Spicy Ground Beef Pizza (Printable)

Fiery chili-spiced ground beef with melted cheeses and a hot honey drizzle on crisp dough.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pizza Dough

01 - 2 cups bread flour
02 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 2/3 cup warm water
06 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Spicy Ground Beef

07 - 9 ounces ground beef
08 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
09 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
10 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Toppings

17 - 7 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - 2 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
19 - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, sliced (optional)
20 - 2 tablespoons hot honey
21 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Combine bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and olive oil and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and brown it, breaking it up as it cooks. Mix in tomato paste, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Preheat oven to 480°F (250°C) or the highest temperature your oven supports. Place a pizza stone inside if using.
04 - Punch down the risen dough and roll or stretch it into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer the shaped dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet or a floured pizza peel.
05 - Evenly spread the spicy ground beef over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Top with shredded mozzarella and grated cheddar cheese. Scatter pickled jalapeños if using.
06 - Bake the pizza for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust turns golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.
07 - Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Slice and serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but comes together in forty minutes flat.
  • The hot honey finish is a game-changer—that sweet-spicy contrast will become your secret weapon at the table.
  • Ground beef pizza sounds humble until you taste how the spices meld into something unexpectedly sophisticated.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting your dough rise fully; it's not wasted time, it's when the flavor develops and the texture becomes what you're actually after.
  • The beef should be completely cooled before it hits the dough, otherwise the bottom gets soggy and chewy instead of crisp.
  • Hot honey drizzled on pizza straight from the oven creates this textural magic—do it while everything's still steaming or you've missed the point entirely.
03 -
  • If your oven doesn't go above 475°F, don't worry—just give it a few extra minutes and watch for the crust to brown rather than relying on time.
  • Make your hot honey ahead of time if you're serving people; it's one less thing to think about in those final moments when timing matters.
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