Deluxe Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito Recipe

Taco Bell is more than just Mexican fusion. Beyond being a cheap spot to grab quickly-made favorites like tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, it's also a hotbed of innovation, bringing us snacks we never knew we needed. Perhaps the best example is the ever-popular Crunchwrap Supreme, a burrito-quesadilla hybrid that has become a staple in millions of late-night orders. Similar to the Crunchwrap is the Grilled Cheese Burrito, aptly named for its super-saucy, cheesy interior. Like the Crunchwrap, the burrito is a complicated build, this time made up of seasoned beef, seasoned rice, nacho cheese, sour cream, chipotle sauce, shredded cheese, and Fiesta Strips. The resulting burrito is flavorful and filling, with the tiniest bit of salty crunch hidden inside every bite. In other words, it's a burrito-lover's dream, especially at the end of a long, fun night.

The best part of Taco Bell is the convenience: Of course, it's way easier to swing by the drive-through and pick up a burrito rather than making it yourself. The truth is, though, that burritos you make yourself taste just as good — if not better — than the real thing, and you can make enough for the entire week. And trust us, a week's worth of burritos feels a lot better when made from scratch. Developed with Michelle McGlinn, this Deluxe Taco Bell Grilled Cheese Burrito recipe turns your favorite takeout into a homemade masterpiece in less than 40 minutes, meaning you can still enjoy the cheesy meal at almost anytime.

This burrito is made up of several different elements: Rice, beef, cheese, chipotle sauce, and tortilla strips. First, gather some pantry staples, like olive oil, salt, pepper, and butter. From there, you'll need onion, garlic, rice, tomato paste, diced tomato, and chicken broth to make the rice, as well as ground beef, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and a can of chipotles in adobo to make the beef. You'll use the chipotles again to make the crema, which will also require sour cream. To make the cheese sauce, then, you'll just need cornstarch, heavy whipping cream, cheddar cheese, and cayenne. For building the burritos, grab burrito-sized tortillas, finely shredded cheese, and tortilla strips, which can usually be found in the salad dressing aisle near the croutons and fried onions.

To make the rice, first heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and stir to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and combine and cook until it's beginning to stick to the pot, about 3 more minutes.

Add the rice, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, then cover and cook until the rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes. If the rice absorbs the liquid before it's cooked, add more chicken broth to avoid burning.

To make the beef, add the oil to a skillet over medium heat.

Cook and crumble the beef to brown it, about 5 minutes.

Add the chipotle sauce and the spices and seasonings and combine. Cook until the beef is fully browned, another 3 to 4 minutes, then set aside.

To make the nacho cheese sauce, first melt butter and cornstarch in a small skillet over medium heat.

Add the heavy cream and stir until it's beginning to foam, about 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the cheese, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Stir until completely melted and smooth.

Combine the sour cream, chipotles in adobo sauce, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt in a small bowl.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds, then lay them on a flat surface.

Fill the tortilla with ½ cup rice, ½ cup beef, and a layer each of nacho cheese sauce, chipotle crema, shredded cheese, and tortilla strips.

Fold the burrito and seal it closed.

If desired, add the burrito to a large skillet to toast the exterior, and cook for about 2 minutes, flipping once. Serve warm.

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Making these burritos from scratch is worthwhile if you are serving multiple people or plan to eat them throughout the week — the end result is actually far better than Taco Bell's, and can be customized completely to your specific tastes. We'll be the first to admit, though, that making recipes from scratch can not only be time-consuming, but can also really make a mess of your kitchen. For a faster version, there are a few shortcuts you can take.

First, begin with the rice. You can buy instant rice from almost any grocery store, which is sold in packets that are heated in the microwave to warm through. You can also buy mixes that, while more involved than using a microwave, still take less time than making them from scratch. The other two elements that can be store-bought are the nacho cheese and the chipotle crema. For the nacho cheese, look for jars of queso in the chip aisle, and for the chipotle crema, look near the sauces and salad dressings for a premade equivalent.

If you have leftover cheese sauce, don't throw it away — even Taco Bell repurposes the nacho cheese for other dishes. Similar to a queso, the cheese can be warmed up and used as a dip with tortilla chips. You can also use it on fries like Taco Bell's nacho fries, or add chorizo and tomato for a loaded queso or a nacho dish. You can also spread it onto tortillas and use it as a filling for quesadillas, which makes for an especially gooey and flavorful snack.

You can also fold it into a myriad of non-Mexican dishes, such as onto the patty of a hamburger or as a base for a spicy mac and cheese. We also like it stirred into breakfast casseroles and skillets, as well as spread into omelettes before folding. It's a versatile cheese sauce that can be stored for 3 to 4 days, so don't toss away any extra — just be sure to reheat it before using it in order to retain its glossy texture.

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