Taco Sticks With Cheese (Printable Recipe)

Cheesy ground beef wrapped in crispy pizza dough creates the ultimate handheld Tex-Mex comfort food snack.

# Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Taco Filling

01 - 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean recommended)
02 - 1 teaspoon minced garlic
03 - 1 package taco seasoning plus water as directed on package

→ Dough and Assembly

04 - 2 cans Pillsbury pizza dough
05 - 12 Colby Jack cheese sticks
06 - ¼ cup unsalted butter
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
02 - Cook ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, crumbling as it cooks until no pink remains. Drain excess fat thoroughly.
03 - Add minced garlic and taco seasoning packet to the cooked beef. Pour in water amount specified on seasoning package. Increase heat to high and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring until liquid evaporates and mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
04 - Unroll pizza dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Stretch into 12x8 inch rectangles, then cut each into 12 equal squares (approximately 4x4 inches each).
05 - Spoon 3 tablespoons of beef mixture into center of each dough square. Cut cheese sticks in half and place both halves side by side on top of meat filling.
06 - Bring dough edges up over filling and pinch seams tightly to seal completely. Tuck ends securely. Flip each stick seam-side down on baking sheet.
07 - Melt butter and stir in garlic powder and dried parsley. Brush mixture generously over each stick until completely coated.
08 - Bake for 12-14 minutes until tops are puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately while cheese is melted.

# Extra Tips:

01 - Keep pizza dough chilled until ready to use for easier handling and shaping.
02 - Seal dough edges firmly and place seam-side down to prevent filling from leaking during baking.
03 - Can be assembled several hours ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake for fresh results.
04 - Perfect for meal prepping, freezing, or packing in lunchboxes as portable handheld meals.

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