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Make the famous Taco Bell Quesarito at home with seasoned beef, rice, nacho cheese, creamy chipotle sauce, and all the cheesy, melty goodness of the original. It really does taste like the real thing!
What is a Quesarito?
A Quesarito is basically a quesadilla and a burrito combined into one cheesy, melty, crunchy, meaty, hand-held burrito. It has two flour tortillas with melted cheddar cheese and warm nacho cheese sauce between them, making the “quesadilla” part. Then the inside is filled like a burrito with seasoned ground beef, Mexican-style rice, creamy chipotle sauce, and sour cream. The whole thing is rolled up and grilled until the outside is toasted and crispy.
The Quesarito isn’t something you can regularly find on the Taco Bell menu anymore, but every time they bring it back, people go crazy for it. It’s honestly my husband’s favorite Taco Bell item, and since it never seems to stay on the menu for long, I grabbed a few the last time it came back (it literally just came back for one day) and I started testing so I could make them at home whenever we wanted. I tested every ingredient separately, side-by-side, then tested everything all together until he couldn’t tell which was the real Taco Bell Quesarito and which one was homemade. Trust me, you won’t be able to tell the difference! No more waiting years for it to appear back on the menu. I gotchu!
🩷 Erica
Quesarito Ingredients
Tortillas – I like using the Mission flour tortillas because they are nice and soft when warmed and the texture is pretty similar to Taco Bell. You will need two sizes: Burrito size and soft taco size. A fajita-sized flour tortilla also works well for the “smaller” tortilla.
Taco Bell meat – I always use our recipe for Taco Bell meat because the taste and texture are so spot-on. I will often make a big batch at the beginning of the month and portion it into smaller 1-pound bags and freeze so I can just pull out and re-heat one bag at a time for dinners and recipes like this. You can also find Taco Bell-branded seasoning packets and follow the instructions on the packet.
Shredded cheese – Taco Bell’s cheese is super finely shredded so use finely shredded cheddar cheese from a bag or shred your own. Mild cheddar cheese is closest to Taco Bell but medium and sharp will also work great if that’s what you have on hand.
Nacho cheese – I tested several different nacho cheeses and couldn’t tell a huge difference in the taste between any of them. Rico’s Nacho Cheddar Cheese Sauce and Pace Nacho Cheese Sauce are slightly more mild than Taco Bell cheese but they both work great. I like Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip the most but it’s a little more on the spicy side. There is also a Taco Bell-branded Salsa con Queso at some grocery stores, but keep in mind it isn’t exactly the same as the nacho cheese sauce you get at the restaurant.
Seasoned Rice – Don’t want to make seasoned rice from scratch? Ben’s Original Spanish Style Ready Rice has a very similar flavor profile to the Taco Bell rice and works great in these Quesaritos. I actually bought some rice from Taco Bell and heated up some of the Ben’s rice and had him try them both and he couldn’t tell me which one came from Taco Bell. You can also use our homemade Mexican Rice recipe, which also tastes similar to Taco Bell rice.
Creamy Chipotle Sauce – You can actually buy Taco Bell-branded Creamy Chipotle sauce at the store but it isn’t sold everywhere. If you can, definitely use it because it will save a step or two. If you can’t find it or if you would rather make it from scratch, I included my recipe for the Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle sauce in the recipe card below.
Sour cream – You can use any sour cream you have on hand. I can’t taste any difference between the sour cream from Taco Bell and any other sour cream you can find at the store.
How to Make A Taco Bell Quesarito
- Warm the burrito-size tortilla on a dry skillet or griddle over medium-low heat until it is soft and easy to fold.
- Spread warm nacho cheese over the middle of the tortilla, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar on top.
- Place the smaller tortilla over the cheese and let it warm for a minute so the cheese starts to melt and the tortillas hold together.
- Spoon the seasoned rice and Taco Bell meat down the center. Drizzle the creamy chipotle sauce and sour cream over the top.
- Fold by folding in the sides first.
- Then roll everything up tightly like a burrito.
- Place it seam-side down on a hot, dry griddle over medium heat. Cook until the bottom is lightly golden, then flip and toast the other side.
- Both sides should be crisp and toasted. Take it off the griddle and serve right away while the cheese is still warm and melty.
Expert Tips
Warm the tortillas first – Cold tortillas are much more likely to crack or tear when you roll them. Warm them for just a few seconds in the microwave or on a skillet until they are soft and flexible.
Don’t overfill – It’s tempting to really load these up, but they are much easier to roll and actually taste more like Taco Bell when you don’t use too much filling. Keep the rice, meat, sour cream, and chipotle sauce mostly down the center.
Keep everything warm before assembling – Have the meat, rice, and nacho cheese hot and ready to go before you start. The Quesarito comes together quickly and you don’t want the cheese cooling down while you assemble everything else.
Grill seam-side down first – Place the rolled Quesarito seam-side down in a hot skillet or on a griddle first. This helps seal it shut so it doesn’t come apart when you flip it.
Use a dry skillet – You don’t need butter or oil to grill the outside. A dry skillet over medium heat will lightly toast the tortilla without making it greasy or overly crispy.
Eat them right away – Quesaritos are best when the cheese is still melted and the tortilla is warm from the griddle. If you’re making several, keep the finished ones loosely wrapped in foil while you grill the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Quesarito has an extra quesadilla layer wrapped around the burrito filling. Nacho cheese and shredded cheese are melted between two tortillas, then the rice, meat, chipotle sauce, and sour cream are added before everything is rolled up and grilled.
You can prep all the fillings ahead of time, but I recommend assembling and grilling the Quesaritos right before serving. Once they sit for too long, the sauces can start to soften the tortillas.
Don’t overfill it, make sure the tortillas are warm and flexible, and grill it seam-side down first. That first minute on the griddle helps seal everything together.
You can, but I would leave off the sour cream and chipotle sauce before freezing. Those sauces can change texture after thawing. Wrap the Quesarito tightly, freeze it, then add the sauces after reheating if possible.
You can, but I would leave off the sour cream and chipotle sauce before freezing. Those sauces can change texture after thawing. Wrap the Quesarito tightly, freeze it, then add the sauces after reheating if possible.
More Mexican Fast Food Restaurant Recipes
Have you tried these Taco Bell Quesaritos? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked them. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🌯
Taco Bell Quesarito Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 burrito-size flour tortillas, appx 10"
- 4 soft taco-size flour tortillas, appx 6-8"
- 1 1/4 cups Taco Bell taco meat
- 1 cup prepared seasoned rice, homemade or store-bought (see notes above)
- 1/2 cup nacho cheese sauce
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup creamy chipotle sauce, see recipe below
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Taco Bell Creamy Chipotle Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon regular chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Warm the larger, burrito-sized tortilla on a dry griddle over medium-low heat just until soft.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons warm nacho cheese sauce over the center, leaving a border around the edges. Sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons finely shredded cheddar cheese.
- Place the smaller flour tortilla directly over the cheese. Let it sit just long enough for the cheddar to soften and the tortillas to stick together.
- Down the center of the smaller tortilla, add about ¼ cup seasoned rice, followed by ¼ to ⅓ cup Taco Bell meat. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon Creamy Chipotle Sauce and 1 tablespoon sour cream.
- Fold the sides inward, then roll it up burrito-style.
- Place it seam-side down on a dry hot griddle at medium heat.
- Grill until golden brown, flip, and brown the other side. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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