Review: Taco Bell's New Creamy Garlic Sauce Is A Delightful Dip That's Totally Worth The Trip

For what seems like eons, the only sauces Taco Bell offered were in the form of packets, and were simply spice enhancers that went by the names "mild," "hot," and "fire." As customers' palates expanded, so did the Taco Bell sauces, and a slew of "creamy" dippable ones have entered the fray in the 21st century. Sauces like Creamy Jalapeño, Creamy Chipotle, Spicy Ranch, and Avocado Ranch have elevated the Taco Bell dining experience by adding new fun flavors into the already yummy mix. The latest sauce deemed ready for primetime dipping, spreading, and anything else the heart and mouth desires is Creamy Garlic Sauce. It actually came about with the introduction of Steak Garlic Nacho Fries earlier this year, and customers were so taken by it they "hacked" their way into getting it as a side sauce. Taco Bell noticed the trend and is now taking Creamy Garlic mainstream as a standalone sauce.

So, is Creamy Garlic Sauce a bold one to truly behold, or perhaps a repugnant pungent one that should be placed on hold, as we wait for the next dippable innovation? The Takeout took out the new standalone sauce for a spin, dressing up some returning favorites and classic Taco Bell items to see where the truth lies in this saucy chew and review.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

It is described as "a flavorful creamy garlic sauce with a little kick of flavor from mild jalapeños." It first came about with the introduction of Steak Garlic Nacho Fries, but was merely a component of that item, and not available as a standalone dipping sauce. Customers liked the sauce so much they figured out a way to "hack" the menu to order it on the side. Taco Bell has saved customers the trouble and now turned into an official side sauce, here for a limited time only. In a statement, Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer of Taco Bell noted, "The community showed us how powerful a simple drizzle of Creamy Garlic Sauce could be. What started as a fan hack quickly became a shared passion, and we made sure to listen."

The sauce is being paired with the encore of two items — Cheesy Dipping Burritos, and Steak Garlic Nacho Fries, which both debuted in early January 2025, and the surprise return of Quesarito. The Creamy Garlic Sauce was drizzled on those Steak Nacho Fries, which also includes marinated grilled steak, pico de gallo, shredded cheddar cheese, and nacho cheese sauce. Matthews added, "Bringing back Cheesy Dipping Burritos alongside Steak Garlic Nacho Fries celebrates the role our fans played in this menu innovation and delivers the bold flavors garlic lovers have been craving."

Starting December 18, Creamy Garlic Sauce, Cheesy Dipping Burritos, Steak Garlic Nacho Fries, and the Quesarito are being added to menus at participating nationwide Taco Bell locations. They are available for sale, anytime Taco Bell is open for business, while supplies last.

The Creamy Garlic Sauce can be ordered in numerous ways. It can be ordered as an à la carte dipping sauce, comes standard atop the Steak Garlic Nacho Fries, or can be chosen as the sauce to accompany an order of Cheesy Dipping Burritos. If Creamy Garlic is not your thing, other dipping sauces can be chosen, including Creamy Chipotle Sauce or Nacho Cheese Sauce.

Orders can be placed in-store at the counter, kiosk, or drive-thru where available. Advance orders for dine-in, pickup, or delivery in some areas can be placed through Taco Bell's app or website. Additional fees and higher costs may apply for delivery orders or ones placed through third parties. Cost may vary per location, but the suggested retail price for the burritos is $5.49, and $4.99 for the Nacho Fries. The price for Creamy Garlic Sauce retailed at my Manhattan Taco Bell for 60 cents.

The Creamy Garlic Sauce is comprised of soybean oil, water, distilled vinegar, egg yolk, garlic, garlic juice, and contains 2% or less of sugar, salt, dehydrated garlic, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate, xanthan gum, dehydrated onion, spice, propylene glycol alginate, dehydrated jalapeño pepper, and calcium disodium EDTA. It contains the allergen eggs.

A single serving cup of the Creamy Garlic Sauce contains 230 calories, 24 grams of total fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of total carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of sugar (with 0 grams of added sugar), less than 1 gram of protein, 10 milligrams of calcium, and 30 milligrams of potassium.

A cup of sauce is never much to look at. Its main presentation is reflected in its color, and here, Taco Bell's Creamy Garlic looks like a ranch sauce, eggy white, with darkened flecks of seasoning appearing like faint flecks. I leaned in for a whiff, and while one might expect a waft of garlic, it had the essence of ... you guessed it, a ranch dip. I took my plastic fork out to swirl into the dip to test its consistency. It hit a perfect medium that was neither runny, nor overly thick. It's a typical creamy sauce one has encountered many times over in a life filled with dipping stuff.

Before utilizing the sauce as complement to food, I figured it would best to taste on its own, as the fan love of it willed it into being a standalone dip. My first encounter with the Creamy Garlic Sauce turned out to be kind of uneventful, as it backed up its look and smell, and came off tasting like a ranch sauce. That's not a bad thing, just nothing with an immediate wow factor. However, as the sauce made its way to recesses of my mouth and transformed into an aftertaste, a nice subtle hint of garlic rang through.

Personally, I love garlic, and am happy to have a ton of it nestled into a dip. Perhaps not all palates swoon for a ton of garlic, so Taco Bell chose a simpler, more subtle approach to its garlic dip. The results are a mighty fine, nice and smooth sauce. It's more creamy than garlicky, but some bites come complete with either a piece of the dehydrated minced garlic or jalapeños, which are lovingly hydrated by the dairy delightful dip.

After giving the Creamy Garlic Sauce a taste test on its own merits, it was time to put it into action and employ it as nature and Taco Bell intended it to be — a side sauce. At my disposal for further taste experimentation were two pairs of the Cheesy Dipping Burritos, one set filled with chicken and the other with steak, a Quesarito, and the Steak Garlic Nacho Fries, which already has it slathered on.

The Dipping Burritos and Quesarito are all mighty savory items, with the Quesarito being a real heavy hitter. The Creamy Garlic Sauce lathered each of these items quite well, cutting into its savoriness by delivering a cooling sensation. It worked a similar magic that sour cream or crema does with Mexican food, but the advantage this new sauce had over those fellers is its lovely punch of garlic to literally spice things up a bit.

It came as no surprise that the Steak Garlic Nacho Fries were going to be a winner, as this item was the one that sparked the Creamy Garlic Sauce's return as a solo star. The sauce totally does stand out in the Nacho Fries, but also works as a solid supporting player, along with the gooey nacho cheese, orange seasoning dusted fries, fresh pico, and tasty and tender steak bits. It added up to a deliciously diverse platter of flavors, where each bite brought something new. I dug the Creamy Garlic Sauce so much, I deemed that my Nacho Fries needed more of it, and now thankfully I could overdress it to my heart's content. Taco Bell's Creamy Garlic Sauce is a cool customer, and you can be one too if you give it a go.