Review: Volcano Quesarito from Taco Bell
Bottom Line: The Volcano Quesarito from Taco Bell is a good representation of that chain’s flavors, and it brings some heat.
Taco Bell is putting out so many new items these days that it is hard to keep up with their limited-time-only specials. Case in point: the Volcano Quesarito, which was only introduced a couple of weeks ago, may already be heading out the door. That is a kicked-up version of their fan-favorite Quesarito, which includes seasoned beef, seasoned rice, nacho cheese sauce, shredded cheese, and reduced-fat sour cream rolled into a tortilla and grilled. The newest twist includes their Volcano Sauce, which is a variation on the Lava Sauce—a past favorite—made with a blend of cheese and flavorful spices.
This is one of those typical “new” items that the Bell puts out, mixing ingredients they already have in the kitchen with one or two new items—the Volcano Sauce in this case—to make it seem like something is different on the menu. The Quesarito was already popular, and spicy is trendy these days, so why not blend the two together?
Here’s the rundown:
Seasoned Beef: This is Taco Bell’s always-tasty ground beef, and it brings some good flavor with it, even if it is rather sparse.
Seasoned Rice: This is a relatively new ingredient for the Bell, and it adds a nice herbiness, though it does tend to dominate the flavors.
Nacho Cheese Sauce: Their ooey-gooey nacho sauce is as cheesy as it gets and works well in the Quesarito.
Shredded Cheese: More cheese? Why not? Though this does get lost in the mix.
Reduced-Fat Sour Cream: Doesn’t need it, and I ordered without. This just amps up the goop factor and dilutes the heat, so I passed on it, and I recommend you do as well.
Volcano Sauce: This adds a bit of tang and a touch of tartness, though it does get somewhat lost in the mix. It brings some nice heat, though.
Grilled Tortilla: This was toasted quite nicely and delivered some chew, and it holds everything together well.
Altogether, the Quesarito is a good representation of Taco Bell’s standard flavors, and it has some burn to it. I would put the heat a little below Medium on my scale, and if you get it with the sour cream, expect it to land closer to Mild.
I got an order of Nacho Fries with my meal and subbed out the cheese for the Volcano Sauce, and that worked out quite well, as it allowed me to get a better taste of the sauce. That is rich and creamy and tangy, and the heat goes above Medium when you have it on its own. I would love it if they kept this sauce on the permanent menu, but I know that will not happen.
Nutrition-wise, this Quesarito really packs in the calories, coming in at 640 total (and taking off the sour cream only subtracts 20 cals). If you pair this with a crispy taco, you’re not doing too badly, as that only adds 170 cals. But I got the Nacho Fries, which add 270 cals (for a medium order), and that Volcano Sauce must add at least 100 more (it shows 0 on the website, but I know that’s not true). Some penance will be required in the gym.
As I said above, this limited-time item may already be on its way out the door. They introduced an entire Volcano Menu, but I didn’t see that available at the location near me, and there was only a small banner on the wall touting the Volcano Quesarito. I’m guessing supplies of the sauce didn’t last, and they already have more new items in the app, so they are moving on quickly. If you do want to try the new Quesarito, make a trip to the drive-thru soon, otherwise, it will probably be gone. But expect another spicy item to replace it pretty quickly.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 640
Fat: 32g (13g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 68g
Carbs: 21g
Sodium: 1410mg
