Trader Joe's Just Released a Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza — Here's Our Take

Trader Joe's has an uncanny ability to create the products we really want before we even know we want them. So, in the absence of Mexican Pizza from the Taco Bell menu, they gifted us the solution we needed. Thanks to Trader Joe's, we can now enjoy the favorite flavors of the beloved Mexican Pizza easy from the freezer, in our very own kitchens — for even less than you'd pay in the drive-thru.

TJ's Layered Beef Tostada is a complete meal, under $4, with a combo of ground beef, pinto beans (not refried like Taco Bell's), Cheddar, and Monterey Jack layered between two tortillas. The stack is then topped with more cheese, black olives, green onions, and tomatoes. After just 15 minutes in the oven (or even less time in the air fryer), the toasty dish is ready to devour.

Our Review of the Layered Beef Tostada

We tried this new frozen item to see how it stacked up to the original, and we must say, it was impressive. Even Trader Joe's admits the copycat "may not be quite as effortless as cruising through the drive-thru," but it does have a few major bonuses to offer.

Our first observation was how much melty cheese was piled on top of the tostada, whereas the fast-food version usually leaves you wanting more. The cheese was so thick and gooey, that it gave us long, gorgeous cheese strings when the slices were pulled apart. That's a win in our book.

A common complaint about the 2.0 version of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza is the lack of the old-school black olive topping. Don't worry, Trader Joe's has brought it back in full. We were a little skeptical about the frozen tomatoes, green onions, and black olives going through an oven-bake, but the warm toppings weren't too off-putting. If you want a cool, fresh element next to the warm tostada slice, we'd recommend a sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo finish.

The "crispy" tortillas didn't deliver as much texture as Taco Bell's, but letting the tostada cool on a baking rack instead of a plate will help the bottom tortilla keep its structure. All-in-all, the copycat version hit most of the cravings we've missed from the Taco Bell menu.

Whether a late-night snack or an easy lunch, this quick and tasty Mexican-inspired dish is perfect to grab on your next grocery run. Or, make a fresh and flavorful homemade version with our Better-Than-Taco Bell Mexican Pizza recipe.