Why This TikTok Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Copycat Isn't Quite Right

We're always looking for ways to replicate fast food favorites at home, but they don't always live up to the hype. We recently stumbled upon a series of TikTok videos from popular user @dollartreedinners, who said she was a former employee of Taco Bell. In one video she shows viewers how to reconstruct Taco Bell's popular Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, and hidden in her instructions is a little gem of knowledge about Taco Bell's nacho cheese. She says, "I haven't quite found an exact dupe, but the closest I've come is the Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip" (she also gives the Dollar Tree version a recommendation since it's even cheaper and similar to the Fritos product).

@dollartreedinners

I used to work at Taco Bell, so I'm showing you how to make your favorites at home. Today, we are making the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito. It's not cheaper to make *just one*, but if this is your regular order, learning to DIY it can seriously save you over time.   You will need: 1 burrito-sized flour tortilla 1 taco-sized flour tortilla Nacho Cheese – Either Fritos Jalapeno Cheddar or Dollar Tree Jalapeno Cheddar (they are nearly identical) Refried beans (see my earlier Enchirito video) Taco seasoned ground beef (see my earlier Enchirito video) Sour cream Shredded cheddar cheese Warm your burrito-sized tortilla, then spread nacho cheese in the center.  Place the smaller tortilla on top and give it a twist to evenly distribute the cheese. Add refried beans, seasoned beef, sour cream, and shredded cheddar. Roll it up and enjoy! #tacobelldupe #beefy5layer #budgeteats #copycatrecipe #cheapmeals #tacobellathome #easydinner #budgetcooking #wevegotfoodathome #fakeoutfriday

♬ original sound – Dollar Tree Dinners

As The Takeout's self-proclaimed Taco Bell obsessive, I had to see if this claim was accurate. I know it's a highly specific thing, but I'm a fan of Taco Bell's nacho cheese, specifically because it's particularly thick, and therefore it comes off as extra rich.

If the Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip could replicate that feeling, I could make Nacho Fries at home the next time Taco Bell randomly removes them from the menu. @dollartreedinners had previously shown us in a video just how to replicate Taco Bell's finely ground seasoned beef texture, so she seemed like a good source for Taco Bell dupes. However, in a side-by-side taste comparison, the Fritos dip didn't hold up.

After warming up the Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip a bit in the microwave, I pitted it against Taco Bell. The Fritos dip is on the left chip in the photo, while the Taco Bell nacho cheese is on the right. First off, you'll notice that the coloring is much different, but that's just cosmetic — color is controlled by additives like annatto (a natural food coloring), so you can actually ignore that aspect. 

Second of all, you'll see that the Fritos dip is slightly but noticeably runnier. And the taste test proved to be ultimately disappointing. The Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip starts off with a bit of tangy cheese flavor but then gives way to a plain wateriness with a slight grassy pepper kick, while the Taco Bell version starts and finishes extremely creamy, also with a bit of jalapeño to it. Both cheeses list actual jalapeño in their ingredients, which is good. But Taco Bell nacho cheese's leading ingredients are nonfat milk and cheese whey, while Fritos starts with skim milk and water.

Unfortunately, they aren't a match, and Taco Bell's wins by quite a bit due to that noticeable creaminess. @dollartreedinners did in fact admit that the Fritos dip wasn't an exact dupe, however, so I can't fault her statement entirely. Plus, if you're going to use the Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Dip in something else, like a homemade Beefy 5-Layer Burrito, you are 100% not going to notice the difference. But if you're eating it alone, you might.

As to the Taco Bell nacho cheese dupe situation, the search continues. I haven't found many canned products that don't heavily rely on water, so it's possible that Taco Bell's nacho cheese might not actually have a copycat version you can buy in stores. If I find one, you'll be the first to know.