Spicy Ground Beef Pizza (Printable View)

Fiery chili-spiced beef, melted mozzarella and cheddar with a sweet hot honey finish on a golden crust.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pizza Dough

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

→ Spicy Ground Beef

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

→ Toppings

17 - 7 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - 2 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
19 - 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños, sliced (optional)
20 - 2 tbsp hot honey (store-bought or homemade: honey mixed with chili flakes)
21 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water and olive oil. Stir until dough forms, then knead on floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place for 1 hour until doubled.
02 - Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add ground beef, breaking up, until browned. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - Set oven to highest heat, ideally 480°F. Place pizza stone inside if using, to preheat.
04 - Punch down dough and roll or stretch into 12-inch circle. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet or floured pizza peel.
05 - Spread spicy ground beef evenly over dough, leaving edge clear. Top with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Add jalapeños if desired.
06 - Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese bubbles.
07 - Remove from oven; immediately drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Slice and serve warm.

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • It comes together in 40 minutes flat, perfect for when you want something impressive without the stress.
  • The hot honey drizzle is pure magic—sweet and fiery at the same time in a way that keeps you reaching for another slice.
  • It's customizable enough to adapt to what you have in the kitchen, but structured enough that even a first-timer nails it.
02 -
  • Don't skip letting the dough rise—it's the difference between a dense, chewy base and one that's light and puffed with flavor.
  • The hot honey needs to go on immediately after the pizza comes out of the oven, when the cheese is still bubbling; this is when it actually bonds with the heat instead of just sitting on top.
03 -
  • Room-temperature ground beef cooks more evenly than cold beef straight from the fridge, and browns better because it makes contact with the hot skillet instead of steaming itself.
  • Stretching the dough by hand instead of using a rolling pin gives you a more rustic crust with thicker, airier edges that stay chewy instead of dense.
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