I Tried And Ranked Everything In Taco Bell's New Volcano Sauce Lineup

Dear readers, I'm happy to report that since testing the full lineup of Hot Ones hot sauces, I need to amend the claim that I'm not spice-tolerant; I'm now convinced I can handle anything the spicy food industry will throw at me. Perhaps it's a naive notion, but still, it's one I'll stand by until I'm proven wrong. Well, a new heat source has just hit everyone's favorite late-night fast food chain. It threatens to deliver levels of spice that'll perk up even the most seasoned spice guru.

So, if you're in search of a new way to warm up this January, look no further than Taco Bell and its brand-new Volcano Sauce. The sauce is an updated rendition of Taco Bell's fan-favorite Lava Sauce, and it promises to pack more heat than its predecessor, perfect for consumers craving bold kicks of spice. The sauce's release is highlighted in one new menu item, and rewards members can get their hands on five additional items featuring the condiment. I headed into my local Taco Bell on release day (January 8) to try and rank the full lineup, based on how much the sauce in question elevates the item. Does my stomach hate me for loading up on Taco Bell at 10:30 a.m.? Yes. But, hey, it's all in the name of timely journalism. 

According to Taco Bell, its new Volcano Sauce is creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavorful spices, promising to level up any menu item. When the cult favorite Lava Sauce disappeared from menus, fans took it upon themselves to recreate the sauce via some secret menu hacks; now, that's no longer necessary. Volcano Sauce is purportedly an even hotter version of its forerunner, and to celebrate its launch, the chain has also released a new menu item to match.

The Volcano Quesarito (an upgrade of the restaurant's beloved Quesarito) is Taco Bell's way of highlighting its new condiment, and it's a loaded combo creation that promises a flavor explosion. It consists of seasoned beef, seasoned rice, and sour cream, wrapped inside a quesadilla filled with cheese, cheese sauce, and Volcano Sauce. I know — it's quite the mouthful (literally). This will be the obvious menu item for anyone wanting to try Volcano Sauce, but the sauce can also be added to any menu item. Rewards members will also have access to a limited Volcano menu via the app. The menu includes a Volcano Crunchy Taco, Volcano Crunchwrap, Volcano Cheesy G, Volcano Steak Fries, and a Volcano BellGrande. 

The Volcano Quesarito costs $4.99 at participating locations, though it's safe to assume that prices may vary depending on location. At my location, adding Volcano Sauce to any menu item will incur a $.30 surcharge — pretty reasonable, in my opinion.

As far as how long Volcano Sauce will stick around, I can't say for sure, but it seems like it's not a permanent menu addition (at least, not at this time). So if you want to try the hot sauce, don't slack. After trying all the menu items featuring the sauce, I can safely say that Taco Bell's Volcano Sauce will elevate all of the fast food chain's offerings. Now, onto my ranking of the featured menu items. 

Taco Bell's Volcano BellGrande features the chain's nacho chips topped with seasoned beef, refried beans, cheese sauce, sour cream, tomatoes, and Volcano Sauce. Unfortunately, it was a pretty easy contender for last place, both because I didn't like the dish as a whole and because I didn't think the Volcano Sauce did much to elevate it. If you're generally a fan of the chain's Nachos BellGrande, though, your opinion may differ. 

First, I definitely recommend ordering the Nachos BellGrande with the chips on the side, so they don't get soggy. That led to a pretty unpleasant sensory experience and immediately dampened my view of this offering. Second, if you really want to taste the heat, order extra Volcano Sauce. I could tell it was present in the mix, but it was overwhelmed by the sour cream and cheese sauce. On the whole, it felt like an afterthought rather than the star of this particular menu item. However, as with all the offerings I tried, I do think Volcano Sauce elevated the dish. 

Surprisingly enough, the menu item that ranked next-to-last for me was the one chosen to highlight the new Volcano Sauce: the Volcano Quesarito. This 'rito features rice, beef, and sour cream, wrapped inside a quesadilla stuffed with cheese, cheese sauce, and Volcano Sauce. It certainly sounds scrumptious enough, so I had higher expectations for the Volcano Quesarito, especially as the featured menu item of this launch. 

