Taco Bell is famous for serving its fast food tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and specialty items like Crunchwrap Supremes on the regular. But besides the convenience and affordability of being a fast food chain, what sets Taco Bell apart is their iconic rich and tangy red sauce to drizzle on top of your favorite Taco Bell treats. Also known as "Border Sauce," Taco Bell's red sauce comes in mini packets labeled with fun sayings and expressions to entice the diner into choosing which spice level of sauce they want.
Though the sayings are a fun branding tactic and the fast food chain has even let fans vote for new hot sauce packet phrases, it wouldn't work very well if the sauce wasn't equally as exciting. So what is this tasty sauce made from, and how does Taco Bell make it irresistible to keep customers returning for more? Per Taco Bell's ingredient statements, the red Border sauce is made from a base of tomato puree. This makes sense, given that the base of most traditional salsas and enchilada sauces is tomatoes anyway. But some extra seasonings and ingredients go into creating this iconic sauce, as well.
The flavor and texture of Taco Bell's red sauce can best be compared to that of an enchilada sauce -- a smoky and rich tomato sauce with more of a watery texture than a traditional chunky salsa. The smokiness comes from a litany of spices such as salt and chili spices. Paprika, minced onion, garlic powder, chili powder, and jalapeño are also added to bring additional spiciness. And of course, sugar is included for sweetness.Despite this long list of ingredients, each of Taco Bell's red sauces is certified vegan, with all sauces including soy and the Hot red sauce including wheat.
Additionally, Taco Bell includes some preservative ingredients, allowing the red sauce to stay fresh from production to sauce packet to takeout bag. Potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate (P), and maltodextrin are a few examples of these preservatives, with maltodextrin in particular used as a thickening agent in addition to extending the shelf life of the sauce. But if you want to make a Taco Bell red sauce dupe at home, just start from scratch with a can of crushed tomatoes and the aforementioned spices, or doctor up a jar of store-bought enchilada sauce. Keep it in your refrigerator for a couple of months, and no hard-to-pronounce preservatives are needed.
Taco Bell Red Sauce Variations And Spice Levels
It's hard to imagine a world where people didn't tear off the corner of a sauce packet and drizzle on some red sauce when digging into a Taco Bell taco. But Taco Bell's sauce wasn't always this fire! The chain started with serving only two sauce options: Red chili and green chili sauce served in unlabelled cups. Once the mid-80s came along, Taco Bell ushered in the iconic red sauces and packets that they're known for today.
Nowadays, you have four spice levels to choose from when you visit: Mild, Hot, Fire, and Diablo. While all rank pretty high as some of the spiciest fast food hot sauces out there, Diablo may be at a level reserved only for the most daring spicy food fiends. Fire and Diablo sauces also include an extra ingredient, xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is a frequently used thickening agent that's a great gluten-free alternative to bind ingredients and make the sauce more viscous. Now you can enjoy the iconic red sauce at Taco Bell knowing exactly what you're eating, and maybe you can even try your hand at recreating it yourself.
Each has its own unique recipe and flavor profile that sets it apart. Taco Bell's red sauce is a bit milder compared to the traditional enchilada sauce, which is known for its rich, complex flavors arising from a blend of spices.
For those who love a straightforward answer: No, Taco Bell's red sauce and mild sauce are not the same. While they both bring their own zest to the table, they're distinctly different in flavor and use.
At the core of the chain's famous red sauce is a proprietary blend of seasonings, including paprika, salt, tomato powder, onion powder, citric acid, and other secret spices, all of which combine to create complex umami notes.
Per Taco Bell's ingredient statements, the red Border sauce is made from a base of tomato puree. This makes sense, given that the base of most traditional salsas and enchilada sauces is tomatoes anyway. But some extra seasonings and ingredients go into creating this iconic sauce, as well.
Salsa taquera translates to “taco sauce” in Spanish. It's a popular salsa served in many Mexican taco stands or taquerias. The key ingredient in salsa taquera is the chile de arbol. This thin red chili pepper is hotter than a jalapeno and gives the salsa its signature spicy kick.
Taco Bell's Mexican hot sauce packets have a unique flavor profile that is difficult to replicate exactly, but many people find that Tabasco sauce or Cholula hot sauce are similar in style. These sauces have a similar vinegar-based heat with a hint of pepper flavor that is reminiscent of Taco Bell's hot sauce.
Does Taco Bell use artificial colors and flavors in its food? No. As part of our journey to evolve and meet the changing tastes and preferences of you – our customers – we have removed all artificial flavors and colors from our food, replacing them with natural alternatives.
If you like your Taco Bell order super spicy, then another item from the Taco Bell secret menu that's bound to give you what you want is the Green Sauce. To request it, you simply have to ask for a packet of Green Sauce (or Verde Sauce) and add it to your favorite menu item.
The tostada, a crunchy flat tortilla topped with ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, was one of Taco Bell's original items when the menu was first created in 1962. During the pandemic, Taco Bell was looking for a way to be efficient and make money, and the best way to do that was to remove items.
While Taco Bell hasn't issued an official statement detailing the exact reasons behind the removal of their green sauce, it's typically down to menu simplification and customer demand.
We use 100 percent USDA premium beef in our seasoned beef. We prepare it much the same way you prepare taco meat at home: after simmering, it is drained of excess fat and pre-seasoned with our signature blend of 7 authentic seasonings and spices.
Taco Bell uses Mission tortillas. NASA quickly adopted the same Mission tortillas for its longer missions aboard the International Space Station (via Business Insider).
Taco sauce has a similar taste profile to enchilada sauces. Like enchilada sauce, it's made with tomatoes, garlic, chilies, and various other spices and aromatics. It does have a different flavor, but the main problem with using taco sauce is that it's thicker. It's meant as a condiment rather than a cooking sauce.
The enchirito is Taco Bell's version of an enchilada consisting of a tortilla filled with refried beans, ground beef, and onions. It is then topped with red enchilada sauce, melted cheddar cheese, and black olives.
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