Taco Braid
This homemade Taco Braid is stuffed with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, cheese, and salsa, all wrapped in buttery pizza dough.
Turn Taco Tuesday into something special! After receiving so much praise for my Chicken Fajita Braid, I’m excited to share a similar recipe with you today. If you love Tex-Mex or hearty Mexican food, this easy and delicious Taco Braid is a must-try! It’s an easy weeknight meal that will be on your table in under 40 minutes, bringing a fun twist to traditional taco dinners. This homemade taco braid recipe is stuffed with classic taco filling: taco-seasoned ground beef, creamy refried beans, cheddar cheese, and zesty salsa. Make this with my Homemade Salsa for even more flavor or as an appetizer while you cook. Serve this hearty taco braid for game day, family dinners, and Taco Tuesday for a dish that’s sure to please everyone.
Looking for more Taco Tuesday recipes? Find more recipes here. Don’t forget to snack on my homemade Mexican-style dips while you cook.
TACO BRAID
The secret to this delicious taco braid is the warm, buttery refrigerated pizza dough (or crescent roll dough) that wraps everything into an impressive, shareable stuffed bread. This cheesy beef taco braid is also so much faster and more fun to make than individual tacos. I’ll walk you through the process below. Add all of your favorite toppings like sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. If you’re feeling extra fancy, drizzle some Creamy Tomatillo Dressing or Creamy Ranch Dressing on top of the taco braid. This simple taco braid recipe is a simple and delicious Mexican-inspired dinner that will have everyone asking for seconds.
Find my expert tips on how to make a taco braid below! Don’t forget to tag me in all of your creations @lifeinthelofthouse on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s stay connected. ❤️
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Taco Braid Recipe:
- Simple & Easy Weeknight Meal: Minimal prep, ingredients, and easy-to-follow steps make it perfect for busy weeknights when you have lots of mouths to feed.
- Packed with Flavor: Seasoned ground beef, refried beans, cheddar cheese, and salsa all baked inside golden, flaky pizza dough.
- Family-Friendly: A fun twist on taco night that everyone will love.
- Delicious Leftovers: This recipe makes flavorful leftovers that stay fresh for days. In fact, the flavors get even better over time!
- Customizable: Add any toppings you’d like, like sour cream, guacamole, or shredded lettuce, to elevate this comfort meal.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 can (13.8 ounces) refrigerated Pillsbury Pizza Dough (or use my homemade pizza dough)
Instructions
Unravel the pizza dough and let it rest on a greased cookie sheet while you brown the ground beef. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning and 1 cup of water. Mix well and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat.
Now that the dough has rested and reached room temperature, shape it into a large rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut one-inch strips down along the sides of the dough. Spread the refried beans down the center of the dough.
Spread the seasoned ground beef on top of the beans, and then drizzle the salsa over the meat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Now start braiding the one-inch strips over the top.
Bake at 375 F° for 20 minutes or until golden brown! Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Servings
Yields: 4 servings.
Storage and Reheating
Allow the Taco Braid to cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in foil in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight before reheating. To reheat, warm in a 350°F oven for 10–15 minutes or microwave individual slices for 1–2 minutes, covered with a damp paper towel.
Holly’s Tips for The Best Taco Braid:
- Let The Dough Rest: Allow refrigerated or homemade pizza dough to come to room temperature before shaping. This makes it easier to stretch and braid the dough without tearing.
- Drain The Beef Well: After browning, drain excess grease to keep the braid from getting soggy.
- Even Layering: Spread the beans, beef, salsa, and cheese evenly down the center so every slice has balanced flavor and everything cooks evenly.
- Braid Tightly & Gently: Fold the strips over snugly to seal the filling, but don’t stretch too hard or the dough may tear.
- Customize The Filling: Add diced peppers, onions, or jalapeños for extra flavor.
