The Aldi Taco Bell Dupe We Suggest Avoiding

You don’t have to look far to find a Taco Bell dupe. Old El Paso makes them. Other chains, like Moe’s Southwest Grill, make them. Even chains like Aldi, which we’re about to discuss extensively in this article, make them. And a lot of the time, these dupes are pretty good! I’m definitely not a “we’ve got McDonald’s at home” kind of person – I like my fast food to actually be fast food, god damnit – but in the middle of the week, when you might be in the mood to recreate things in your own kitchen, a lot of places have the goods you need. 

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Sadly, though, Aldi giveth and it taketh away, as one sauce proves. Lovers of Taco Bell’s Creamy Jalapeño Sauce, you might want to skip this one. 

Aldi Creamy Jalapeño Sauce: One To Skip

A few days ago, an Aldi and Taco Bell customer posted a thread on the Aldi Reddit page discussing the supermarket’s own Creamy Jalapeño Sauce. “As a girlie who loves Taco Bell’s Creamy Jalapeño sauce, this was buns,” she said. The poster went on to say that she “[knew] it wasn’t going to taste like the Taco Bell sauce, but OMG this was just a huge let down. It just tastes like ranch. I hate ranch.”

The subsequent conversation prompted by her post was somewhat derailed by her use of the word “buns,” which caused a lot of chatter about what that meant – and for the avoidance of doubt, it just means that it’s bad. Others, though, took the comment in the spirit with which it was intended, and chimed in with their own thoughts about the sauce. “Agreed not great,” said another customer, while plenty of people took the opportunity to express the feeling that a lot of Aldi sauces just don’t hit the spot. Sadly, this one just doesn’t quite capture the right flavor notes.

But There’s Hope…

The good news, though, is that there are Taco Bell sauce dupes out there that nail its Creamy Jalapeño. Perhaps surprisingly, Walmart’s Great Value Creamy Jalapeño is fairly close to Taco Bell’s version, while also being affordable. If you’re looking for a dupe for its Chipotle sauce, the Great Value Creamy Chipotle is also almost indistinguishable from the restaurant version. Customers have also said that Trader Joe’s Jalapeño Sauce hits the spot, and while it’s not an exact like-for-like for Taco Bell’s sauce, it’s a fine choice. But Aldi’s? Nope.