Homemade Mexican Pizzas (Tlayuda-Inspired Flatbread Pizza)
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Updated Jun 04, 2025, Published Sep 11, 2018
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Step up your snacking game with my Homemade Mexican Pizzas! This simple tlayuda-style dough is made with just five basic ingredients, cooked on a comal like a tortilla, then topped with your favorite pizza fixings and baked to chewy-crisp perfection. Like thin-crust pizza, but with a Latin twist!
Table of Contents
- What is a Tlayuda (Mexican Pizza)?
- Why You’ll Love This Tlayudas Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- Optional Variations
- How to Make Mexican Pizza
- Serving & Topping Suggestions
- Mexican Pizza Expert Tips & Tricks
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Recipes
- Margherita Mexican Pizza (Tlayuda) Recipe
What is a Tlayuda (Mexican Pizza)?
This homemade Mexican pizza is inspired by tlayudas oaxaqueñas — oversized corn tortillas that are grilled over open flame and topped with savory goodness. On a trip to Oaxaca with my mom, we fell in love with these street food favorites—stacked high and full of flavor. When we returned home, I couldn’t wait to recreate them with my own Muy Bueno spin.
Traditional tlayudas are made with masa harina and cooked on a clay comal until leathery and slightly crisp. They’re usually spread with refried beans and asiento (unrefined pork lard with crispy bits), then layered with cheese, meats like shredded chicken tinga, braised pork carnitas, or homemade Mexican chorizo, cabbage or lettuce, avocado, and salsa—basically like a Mexican-style pizza.
My version uses a flour-based dough instead of masa, giving it a texture similar to thin-crust pizza. Cooked on a hot comal and then baked with toppings, this tlayuda-inspired recipe is perfect for when you’re craving a Latin twist on pizza night.
Why You’ll Love This Tlayudas Recipe
- Two favorites in one — Can’t decide between pizza or Mexican food? These homemade Mexican pizzas satisfy both cravings.
- Made with pantry staples — You only need flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and water to make the dough.
- Perfect for leftovers — Repurpose odds and ends from your fridge into something delicious.
- Fun for family meals — Let everyone make their own Mexican pizza with the toppings they love.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder & Salt — You can swap in self-rising flour and omit the baking powder and salt.
- Butter — Or use lard or shortening for a more traditional flavor.
- Toppings of Choice — Try queso Oaxaca, queso Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella—whatever melts well! I used salsa verde, queso Oaxaca, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil for a Mexican Margherita vibe.
Optional Variations
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
- Use cheesy dips like cheesy refried bean dip, homemade refried beans, or chile con queso as a base.
- Add meaty toppings like carne deshebrada or chicken tinga.
- Treat them like molletes Mexicanos or Mexican sopes by topping with refried beans, homemade salsa, cheese, and fresh garnishes.
How to Make Mexican Pizza
Step 1: Make the Dough. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Add butter and mix to crumb consistency. Add warm water and knead until smooth and pliable.
Step 2: Roll Out. Divide into 5-6 balls and roll out into thin disks or ovals.
Step 3: Cook Tlayudas. Cook each on a hot comal about 1 minute per side, gently pressing down any air bubbles.
Step 4: Assemble. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Top each tlayuda with salsa verde, cheese, and tomatoes.
Step 5: Bake. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese melts and crust is golden. Top with basil and slice to serve.
Serving & Topping Suggestions
Treat your tlayudas like a blank canvas:
- Use up leftovers like shredded meats, grilled veggies, or cheese.
- Add Mexican pickled onions, Mexican pickled jalapeños, sliced avocado, or a fried egg for a fun twist.
- Make it a party with a build-your-own pizza night!
Mexican Pizza Expert Tips & Tricks
- Gently press out air bubbles as they cook.
- Use parchment for easy cleanup.
- Rotate pans in the oven for even cooking.
- Let everyone make their own—fun and less work for you!
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate leftover cooked tlayudas in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 2 months, using parchment between layers.
- Reheat directly from frozen in the oven until warm and crisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional ones made with masa harina are gluten-free, but my flour-based version is not.
It can be! Just avoid lard and use veggie toppings.
It depends on your salsa! Use a mild or spicy one depending on your taste.
Not quite—tlayudas are pan-cooked then baked, while tostada shells made with tortillas are usually fried or crisped before topping.
This homemade version uses just flour, baking powder, salt, butter, and water. It’s cooked like a homemade flour tortilla, then baked with toppings—similar to thin-crust pizza with a Latin twist.
More Recipes
If you tried this Homemade Mexican Pizza or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Margherita Mexican Pizza (Tlayuda)
Ingredients
Tlayudas:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/8 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon butter, plus 1 teaspoon
- 1 -1 ¼ cup warm water
Toppings:
- Salsa verde
- Shredded asadero or queso Oaxaca
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh basil
Instructions
- Place a comal (griddle or cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and allow it to heat up.
- In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add butter combine until you have the consistency of small crumbs.
- Add the warm water and mix well with your hand. The mixture may be a little sticky. Knead on a cutting board or smooth counter until dough is pliable and springy. Sprinkle with flour if dough is too sticky.
- Form five to six dough balls. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough balls to form thin disks or ovals. If dough is sticky, sprinkle board and rolling pin with flour to make it easier to roll out the dough.
- As you roll out each disk, place on the hot comal to cook, it will take 1 minute or less on each side. After cooking the first side, turn tortilla over and let it cook on the opposite side; when tortilla starts to form air pockets press down gently on it with a wooden tortilla press or rolled up kitchen towel to release the air. Don’t press too much, or it will make tough tortillas.
- Keep the tortillas warm in a tortilla warmer or under a clean dish towel while you make the rest. Leftover tortillas can be refrigerated in a plastic bag.
Margherita Mexican Pizza:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper then top with two tortillas.
- Top each tortilla with salsa verde. Sprinkle the cheese and top with the cherry tomato halves.
- Bake the pizza until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and tear basil leaves into pieces and sprinkle over the pizzas.
- Cut into slices and serve warm.
Notes
- Substitute self-rising flour for flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Butter can be swapped with lard or shortening.
- Tlayudas can be made ahead and frozen.
- Great for using up leftover meats, salsas, or dips.
- Melty cheese helps hold toppings in place.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
They taste great as a pizza, who knew, easier than making real pizza dough. The fresh tomatoes from the garden sure gave it a woderful taste.
Can you freeze the dough balls or cooked tortillas?
I believe that the shelf life of the tortillas is improved using lard or shortening. Butter can turn rancid faster than the other two oils. Butter with canola is not butter. It’s processed garbage. I’ll stuck with the lard. Much better for you than canola anything.