Spicy Ground Beef Pizza (Print View)

Bold pizza with chili-spiced beef, melty cheeses, and a sweet, spicy honey drizzle.

# 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
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
21 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water and olive oil, mixing until dough forms. Knead on floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm area for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Preheat oven to 480°F. Place pizza stone inside if using, to heat up.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll or stretch into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet or floured pizza peel.
05 - Spread spicy ground beef evenly over dough, leaving a border. Sprinkle mozzarella and cheddar cheeses on top. Add jalapeños if desired.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese bubbles.
07 - Remove pizza from oven. Drizzle immediately with hot honey and garnish with chopped fresh herbs if desired. Slice and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hot honey creates this addictive sweet-spicy finish that keeps you reaching for another slice.
  • Ground beef makes it faster than waiting for traditional pizza toppings, and it actually feels hearty and complete.
  • You can customize the heat level to exactly what you want, from mild to genuinely fiery.
02 -
  • The dough rise is not negotiable—rushing it will give you dense, disappointing pizza, so give it the full hour even if you're hungry.
  • Don't skip cooling the spiced beef before topping; hot beef will warm the dough and throw off your baking time, and you'll end up with raw or overdone crust.
  • Hot honey must go on immediately after the pizza comes out, while the cheese is still melting, or it won't settle properly and will just slide off.
03 -
  • If your oven doesn't get hot enough, bake on a preheated pizza stone or even on the bottom rack upside-down to get the crust crispier and browner.
  • Make the dough ahead and refrigerate it overnight; cold fermentation actually improves flavor, and you can pull it out, let it come to room temperature, and bake whenever you want.
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