Taco Bell is always changing up its fast food menu and introducing and taking away limited-time offerings. Gone are the days of Mexican pizza and the toasted cheddar chalupa. But don't fret, you can make them all at home! First introduced to Taco Bell locations in 1999, the Taco Bell Chalupa has always been a frybread mainstay. However, some of the favorite variations of the chalupa have been missing from the Taco Bell Menu. One of them is the Toasted Cheddar Chalupa, which included a chalupa shell wrapped in crispy cheese.
What is the Taco Bell Chalupa?
Always requested by my grandmother whenever we drove through Taco Bell when visiting her in Arizona, the Taco Bell Chalupa Supreme features a fried flatbread stuffed with seasoned beef, a three-cheese blend, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and reduced-fat sour cream. The toasted cheddar version added on a layer of toasted cheddar cheese on the outside of the taco shell, adding a hit of crunchy goodness.
For a short time, the brand even offered a wild food innovation, the naked chicken chalupa, to compete in the fried chicken sandwich wars of 2020. Unconventional, the menu item featured a chicken chalupa shell stuffed with crisp lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and creamy avocado ranch sauce. Low in carbohydrates (no bread!) the chicken chalupa didn't stay on the menu for too long.
Currently, there are a few variations of the Taco Bell Chalupa. On is the Chalupa Supreme, which contains seasoned beef, tomatoes, lettuce, three-cheese blend, and sour cream. You can also upgrade with beans or nacho cheese sauce and choose between a number of add-ons and sauces to personalize your chalupa. There's also a Black Bean Chalupa Supreme for the vegetarians out there who want to try this Taco Bell classic. This one is similar to the meat version but replaces the beef with beans. Upgrade it with guacamole, nacho cheese sauce, jalapeño peppers, or anything else to make it more flavorful and delicious.
Another option for this tasty menu item is the 2 Chicken Chalupa Supreme Combos. This includes two Chicken Chalupa Supremes and a Crunchy Taco. As tempting as this is, it still doesn't come close to the beloved Toast Cheddar Chalupa. Taco Bell brought back the Chipotle Cheddar Chalupa, a yummy cousin of the Toasted Cheddar one, but this limited-time menu item still didn't earn the same adoration as this age-old classic. Fortunately, you can make your own Toasted Cheddar Chalupa from home and never have to miss this delectable menu item again.
How to Make A Copycat Taco Bell Chalupa at Home
Lyndsay Burginger
Sick of burritos? This recipe is a friendly alternative to add to Taco Tuesdays. It's a bit more difficult to make than a ground beef taco, however, it's worth the extra few minutes.
To start in a large bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder. Work the vegetable shortening in with your fingers and using clean hands, add 3/4ths of the milk into the flour mixture and knead until a solid dough forms. Add more milk if needed.
Separate the dough into 8 equal round balls. The longer the dough sits the less likely it is to break, so let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the ground beef and spices in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the fat and set it aside.
Taco Bell Hot Sauce
Once all the shells are made, dispose of the oil and wipe out the pan. On low heat sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese in the pan and lay one side of the shell on top. Repeat with the otherside. Stuff with ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Don't forget the hot sauce!
Heat up a frying pan with 1-2 inches of vegetable oil on medium heat.
Roll out the dough into 6" discs and use a fork to poke holes in the dough. Drop the dough in the oil and fry on both sides and fold, taking care not the break the dough in half. Place on a paper towel to drain.
Once all the shells are made, dispose of the oil and wipe out the pan. On low heat sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese in the pan and lay one side of the shell on top. Repeat with the otherside. Stuff with ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Don't forget the hot sauce!
Products featured on Wide Open Eats are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
This post was originally published on September 22, 2021.
READ MORE: Taco Bell's Sauces Ranked From Scorching to Bland
Make Taco Bell's Discontinued Toasted Cheddar Chalupa at Home
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp vegetable shortening
- 1 cup milk
- Oil, for frying
- shredded cheese
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 package taco seasoning
- shredded lettuce
- chopped tomato
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder. Work the vegetable shortening in with your fingers and using clean hands, add 3/4ths of the milk into the flour mixture and knead until a solid dough forms. Add the rest of the milk if needed.
- Separate the dough into 8 equal round balls. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef and seasoning in a large skillet according to directions on packet.
- Heat up a frying pan with 1-2 inches of vegetable oil on medium heat.
- Roll out the dough into 6" discs and use a fork to poke holes in the dough. Drop the dough in the oil and fry on both sides and fold, taking care not the break the dough in half. The best way to do it is to fry 30 seconds on one side and fold the dough and flip. Remove to paper towels and drain. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on a paper towel to drain.
- Once all the shells are made, dispose of the oil and wipe out the pan. On low heat sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese in the pan and lay one side of the shell on top. Repeat with the other side. Stuff with ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. Don't forget the hot sauce!
