When you're half in the bag on a Friday night, sometimes you just need Taco Bell. But here's the trick: with a little advance planning, it's not hard to whip up a dupe at home.
Taco Bell-Style Seasoned Beef Base
This really is the heart of the Taco Bell dupe — a spiced ground beef mix, thickened with masa harina. It's great just on a taco, and it freezes well, so you can quickly defrost if you've got that late-night craving.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 160°F.
- Drain excess fat and return the skillet to medium heat.
- Pour in the water and mash the beef with a potato masher until the crumbles are very fine.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the liquid becomes a light sauce around the meat.
- Use immediately or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Crunchwrap Supreme-Style Fold
Crunchwraps look tougher to make than they are. The construction is all-important here, but once you get it down, it's a snap.
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Ingredients
Method
- Warm all eight flour tortillas for 20 seconds so they bend without cracking.
- Spread 1/4 cup nacho cheese in the center of each large tortilla and add 1/2 cup hot beef at 165°F.
- Set one tostada over the beef and top it with sour cream, lettuce, tomato and cheddar.
- Place one small tortilla over each stack and pleat the large tortilla edges tightly toward the center.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook each crunchwrap seam-side down for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Flip and cook for 2 minutes until both sides are golden and the fold holds.
Caramel Apple Empanadas
An empanada really is just a very small pie, so a dessert version makes sense. The crimping isn't just for show; it really does hold the whole thing together.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon over medium heat for 6 minutes until tender.
- Stir the cornstarch with water, add it to the apples and cook for 1 minute until thick, then cool completely.
- Cut eight 5-inch circles from the pie crusts.
- Place apple filling and 2 teaspoons caramel on each circle, fold and crimp the edges firmly.
- Brush with beaten egg and bake at 400°F for 18 to 22 minutes until golden and 160°F in the center.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Chicken Quesadilla with Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
A chicken quesadilla is simple as can be. Creamy jalapeño sauce is a proprietary Taco Bell blend, but there are loads of copycat recipes online that are worth looking into as well for a fresher flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Toss the chicken with salt, cumin and chili powder.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes until browned and 165°F.
- Spread 2 tablespoons creamy jalapeño sauce over half of each tortilla.
- Add 1/2 cup cheese and one quarter of the chicken, then fold the tortillas closed.
- Cook the quesadillas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 minutes per side.
- Rest for 2 minutes and cut each into three wedges.
Steak Quesadilla with Creamy Jalapeño Sauce
A steak quesadilla is a personal favorite, but be careful with timing. I'd personally cook the sirloin rare as I can handle with a quick sear, and then let the slices get to medium in the quesadilla.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the sirloin with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet and sear the steak for 4 to 5 minutes per side until 145°F.
- Rest the steak for at least 3 minutes and slice it thinly across the grain.
- Spread sauce over half of each tortilla and add cheese and sliced steak.
- Fold and griddle over medium-low heat for 3 minutes per side until crisp and melted.
- Rest for 2 minutes and cut into wedges.
Bean Burrito with Red Sauce
The bean and cheese burrito is as simple as it gets, and shockingly healthy for a fast-food dupe. Use whatever salsa you like; no need to stick to Taco Bell-branded.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the refried beans, water and cumin in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Stir for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and heated to 165°F.
- Warm the tortillas for 20 seconds until flexible.
- Spread 1/2 cup beans down the center of each tortilla.
- Add 2 tablespoons red sauce, cheddar and diced onion.
- Fold in the sides and roll tightly with the seam underneath.
Beefy Five-Layer Burrito
This is another one of those dishes that's easier than it looks. However, be careful not to overstuff.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm all tortillas until flexible and heat the beef and beans to 165°F.
- Spread nacho cheese over each large tortilla and press one small tortilla on top.
- Spread refried beans over the small tortilla.
- Add seasoned beef, cheddar and a narrow stripe of sour cream.
- Fold in the sides and roll the burritos tightly.
- Toast seam-side down in a dry skillet for 1 minute if a firmer wrap is desired.
Grilled Cheese Burrito
The principle here is pretty simple — cook a little cheese directly on the pan, and press the burrito into it. If you have any leftover Spanish rice, this is the place to use it.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the tortillas and reheat the beef and rice to 165°F.
- Divide the beef, rice, nacho cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream and 1 cup cheddar among the tortillas.
- Fold in the sides and roll tightly.
- Brush a skillet lightly with oil and scatter 2 tablespoons remaining cheddar in a burrito-size strip.
- Set one burrito seam-side down over the melting cheese and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes until the crust releases.
- Turn for 1 minute and repeat with the remaining burritos.
Cheesy Gordita Crunch
You can make your own gorditas, but I wouldn't expect you to; find a good premade brand. The Baja-style sauce is easy enough to whip up at home, though, and many Taco Bell purists will tell you the supermarket sauces just don't stack up to the in-store originals.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the flatbreads for 30 seconds until flexible.
- Spread 2 tablespoons nacho cheese over the center of each flatbread.
