Spicy Ground Beef Pizza (Printer-Friendly)

Flavorful pizza topped with chili-spiced beef, mozzarella, cheddar, and a drizzle of hot honey.

# What You Need:

→ Pizza Dough

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

→ Spicy Ground Beef

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

→ Toppings

17 - 7 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
18 - 2 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
19 - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, sliced (optional)
20 - 2 tablespoons hot honey
21 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional)

# How to Cook:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add warm water and olive oil. Stir to form a shaggy dough. Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
02 - Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and brown while breaking it up. Stir in tomato paste, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool slightly.
03 - Preheat oven to 480°F (250°C). Place a pizza stone in the oven if available to heat.
04 - Punch down risen dough and roll or stretch into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet or floured pizza peel.
05 - Evenly spread the spicy ground beef over the dough, leaving a border. Top with mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. Add sliced jalapeños if desired.
06 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling.
07 - Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with hot honey. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. Slice and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of pizza that keeps you coming back for another slice even when you're already full.
  • The spice builds slowly, then that drizzle of hot honey hits you with a sweet-and-spicy finish that feels almost decadent.
  • You can have it on the table in under an hour, which means weeknight dinners just got a lot more interesting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial beef cooling step—putting hot meat directly on cold dough will cook the bottom too fast and leave you with a soggy middle.
  • If your hot honey is too thick to drizzle when you're ready, warm it gently for 10 seconds; cold honey won't flow and won't meld with the cheese properly.
03 -
  • If you're making homemade hot honey, warm the honey gently with chili flakes for just 30 seconds, then let it steep for flavor while you finish everything else.
  • A pizza stone makes a real difference in browning the bottom, but a preheated baking sheet works fine too—just watch the crust toward the end so it doesn't burn.
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