The TacoBell gordita crunch is essentially a taco wrapped inside a flatbread. Taco Bell isn’t known for its authentic Mexican food. They’re known for fast, cheap, Mexican-inspired(ish) gimmicks. A good example of an early-stage gimmick is the gordita.
The authentic gorditas are very different from Taco Bell’s. They’re thicker than the Taco Bell version and look more like a corncake pita. The stuffing is stuffed in the pockets. The Taco Bell gordita crunch is essentially a taco wrapped inside a flatbread.
It’s kind of anticlimactic, right?!
It’s not a lot of work and I have never felt the urge to do it. Today I begin my taco testing journey. However, I do get a taco as part of the deal. Technically, “gordita”, however, I won’t shave any hairs about that.
Taco Bell’s Gordita Crunch
Product Name: Taco Bell’s Gordita Crunch
Price: 3
Currency: US
The inside contains your usual beef, lettuce, cheese, and this mayo-like sauce. It’s all stuffed in a crunchy taco shell. The sauce is called ranch sauce by some, but I disagree. The outside has a flatbread that is glued to the hard shell and cheese. I tried chicken, steak, and beef. The best was the beef so I recommend sticking with the gordita.
History of TacoBell’s Gordita
As far as we know, the original TacoBell gordita hit TacoBell in 1998. It has been a Taco Bell staple for more than 20 years. It has been reimagined into many other variations, including the Baja gordita and the Bacon Gordita.
In the early days, gorditas didn’t have the hard outer shell that was glued with cheese. They used flatbread instead. This version was later deep-fried and called a chalupa. It is closer to their Mexican roots than their gordita.
A few tweaks were also made to the hard shell. The main change was to remove toppings such as tomatoes, beans, and popcorn. This kind of bums my heart, as the originals from the 1990s look much better. It’s also a bit anticlimactic.
Gordita Inspiration
This menu item is an old Taco Bell one, but we don’t know what inspired it. To me, the most logical is the combination of Taco Bell’s gimmicky style with real-world Mexican food. This theory seems to be supported by their old ads (from the days of Chihuahua if I can believe it).
Another theory goes in a different direction. Chipotle opened its first doors in 1993, and Qdoba was established in 1995. Although neither of these companies gained much traction until the late 1990s or early 2000s, it started a taco war within the fast-food industry. TacoBell gordita launched some unusual creations to maintain its position. I mean BLT tacos and seafood salads.
Although I disagree with the idea that Taco Bell launched Qdoba and Chipotle in the 90s to create a BLT taco, it can’t be said it had anything to do with the birth of the gordita. This theory suggests that Taco Bell launched the gordita to make something authentic-ish since Qdoba and Chipotle are slightly less authentic.
Different types of Tacobell Gorditas
There are two types of gorditas: the regular (which is served without a hard shell taco), as well as all other variations. A double cheesy gordita is available. This comes with twice as much cheese but with more beef. A supreme gordita can be ordered with sour cream. You can also get a double-cheesy supreme gordita which combines the best of both.
There’s also the gordita crack and all its spin-offs, which are the same as above but with a hard shell taco in the middle. We’re talking double cheesy gordita crunch, supreme gordita crunch, and double cheesy gordita crunch supreme. But, even still…
It’s a bit confusing, and it seems unnecessarily complicated.
Gordita Crunch Review
TASTE AND TEXTURE 3/5
Taco Bell’s regular crunchy tacos will appeal to you, but you’ll love their Gordita Crunch. The bread is slightly dense than I expected, and the crunch version has a little too much bread. Double cheesy felt like there was more bread to the filling than the original.
Their ranch sauce tasted a little like mayonnaise and sour cream. There wasn’t a lot of ranch flavor. If you’ve ever had TacoBell gorditas, you know that everything else tastes exactly the way you would expect.
READ MORE: https://iqmags.com/tiny-tacos-are-back-in-the-box
It was best to eat beef. It was either the seasoning or the texture of the meat that caused the chicken and steak to fall apart. They were also lost in the gordita’s bready goodness.
Are THEY HEALTHY 3/5
They are high in protein and low in carbs. As you might have guessed, they are high in fats, and high in sodium. It does contain a good amount of vitamin A, and a reasonable level of fiber, which is a surprise in food that can seem a lot like empty calories.
They are not bad for you unless you have a sodium problem. They aren’t healthy, but I wouldn’t tell anyone.
Gordita Nutrition
| Calories 280 | (1172 kJ) | |
|---|---|---|
| % DV* | ||
| Total Fat | 12 g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5 g | 23% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 30 mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 570 mg | 24% |
| Carbohydrate Total | 31 g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g | 12% |
| Sugars | 5 g | |
| Protein | 13 g | |
| Calcium | 100 mg | |
| Alcohol | 0 g | |
| Iron | 3 mg | |
| Vitamin A | 500 mg | |
| Vitamin C | 4 mg |
Are THEY VALUED? 3/5
These are fairly average-priced items at Taco Bell. They can be found in the $3 to $3 range depending on where you live. They’re not a bad deal, but they are worth your attention (and money!) These are quite a good deal.
The XXL grilled Stuft Burrito is about the same price but has more filling and comes in a smaller package. You don’t have to worry about making a mess on your lap and possibly in your car. The cleanup time was a factor in the value for me. The price might be right, but how much time do they take to clean up my car?
Final Verdict
TacoBell gorditas were nothing special in any way. They fell somewhere in the middle of mediocrity for me. They would have been a disaster if they had not ruined my favorite pants. I would probably forget about them for a week. Yes, they did factor in this rating. Despite trying to forget about it, I can’t help but feel guilty.
The $5 Fill-Up Box with these guys is a great deal if you are looking for something affordable, healthy, delicious, cheap, and filling. But if you are looking for something great that won’t ruin your favorite pants, these aren’t the right choice.
What were your thoughts on the gorditas Have a secret recipe to make them more worth the effort? Let us know in the comments.