- Cool Slightly Before Slicing: Let the braid rest 5–10 minutes after baking to keep the filling from spilling out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes. You can assemble the braid a few hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Just bake it as directed when you’re ready to serve.
Yes! Homemade pizza dough, like The Best Pizza Dough, works perfectly and may even give a fresher, more flavorful crust. Just make sure it’s rested and at room temperature before braiding.
Definitely! Cheddar works great, but you can mix it up with Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or a Mexican cheese blend for extra flavor.
You can make this Taco Braid vegetarian by replacing the ground beef with cooked beans, lentils, or a meat substitute like seasoned tofu or plant-based crumbles.
Add diced jalapeños, hot salsa, or a pinch of cayenne to the beef mixture for some heat.
You can make this Taco Braid gluten-free by using a gluten-free pizza dough instead of regular dough. Many stores carry ready-made gluten-free dough, or you can make your own using a gluten-free flour blend. Be sure to check that your refried beans, taco seasoning, salsa, and fresh toppings are all gluten-free, as some brands may contain additives with gluten.
Similar Recipes
Looking for classic taco recipes? Start with my Dad’s Tacos and Mexican Street Tacos.
Want something bite-sized? My Taco Bites and Taco Cupcakes are the ultimate party appetizers.
In the mood for something light? My Taco Lettuce Wraps are a delicious and refreshing take on Taco Tuesday.
Craving something different? My Taco Noodle Skillet is another delicious, hearty weeknight dinner aimed to please.
Have you made this Taco Braid recipe? 🍽️
Leave a review, and don’t forget to tag me in your creations on Instagram and Facebook! @lifeinthelofthouse! #TacoBraid #TacoTuesdayMeals #LifeInTheLofthouse
Taco Braid
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 packet (1 ounce) taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 can (13.8 ounces) refrigerated Pillsbury Pizza Dough (or use my homemade pizza dough)
Instructions
- Unravel pizza dough and let rest on a greased cookie sheet while you brown the ground beef. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain grease. Add taco seasoning and 1 cup water. Mix well and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat.
- Now that dough has rested and room temperature, shape into a large rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut one inch strips down along sides of dough. Spread the refried beans down the center of dough.
- Spread the seasoned ground beef on top of the beans, and then drizzle the salsa over the meat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Now start braiding the one inch strips over the top.
- Bake at 375 F° for 20 minutes or until golden brown! Let cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
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This looks fun and unique! I’ve seen a lot of braid recipes, but this is the first taco braid 🙂
I tried this taco braid receipe and I thought it was absolutely delicious…my braid didn’t turn out nearly as pretty as your braid did but practice makes perfect.
Theses are amazing, my grandmother borrowed the recipe and loves it too. Thank you
I love this recipe. Yours looks so scrumptious!!!!
That looks like a delicious and easy dinner! Also, a great use to use leftover taco meat (which I always seem to make too much of).
Hey thanks for the add on Tasty Kitchen! I just came here to check out your blog and wanted to add a bit to this recipe– another great version is to smear the bread with cream cheese and add deli meats and veggies. Just toss stuff on and braid it up. I slice up pieces for my son’s lunches and he loves it. You can also do it ‘cinnamon roll’ style and make them like pinwheels- very pretty. 🙂 I am definitely going to try this taco version though.. looks great.
I do this same recipe with less water, and add black olives. I mix it up rather than layer it. I use cresent rolls in a sunburst shape then pull the edges round to make a ring, similar to the Pampered Chef ham and broccoli ring, but with taco fixings.
I made this for dinner tonight. It was such a hit, I had to make a second one!
Anyone know if you could freeze this?
I made this yesterday and it was so good! I used less beans because it kind of overpowered the other tastes. I also used pillsbury thin crust and it didn’t need to be rolled out. Next time I think I’ll add some hot sauce and corn and black beans!
Yum..will try
I love this recipe. I added corn and cream cheese and used wheat pizza dough and it was delicious!
oh my gosh, i made this last nite and it was delicious!!!!!!