Well, Taco Bell has done it again. They’ve brought together the worlds of consumer packaged goods and fast food, except this time there aren’t any giant Cheez-Its hitting Taco Bell locations. This time jars of Taco Bell dip, all of them inspired by beloved Taco Bell menu items, are hitting stores nationwide. That’s right, these new Taco Bell Cravings Dips, as they’re called, nod to the Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, bean burrito, and Crunchwrap Supreme, and they are meant to be scooped up with tortilla chips or used as spreads for your at-home Taco Bell dupes. So now the question remains: Will these new Taco Bell dips scratch that late-night Taco Bell itch and get our Taco Bells a’ringin’? Or will they turn out to be not so supreme? Read on to find out.
- Taco Bell Saucy Mexican Style Pizza Cravings Dip
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Pros: This one straight-up tastes like chili—and pretty good chili at that. Heat up this Taco Bell dip with some cheese and it quite literally is chili, and I am not against it. It’s got a mild heat and subtle sweetness, and you can taste cumin and chili powder, as well as tomato, onion, garlic, and beans. It is a delight. You chili heads out there need to give this new Taco Bell dip a go.
Cons: There’s not much I can say in the way of cons. If you like chili on your chips (or potatoes or fries or hot dogs or mac and cheese…) this could honestly do the trick for you. I will admit something: I have no idea if this tastes like the Mexican-Style Pizza at Taco Bell because I’ve never had one. But if it does, I can see why that thing had such a cult following.
- Taco Bell Creamy Crunch-Dip Supreme Cravings Dip
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Pros: This Taco Bell dip has a super creamy texture and the subtle umami flavor of onion and garlic. I could see a cold dollop of this on an at-home Taco Bell creation being pretty solid. At the very least, it won’t overpower the other flavors and textures. But overall, this dip did not ring my bell.
Cons: Okay, this is VERY specific, but the flavor of this Taco Bell dip reminded me of elementary school lunches, and not in a good way (what can I say, the flavor of noontime Oroweat is part of my soul). It is like a mix of thick mayo and not quite salty enough generic Taco Bell flavor. It’s all a bit bland, and I don’t think it tastes all that much like a Crunchwrap either. But that makes sense— 90% of the appeal of a Crunchwrap is the texture. That appeal just doesn’t translate to a dip.
- Taco Bell Spicy Bean Dip Cravings Dip
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Pros: I like this Taco Bell dip. It has the consistency of fairly runny refried beans. It is actually a little spicy (certainly the spiciest of the three dips) and is definitely a tasty (albeit very loose) bean dip. And it does sort of taste like a Taco Bell bean burrito. This would be great drizzled on some nachos, slathered on flour tortillas for double-decker tacos at home, or just heated up with some shredded cheddar cheese and eaten as a dip, as god (and Taco Bell) intended. This is a passable, relatively run-of-the-mill bean dip.
Cons: Much like the Crunchwrap dip, I detected an odd but very faint wheat-toasty aftertaste in this beandip , but it is way less noticeable amid all the other flavors. And I’m not sure which end of the textural spectrum you like for your bean dip to be on, but this is a tad on the runny side for me—that’s personal preference though. This Taco Bell dip certainly tastes good and I wouldn’t turn down a few scoops at a party.