- Press one crunchy shell into each cheese-coated flatbread.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F and divide it among the crunchy shells.
- Add lettuce, cheddar and Baja-style sauce.
- Serve immediately before the crunchy shells soften.
Nacho Cheese Crunchy Tacos
This really is just a differently shaped plate of nachos. Really, the only trick is to use the queso to anchor the rest of the seasonings in place.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the crunchy taco shells at 325°F for 4 minutes.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F and stir until saucy.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons nacho cheese into the bottom of each shell.
- Divide the hot beef among the shells.
- Top with shredded lettuce and cheddar.
- Serve within 5 minutes to preserve the crunch.
Mexican Pizza-Style Stacks
Cut into wedges, this rearranged quesadilla works great as a party snack. Just make sure the tortillas fry until rigid, or else you'll get a mess on your hands.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas for 1 to 2 minutes per side until flat and crisp.
- Drain the tortillas on a rack and heat the beans and beef to 165°F.
- Spread beans and beef over four tortillas and top with the remaining tortillas.
- Spread red sauce over the top tortillas and add the cheese blend.
- Bake at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Add diced tomato and cut each stack into four wedges.
Nachos BellGrande-Style Platter
When I make nachos, I normally go Jackson Pollock and spatter everything everywhere, but there's a case to be made for more structured nachos. Here, the beef and beans are applied in alternating stripes, with veggies and sour cream strategically applied on top after baking.
Ingredients
Method
- Spread the tortilla chips in one broad layer on a large oven-safe platter.
- Heat the beef and refried beans to 165°F.
- Spoon the beans and beef in narrow stripes across the chips.
- Drizzle warm nacho cheese evenly over the platter.
- Warm at 350°F for 4 minutes until the chips at the center are hot.
- Add sour cream, tomato and black olives in separate small patches and serve immediately.
Nacho Fries with Cheese Sauce
These really are just seasoned French fries at their heart, with nacho cheese sauce on the side. It's hardly in keeping with the spirit of late-night cravings, but I like to do oven fries, cut from whole potatoes.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the fries at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until deeply crisp and at least 165°F.
- Mix the chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne.
- Transfer the hot fries to a large bowl immediately.
- Sprinkle the seasoning over the fries and toss until evenly coated.
- Return the fries to the sheet pan for 2 minutes to set the seasoning.
- Serve with warm nacho cheese in a separate bowl.
Classic Crunchy Beef Tacos
This is as basic as it gets, and it's a formula that's worked for decades. Feel free to play around with toppings and sauces — it's really the hard-shell taco and the beef base that are essential.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the taco shells at 325°F for 4 minutes until crisp.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F and stir in 1/4 cup taco sauce.
- Divide the beef evenly among the shells.
- Add shredded lettuce without packing it down.
- Top with cheddar and the remaining taco sauce.
- Serve immediately while the shell walls remain crisp.
Soft Taco Supreme-Style Wraps
For home taco night, skip the premade kit — the seasoned beef base has you sorted. I'd add a little guacamole and a few dabs of hot sauce myself, but it's by no means necessary.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the tortillas in a covered skillet for 30 seconds until flexible.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F.
- Place 1/4 cup beef down the center of each tortilla.
- Add lettuce, tomato and cheddar.
- Pipe or spoon a narrow stripe of sour cream over each filling.
- Fold the tortillas in half and serve while warm.
Chicken Power Bowl
The key to a bowl, both in flavor and presentation, is keeping each component distinct. Arrange it however you want, but the sour cream absolutely belongs in the middle for easier distribution across the other elements.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the chicken with salt, cumin and chili powder.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side until 165°F.
- Rest for 3 minutes and dice the chicken.
- Divide the warm rice and drained black beans among four bowls.
- Arrange chicken, lettuce, tomato and avocado in separate sections.
- Add 2 tablespoons sour cream to each bowl and serve.
Fiesta Veggie Burrito
It's the tortilla strips that make this different. In every other respect, it's a simple rice-and-bean burrito. If you can't get strips, you can either crush up tortilla chips for the texture or cut corn tortillas into strips and then deep-fry them.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the rice and black beans together until they reach 165°F.
- Warm the tortillas until flexible.
- Divide the rice, beans, tomatoes, avocado, cheddar, tortilla strips and sour cream among the tortillas.
- Fold in the sides and roll tightly.
- Heat the oil in a skillet and set the burritos seam-side down.
- Cook for 2 minutes per side until golden and sealed.
Breakfast Crunchwrap with Sausage
The crunch wrap format adapts itself well to breakfast-style fillings. I'd leave out the hash browns, though, personally, as I think the tortillas provide more than enough carbs.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the hash browns at 425°F for 18 to 20 minutes until crisp and 165°F.
- Cook the sausage in a skillet until browned and 160°F, then drain excess fat.
- Whisk the eggs with salt and scramble them until 160°F, then cool for 1 minute.
- Layer nacho cheese, sausage, egg, cheddar and one hash brown in the center of each large tortilla.
- Add a small tortilla patch and pleat the large tortilla tightly around it.
