Ree Drummond Gives Pizza Night a Tasty Twist With These Smash Tacos
Pizza night and taco night come together in these pizza smash tacos, and I have to say, I'm pretty happy about it! Italian sausage gets mixed with a little pizza sauce, then smashed right onto flour tortillas and cooked in a skillet until browned and cooked through. The trick is to place the tortillas meat-side down in the pan, so the sausage gets a good sear while the tortillas warm up. Then each one gets topped with mozzarella and provolone and baked until the cheese is melted.
The toppings bring a bright, tangy finish to the rich sausage and gooey cheese. Roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, and thinly sliced red onion get tossed in a quick dressing made with pizza sauce, red wine vinegar, and honey. A few fresh basil leaves on top make these tacos taste even more like your favorite slice.
Serve them straight from the oven while the cheese is warm and stretchy, and add a Caesar salad on the side to make it a complete meal. They're a tasty way to shake up your usual weeknight dinner routine.
Can you use a different type of sausage?
Italian sausage gives these tacos a classic pizza flavor. You can use mild or hot sausage, depending on your preference. You could also sub in turkey or chicken Italian sausage, just be sure it is the fresh, bulk-style variety, not smoked.
Can you make pizza smash tacos ahead of time?
No, you can't make the full taco recipe because they are best served fresh and will become soggy if prepared ahead. But you can toss the roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, and red onion with the pizza sauce dressing a few hours ahead. Refrigerate the mixture until you're ready to serve.
Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
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1 1/2 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
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1/4 c. plus 3 Tbsp.pizza sauce
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4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
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4 slices mozzarella cheese
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4 slices provolone cheese
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2 tsp. red wine vinegar
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1 tsp. honey
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1 (12-ounce)jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced (about 1 cupsliced peppers)
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1/4 c. sliced pepperoncini, drained
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1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
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Fresh basil, for garnish
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Combine the sausage with 3 tablespoons of the pizza sauce in a bowl and mix well. Form the meat into 4 balls. Place a ball in the center of each tortilla and spread to cover.
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Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Working in batches, flip each tortilla upside down onto the skillet and cook until the sausage is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Slide a thin metal spatula under the meat and flip the tortilla onto a baking sheet, meat-side up. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Top each tortilla with a slice each of mozzarella and provolone. Bake until the cheese melts, 5 to 8 minutes.
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Whisk the remaining ¼ cup pizza sauce, the vinegar, and honey in a small bowl. Add the roasted peppers, pepperoncini, and red onion and toss well. Divide the mixture among the tortillas and garnish with basil.
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