The Type Of Avocados Taco Bell Uses For Its Guacamole Dip

Crave-worthy guacamole lives and dies by the avocado you use to make it, so choosing the right one is beyond crucial. It's about more than just examining the features and hoping for the best. You've also got to start with a variety that mashes beautifully and makes a good flavor base for various other ingredients. Taco Bell understands this perfectly, and so comes the guacamole dip that's become a staple on its menu. The not-so-secret ingredient? A batch of Haas (or Hass) avocado.

This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to anyone who frequently has avocados on their grocery list. Haas avocados are one of the most popular varieties out there, as they're utilized in countless dishes and beverages, ranging from avocado toasts and smoothies to the beloved guacamole. You'll often find them with a pear-shaped exterior and bumpy, dark-brown skin (when ripe) that conceals the vibrant green flesh inside. While not extremely pronounced in flavor, their subtly nutty sweetness provides the perfect base for the wide range of seasonings and condiments that Taco Bell uses for its guacamole dip. Coupled with a buttery texture, they have exactly what it takes to be the key ingredient for a guacamole dip.

While the avocado base is obvious, Taco Bell takes a slightly different approach to guacamole. The making of this dish starts with an avocado pulp — a mixture of Haas avocado, lime juice, and salt. Then, it's joined by vegetables such as onions and tomatoes, condiments like vinegar and soybean sauce, cornstarch, various spices, and certain food additives. Oddly enough, mustard is also part of the ingredient list, inspiring a subtly peppery, savory undertone that makes the guacamole a bit bolder.

This mixture is perfect for dipping, slabbing, and everything in between, and that's largely thanks to the Haas avocado base, which is prepared daily to guarantee freshness. This gives it the duality that's quintessential to all guacamoles: the ability to work both as a dip and a sauce. It is, by design, a foolproof companion to almost everything on the Taco Bell menu. As a dip, you can't go wrong when pairing it with nachos and fries or even just regular tortilla chips from the grocery store. You might even find it to be a fitting companion for Taco Bell's breakfast menu items as well. Overall, it's a great choice for when you want to add just a bit of something extra to a hearty quesadilla or a loaded burrito but don't want the intensity of a strong sauce.