bulk ingredients or equipment?
A: Start with suppliers that offer food-service contracts and equipment leasing. Check our suppliers directory: https://thepizzaweekly.com/suppliers/
Final bite — what to watch next
Taco Bell’s experiment compresses pizza culture into a snackable unit. For the pizza industry, that’s a reminder: flavor equity (nostalgia + authenticity) combined with operational simplicity drives fast adoption. Whether you’re a home baker chasing the perfect pocket, a shop owner iterating on limited-time offers, or a supplier forecasting SKUs — there’s an opportunity in every portable pizza reinvention.
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