It seems like veganism is all the rage these days. From restaurants having vegan options, to vegan cookbooks and Pinterest recipes, you might be thinking to yourself: can I do that? As a a Taco Bell aficionado and definite non-vegan, I was intrigued to find out that you can make your favorite menu item vegan with just a few modifications.
So I tried 3 vegan Taco Bell items and ranked them on a scale from 1-10 (1 being the literal worst, and 10 being amazing) to let you know if you can still get your Taco Bell fix without the use of any animal products.
1. Crunchy (or soft) Taco
Everyone knows of the beloved crunchy (or soft) taco from Taco Bell. For a little over a dollar, you can have this delicious, classic menu item. And just by replacing the beef with black beans, you can make it vegan, too.
I was pleasantly surprised with the taste. I assumed it would be bland without the seasoned ground beef, but the black beans provided good flavor as well as protein. This is a perfect item for all of you simple people out there.
Overall Rating: 7/10
2. Crunchwrap Supreme
The Crunchwrap Supreme is an iconic Taco Bell menu item. With it’s warm shell and oozing nacho cheese, it is a staple in any Taco Bell Lover’s life. The good news is, by replacing the beef with beans and subtracting the cheese and sour cream, any vegan can enjoy it as well.
This item was perhaps the star of the show. Initially, I wasn’t thrilled about having to subtract the cheese and sour cream–my two personal favorite parts of Mexican food (or in this case, fake Mexican food). But the black beans again surprised me, and provided enough flavor, protein and moistness (ew) that it didn’t taste bland at all.
Overall Rating: 9/10
3. Power Menu Burrito- Veggie
The Power Menu Burrito is a menu item that is not as popular as the rest. It originally includes black beans, sour cream, lettuce, guac, avocado ranch sauce, cheese, and pico. Therefore, to make it vegan, you just have to remove the cheese, sour cream and avocado ranch sauce.
This item was probably my least favorite, though I had the highest expectations as a guac lover. Even though it didn’t contain sauce, cheese or sour cream, it had maybe a little too much moistness (again, ew) and made it soggy. The flavor was okay, and the black beans do provide some protein, however it wasn’t enough for me to be sold on it.
Overall Rating: 3/10
There you have it, 3 vegan Taco Bell items from a non-vegans perspective. And as much as I don’t want to admit this–they weren’t bad at all. Whether you’re vegan or not, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by these modified, yet beloved Taco Bell items.