- Cook seam-side down in oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden.
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
These are basically home fries, and home fries play well with a wide variety of toppings. I'd personally do half as much of both the nacho cheese sauce and the sour cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Microwave the potato cubes with 2 tablespoons water for 6 minutes, then drain and dry them.
- Toss the potatoes with oil, salt, smoked paprika, cumin and garlic powder.
- Spread them on a sheet pan in one layer.
- Roast at 450°F for 22 to 26 minutes, turning once, until crisp and at least 165°F.
- Divide the potatoes among bowls and spoon warm nacho cheese over them.
- Add sour cream in small dollops and serve immediately.
Cinnamon Twist-Style Duros
These duros are pretty simple, but they cook very quickly. Don't keep them in the hot oil any longer than necessary, and immediately toss with the cinnamon sugar.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the sugar, cinnamon and salt in a large paper bag or bowl.
- Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350°F.
- Add 6 to 8 duros and fry for 10 to 15 seconds until fully puffed but still pale.
- Lift them out immediately and drain for 10 seconds.
- Toss the hot twists in the cinnamon sugar.
- Repeat in small batches and cool completely before storing.
Beef Chalupa Supreme-Style Shells
A true chalupa requires fresh dough, but if you don't have the time, flour tortillas will do in a pinch. Fold them while they're still hot to ensure that they keep their shape.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat 1 inch oil in a deep skillet to 350°F.
- Lower one tortilla into the oil, fry for 30 seconds and fold it loosely around metal tongs.
- Fry for 45 to 60 seconds more until puffy and pale gold, then drain it upside down on a rack.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and keep the shells uncovered.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F and divide it among the shells.
- Add lettuce, tomato, cheddar and sour cream just before serving.
Double Decker Taco
A double decker taco seems easy at first blush, but do take care. The layer of refried beans should be just thick enough to provide adhesion, and should be applied warm.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the flour tortillas and refried beans until flexible and smooth.
- Spread 1/4 cup beans thinly over each flour tortilla.
- Wrap each bean-coated tortilla around one crunchy taco shell.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F and divide it among the shells.
- Add lettuce, cheddar and taco sauce.
- Serve immediately before the outer tortilla steams the shell.
Enchirito-Style Beef and Bean Rolls
I was too young for the original Enchirito, so I know it only by reputation. The principle is simple, though — it's basically just a wet burrito.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the tortillas, beef and beans, heating the filling to 165°F.
- Divide the beans, beef and onion among the tortillas.
- Fold in the sides, roll and set seam-side down in a baking dish.
- Pour the red sauce over the rolls and add cheddar.
- Bake at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes until bubbling.
- Add black olives and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Meximelt-Style Beef Soft Tacos
The Meximelt really is just a taco with shredded cheese and pico de gallo. Be sure to drain the pico well.
Ingredients
Method
- Warm the tortillas until flexible.
- Reheat the seasoned beef to 165°F.
- Divide the beef and cheese among the tortillas.
- Add 2 tablespoons well-drained pico de gallo to each.
- Fold the tortillas and wrap each loosely in parchment for 2 minutes.
- Unwrap and serve once the cheese has softened into the beef.
Fire Taco Sauce
If you don't have saved-up fire sauce packets scattered around your kitchen (not speaking from experience or anything…), it's not too hard to build from scratch. Guajillos and chiles de árbol bring the heat.
Ingredients
Method
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet for 20 seconds per side until fragrant but not black.
- Add the chiles and water to a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until soft.
- Transfer the chiles and soaking water to a blender with the tomato sauce, vinegar, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne.
- Blend for 1 minute until completely smooth.
- Return the sauce to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes, then cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate overnight and use within 10 days.
Mild Taco Sauce
As much as I like my spice, I actually like to use the mild sauce as a base and then spice it up as I need. The tomato-cumin flavor profile really is that signature at-the-bell flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the tomato sauce, water and vinegar in a saucepan.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
- Cook for 10 minutes, whisking twice, until lightly thickened.
- Cool completely and transfer to a clean jar.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and use within 10 days.
Creamy Jalapeño Quesadilla Sauce
This is, at its heart, jalapeño mayo. A little brine keeps things bright, and chop those slices as finely as you can to mimic the texture of a relish.
Ingredients
Method
- Mince the pickled jalapeños until no piece is larger than a pepper seed.
- Whisk the mayonnaise and jalapeño brine until smooth.
- Add the jalapeños, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Whisk for 30 seconds until the color is even.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the spices hydrate.
- Use within 7 days and keep below 40°F.
Baja-Style Creamy Taco Sauce
Something tells me that this isn't a standard condiment in Baja California, but regardless, it's great as a dip. Get everything as smooth as possible; you want this creamy, not chunky.
Ingredients
Method
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, red bell pepper and pickled jalapeño to a blender.
- Add the lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and salt.
- Blend for 45 seconds until completely smooth and pale peach.
- Scrape the blender and blend for 15 seconds more.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Use within 7 days and keep below 40°F.
