Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito

Taco Bell first introduced its grilled cheese burrito in July 2020 as a limited-edition menu item. However, due to its popularity, it gained a permanent place on their menu. The flavorful Taco Bell grilled cheese burrito features a flour tortilla stuffed with seasoned ground beef, seasoned rice, shredded cheese, chipotle sauce, sour cream and crunchy tortilla strips, and then more shredded cheese is grilled on top. What’s not to love about that?

The good news is that you can easily “Live Más” at home with our easy-to-make copycat Taco Bell grilled cheese burrito recipe. While you could make many of the burrito ingredients from scratch, our simple recipe uses store-bought ingredients to more authentically capture that Taco Bell flavor.

Ingredients for Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito

• Olive oil: Olive oil is used to brown the beef; alternatively, you can use vegetable oil or another neutral cooking oil if you prefer.
• Ground beef: Use a lean ground beef, such as 80/20 or 90/10, for the seasoned meat.
• Taco Bell taco seasoning packet: To capture the flavor of Taco Bell seasoned beef, use a Taco Bell taco seasoning packet. The seasoning is combined with water to flavor the ground beef. You could also use homemade taco seasoning if you prefer.
• Seasoned rice: A store-bought 8.5-ounce pouch of seasoned rice helps this copycat grilled cheese burrito from Taco Bell come together in a flash. Spanish rice, which is flavored with peppers, tomatoes and spices, best captures the flavor of Taco Bell seasoned rice. If you have extra time, prep homemade Spanish rice.
• Taco Bell chipotle sauce: Use Taco Bell chipotle sauce—which is basically a mayonnaise flavored with chipotle peppers, garlic and onion—to add a kick of spice to the grilled cheese burrito.
• Nacho cheese sauce: You can use store-bought nacho cheese sauce or make nacho cheese from scratch.
• Sour cream: A touch of sour cream adds a rich, creamy flavor to the burritos. Substitute plain Greek yogurt if you prefer.
• Shredded Mexican blend cheese: A sprinkling of cheese is added to the filling. To take these burritos over the top, each burrito is grilled atop a line of melted cheese. To match the flavors of a grilled cheese burrito from Taco Bell, use a blend of cheeses that includes cheddar, mozzarella and pepper jack.
• Crunchy tortilla strips: Lightly crumbled tortilla strips add a crunchy texture to the filling. Use store-bought or make your own crunchy tortilla strips from scratch. (They’re also great for snacking!)
• Flour tortillas: Each burrito is made with an 8-inch flour tortilla.

Directions

Step 1: Make the seasoned beef

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, six to eight minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Drain off excess grease.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the water and taco seasoning packet. Pour into the skillet with the meat and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Prep the rice and nacho cheese

While the meat is simmering, prepare the seasoned rice according to the package directions. Set aside. Warm the nacho cheese sauce according to the package directions. Set aside.

Step 3: Assemble the burritos

To assemble the burritos, place the flour tortillas onto a flat surface. Add 1/2 tablespoon chipotle sauce to the center of each tortilla and use a spoon to spread it into an even layer down the center.

Top each with 1/4 cup seasoned rice and 1/4 cup taco meat.

Drizzle each with 1/2 tablespoon nacho cheese sauce. Evenly top each with 2 teaspoons sour cream.

Sprinkle each with shredded cheese and a few tortilla strips broken into smaller pieces.

Fold the sides and ends of each tortilla over the filling. Roll the tortilla over the filling until sealed and tuck in the sides.

Step 4: Melt the cheese

In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, arrange 3 to 4 tablespoons shredded cheese in a line down the center of the pan, about the same length as the burrito. Place a burrito, seam-side down, on the cheese. Allow the cheese to melt, and once bubbly, carefully flip the burrito over and brown the other side, two to three minutes. Transfer to a cutting board or plate and repeat with the remaining burritos.

Step 5: Serve

Serve the burritos with extra chipotle sauce, nacho cheese sauce and sour cream, if desired.

Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito Variations

• Swap the meat: Use ground pork or ground turkey in place of the ground beef for a simple protein swap. Or, try making grilled cheese burritos with shredded chicken, shredded pork or thinly sliced steak. Burrito recipes like this one are a great way to use up leftover meat.
• Make it vegetarian: Skip the meat entirely and use a can of drained and rinsed black beans in place of the ground beef. Or, replace the ground beef with your favorite plant-based meat alternative, such as soy crumbles.
• Spice it up: Increase the heat by using a spicy taco seasoning blend to season the beef, or add a spoonful of spicy salsa or one or more dashes of hot sauce to the burrito filling.

How to Store Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito

Store leftover grilled cheese burritos in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Any leftover filling or sauces can also be stored in individual airtight containers in the fridge. (Storing them separately will prevent soggy assembled burritos.) Any leftovers should be consumed within three or four days.

How should you reheat a grilled cheese burrito?

You can reheat a grilled cheese burrito in the microwave or in the oven. To microwave, transfer a burrito to a microwave-safe dish and reheat in 30-second intervals until warmed through. To reheat in the oven, transfer to a baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven until warmed through, 20 to 30 minutes.

Can you freeze grilled cheese burritos?

You can freeze grilled cheese burritos, but for the best results, prep the burritos through assembly and freeze the burritos without adding the grilled cheese. Wrap individual burritos in foil, then transfer to a freezer-safe storage bag or container. Freeze for up to three months.

Let the burritos thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then proceed with the recipe as written to add the grilled cheese.

Copycat Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito Tips

What should you serve with a copycat Taco Bell grilled cheese burrito?

Serve a grilled cheese burrito with homemade guacamole, extra nacho cheese sauce and sour cream. For a complete meal, pair the burritos with a guacamole-tossed salad, cilantro-lime rice or refried beans. Or, try one of our other copycat Taco Bell recipes!