There's so much cheese in this burrito that the Volcano Sauce gets pretty lost. I can tell it's there because it brings a touch of heat to the equation, but it doesn't shine as much as it does in some of the following menu items. There also isn't a lot of textural interest in the Quesarito, and a crunchy addition (even just lettuce) would have elevated it more. My biggest gripe, again, is that there's a wild amount of cheese. I don't think both cheese and cheese sauce were necessary, and the combination gave a gooey, unpleasant mouthfeel that I really wasn't a fan of. 

Now, I know I'm going to get some hate for this, but when I go to Taco Bell, my order is pretty basic — I just get a few crunchy tacos, and I'm happy as a clam. That said, I thought this would be my favorite of the menu items featuring Volcano Sauce, and it should say something that this is in the bottom half of my ranking. Did I like the flavors present here? Totally — but one really egregious misstep kept me from ranking it higher.

But first, I'll highlight what Volcano Sauce brought to the table: ample spice that easily brought Taco Bell's crunchy taco to entirely new heights. However, in my taco, the sauce was added to the bottom layer of meat. This led to the bottom of my taco splitting in two, causing all of the fillings to fall out. I ended up eating this taco nacho-style, and I didn't appreciate the extra effort involved on my part. Because of its lack of structural soundness, I had to put this in fourth place. 

I do love me some loaded fries, which automatically gave this menu item a leg up over some of its competitors. Taco Bell's Volcano Steak Fries utilizes the company's seasoned fries and loads them up with steak, cheese sauce, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, and Volcano Sauce. It's a pretty good menu item on the whole, but it had a few flaws that kept it from ranking any higher.

Volcano Sauce is a surefire way to elevate these loaded fries, and it does its job exceptionally well here. However, I can't say the dish as a whole earned my undying praise. As with the chips in the BellGrande, the fries here were pretty soggy, and, as with the BellGrande, I thought there was way too much cheese sauce. However, the Volcano Sauce added just enough kick to keep things interesting, and I think it balanced out the other flavors in this dish very well. 

Everyone loves Taco Bell's virality-worthy Crunchwrap, and it might just be a fluke that the Volcano Sauce Crunchwrap didn't get the number one spot in this ranking. This menu item has all the ingredients you'd expect: a tostada shell, seasoned beef, cheese sauce, sour cream, lettuce, and tomatoes, topped with Volcano Sauce and wrapped in a tortilla before being slapped on the grill. 

Again, the Volcano Sauce only elevated the Crunchwrap, and it's easy to recommend the sauce as an addition, especially if you've always wanted a little more spice in your Crunchwrap. The spice doesn't overwhelm at all; rather, it melds very well with the other ingredients in the dish. However, the addition of Volcano Sauce does make everything a little soggy. I didn't get much "crunch" from the Crunchwrap, and the tortilla was a little mushy by the time I tried it. While none of those are egregious offences, they were just fatal enough to keep this out of the top spot. 

Lastly, my personal favorite of Taco Bell's Volcano Sauce menu items: the Volcano Cheesy G. This item sandwiches cheese between a flatbread and a crunchy taco shell, loaded up with beef, lettuce, cheddar cheese, and Volcano Sauce. I didn't find anything wrong with this offering, and it allowed Volcano Sauce to shine in all its glory, easily earning the number one spot in my ranking.

I didn't intend to eat the whole thing, but I couldn't help myself. It was a great combination of soft and crunchy, refreshing and spicy, and it was very structurally sound. Though the Volcano Sauce still makes the bottom of the crunchy taco a little soft, the flatbread helps everything stay together without breaking apart. Moreover, because the sauce is only on the bottom, the top half or so of the taco shell stays nice and crunchy. There weren't so many ingredients that the sauce was overshadowed, and this was a nice and spicy offering that didn't fail to impress. It may not be Taco Bell's best-selling menu item, but all I have to say is: Bravo, Volcano Cheesy G, bravo.

So, should you add the new Volcano Sauce to everything under the sun? Yes, absolutely. Ask for a few sides of it and take it home to use on your own creations. Dip chicken fingers and fries into it. Put it on a taco pizza. Whatever you do, don't skip out on this — it's plenty spicy but definitely not too sharp, and it easily kicks any menu item up a notch.

That said, the concoctions that feature the Volcano Sauce aren't all created equal. The sauce caused some to be soggy or to fall apart completely, and it was less noticeable in some menu items than others. Those items ranked lower than those that showcased the sauce well, without crumbling, and while giving ample spice appeal to boot. Will I be getting Volcano Sauce again? Heck yes.