Make your own copycat Taco Bell Cheesy Gordita Crunch at home with just a few easy ingredients. My copycat recipe can be made in under 30 minutes. These gorditas are perfect for a quick, delicious dinner.

There was a period of time when we used to frequent the fast food drive through on a weekly basis. The time it took to drive there not to mention the cost inspired me to start creating my own copycat recipes of some of our restaurant favorites.

That is how this copycat cheesy gordita crunch recipe came about. It’s one of my daughter’s favorite menu items from Taco Bell and I knew we could easily recreate it at home.

Why I love this cheesy gordita crunch recipe

• Quick and easy – This copycat recipe can be made in under 30 minutes.
• Delicious – These gorditas are even better than the Taco Bell version and you can control the ingredients.
• Copycat Taco Bell – If you love Taco Bell, be sure to also try this copycat Taco Bell nacho cheese dip and Taco Bell chicken quesadilla.

Homemade cheesy gordita crunch ingredients

Flour tortillas – I recommend using the fajita size tortilla for the outer shell. It works well with the size of the crispy taco shells. You can also use a taco size but might need to cut them down to fit the hard shell taco. If you don’t have tortillas, a soft piece of flatbread works well too.

Crunchy taco shell – These can typically be found in a box in the international aisle of the grocery store. They add a wonderful crunch to this cheesy gordita crunch recipe.

Cheese – Shredded cheese is needed for this recipe. Use your favorite like a Mexican cheese blend, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Cheddar cheese, or even Pepper Jack.

Ground Meat – You can use your favorite ground meat like ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey. It’s also a great way to use leftover shredded chicken.

Seasoning – For this recipe we used a packet of taco seasoning, feel free to use homemade seasoning mix.

Toppings – Top with your favorite toppings like sour cream, lettuce, salsa, jalapeno peppers or this delicious copycat Taco Bell quesadilla sauce.

How to make a cheesy gordita crunch

Step one: Brown ground meat until cooked through. Add in a splash of water and stir in seasonings.

Step two: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake crispy taco shells for 2-3 minutes to warm.

Step three: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Lay soft tortillas out. (Might take two baking sheets depending on how many you are making.)

Step four: Top with a layer of shredded cheese. Place baking sheets in the oven and melt the cheese for 3-5 minutes.

Step five: Carefully remove from oven. Place the warmed crunchy shell on top of the melted cheese. Fold the soft shell over.

Step six: Fill with meat and favorite toppings. Enjoy warm!

Cheesy gordita crunch recipe tips

• I recommend using freshly shredded cheese. It melts really well. Prepackaged shredded cheese will work but the freshly shredded adds a layer of deliciousness.
• Don’t add too much cheese on top of the soft tortillas.
• If you don’t like seasoning packets, you can make your own taco seasoning blend. You can also mix the ground beef with a 1/2 cup of salsa to add flavor.
• Making for a crowd, this recipe can be easily doubled.

Recipe variations

Meatless – These can be made meatless by substituting with black beans, refried beans, pinto beans, or a vegan ground beef substitute.

Spices – If you would like to try a different flavor profile, try cooking the meat with a sloppy joe spice mix or buffalo sauce.

Toppings – There are so many ways to top the gorditas like iceburg lettuce, chopped tomatoes, fajita vegetables, black olives, sour cream, guacamole, diced avocado, taco sauce and so much more.

How to store leftover cheesy gorditas

Store any leftover meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I recommend making the shells when you are ready to serve them.

What to serve with cheesy gordita crunch

These can be a meal on their own but they also pair well with many side dishes. A few favorite sides include:

• Mexican black beans
• Mexican style white dip
• Corn salad
• Charro beans
• Santa fe soup

More copycat recipes

• Copycat McDonald’s Steak And Egg Bagel
• Copycat Olive Garden Shrimp Scampi
• Copycat Arby’s Chicken Salad
• Copycat Popeye’s Red Beans And Rice