We Tried Taco Bell’s New Pepper Jack Burritos

Listen here, folks, it’s always an exciting day when something new hits the Taco Bell menu. Despite healthy speculation around national health concerns, Taco Bell has done their part to assure its customers that they shouldn’t have anything to worry about if they’re still in need of that quintessential late night snack. And now, they’ve decided to finally release the long anticipated return of the pepper jack sauce through two new burritos. Brighter horizons are on the menu. The pepper jack sauce, popularly known as the Cantina sauce, has been off the menu for over a decade, and it’s coming back in full swing. And until now we didn’t know what shape or form the rumored return of the sauce would take.

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The Brand New Releases

The new menu items hitting the Taco Bell lineup are the Melty Pepper Jack Steak Burrito and the Fresca Pepper Jack Steak Burrito. The sauce is, of course, also available as an add-on or a side to any menu item. The Melty Pepper Jack Steak Burrito has grilled marinated steak, rice, a three-cheese blend, sour cream, and creamy pepper jack sauce. On a more elevated note, the Fresca Pepper Jack Steak Burrito has a toasted tortilla filled with grilled marinated steak, cheese, lettuce, fiesta strips, tomatoes, Spicy Ranch, and pepper jack sauce. Each are available for $3 with the Luxe Value Menu and will be available nationwide as of July 23rd. Of course, with this long anticipated release, we knew we’d have to get our hands on them and let you know what we think.

The Melty Pepper Jack Steak Burrito

Of the more basic varieties of Taco Bell burritos, this is certainly one of the better ones I’ve tried. The steak was surprisingly tender in a way I wouldn’t have ever really expected from a fast food restaurant. And it actually had really nice flavor between the sauce, the rice, and the meat. It’s definitely lacking a little bit of freshness, but that doesn’t stop this burrito from being satisfying. The creaminess and subtle heat from the sauce really takes the burrito to the next level.

The Fresca Pepper Jack Steak Burrito

This burrito definitely feels more along the lines of something you would find on the Cantina menu at Taco Bell. The steak is the same as the previous burrito―again, surprising in its tenderness. There are fresh vegetables and fiesta strips to really give it an extra level of dimension, and the tortilla is toasted, really amplifying and elevating the experience. Similarly to the other burrito in this line, the flavor of the pepper jack sauce is not too spicy, but enough to add depth and intrigue to the dish. The creamy sauciness really gives this burrito more to work with as well because it coats the vegetables and steak very nicely.