{"id":19656,"date":"2016-02-11T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-11T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/?p=19656"},"modified":"2023-08-30T16:36:15","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T02:36:15","slug":"review-taco-bell-quesalupa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2016\/02\/11\/review-taco-bell-quesalupa\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: Taco Bell Quesalupa"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Taco<\/a><\/p>\n

This country is always trying to pit us against each other. In politics, it\u2019s a two party system that radicalizes the masses, the haves versus the have-nots. In sports, the blowout celebration is one final matchup that stretches narratives into ideologies and forces us to choose sides, the dabs versus the dab-nots.<\/p>\n

Taco Bell tries the opposite, joining things together with varying success. They integrate other products such as Cinnabon and Doritos into their own items and display countless permutations of existing creations, rearranging-Titanic-deck-chairs style.<\/p>\n

Taco Bell\u2019s latest attempt is the much-ballyhooed Quesalupa, a combination of the quesadilla and a Chalupa. A quesadilla is kind of like a grilled soft taco with lots of cheese on it and a Chalupa is kind of like a deep fried soft taco. If menu items were human beings, I would examine the family tree pretty meticulously before letting these two get married.<\/p>\n

\"Taco<\/a><\/p>\n

Ostensibly, the Quesalupa is a Chalupa shell with pepper jack cheese inside then filled with sour cream, lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese and a protein. This, however, is no Chalupa shell. I\u2019m sure they had to make adjustments to accommodate the pocket of melty cheese that spills out of the center, but the near-perfect crispy-chewy Chalupa armor has been depleted to a weak facsimile.<\/p>\n

\"Taco<\/a><\/p>\n

The entire Quesalupa sags in the middle, buckling to the sogginess of the cheese, without a textural counterbalance to save it. There is plenty of cheese to go around, to the point where the warm stew-like blend of ingredients exhibits the comforting consistency of a shepherd\u2019s pie. But without the fluffy-crispy promise that a Chalupa provides, the Quesalupa falls short of expectations.<\/p>\n

\"Taco<\/a><\/p>\n

I tried the beef and chicken options and the beef comes up on top, with the salty, ground meat lending better flavor to the entire item. The chicken is bland and definitely needs outside help of a hot sauce to feel complete. The produce is typical of Taco Bell and serves to fill out the item\u2014space-wise and color-wise\u2014and maybe to place a pebble on top of a food pyramid quota.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s a testament to the Quesalupa that the cheese blends well together. It\u2019s a gooey affair that absorbs all the qualities of both types of cheeses offered (and the sour cream as well) to make a dairy bomb that flattens out any nuance. The center of a Quesalupa is at the same time satisfying and a bit icky, melding together like a cream of Taco Bell soup. Whether that sounds good to you or not will be the deal breaker here.<\/p>\n

For my buck, the best Taco Bell items play with texture in a unique way and dance on the crunchy-soft line: the Crunchwrap Supreme, the Double Decker Taco, and the Chalupa. <\/p>\n

Unfortunately for the Quesalupa, while it features the warm qualities of a steaming quesadilla, it does not take the best parts of a Chalupa, which makes it a pretty average Taco Bell item. And maybe that\u2019s the point? People hate Trump. People love Trump. People hate Cam. People love Cam. Quesalupa? \u201cEhh.\u201d On this, I think, we can all agree.<\/p>\n

(Nutrition Facts – Beef<\/b> – 460 calories, 26 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 890 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, 19 grams of protein. Chicken<\/b> – 440 calories, 23 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 840 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, 22 grams of protein.)<\/small><\/p>\n

Item:<\/b> Taco Bell Quesalupa
\nPurchased Price:<\/b> $2.99 (beef) $3.79 (chicken)
\nSize:<\/b> N\/A
\nPurchased at:<\/b> Taco Bell
\nRating:<\/b> 5 out of 10 (beef)
\nRating:<\/b> 4 out of 10 (chicken)
\nPros:<\/b> Comforting consistency, gooey cheese center.
\nCons:<\/b> Soggy in the middle. Maybe too much cheese. Texturally boring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This country is always trying to pit us against each other. In politics, it\u2019s a two party system that radicalizes the masses, the haves versus the have-nots. In sports, the blowout celebration is one final matchup that stretches narratives into ideologies and forces us to choose sides, the dabs versus the dab-nots. Taco Bell tries […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1440],"tags":[1477,1519],"class_list":["post-19656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-fast-food","tag-taco-bell"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":18383,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2015\/04\/23\/review-taco-bell-double-crispy-chicken-quesadilla\/","url_meta":{"origin":19656,"position":0},"title":"REVIEW: Taco Bell Double Crispy Chicken Quesadilla","author":"Kelley","date":"April 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"When I first heard that Taco bell was adding Crispy Chicken to their list of ingredients, my first thought was, \u201cWhy didn't they do this sooner?\u201d Then, \u201cWell, that's not exactly a staple of Mexican cuisine. And then, \u201cYeah, but neither are","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Taco Bell Double Crispy Chicken Quesadilla","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7606\/17249470471_d6cb51d7ec_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7606\/17249470471_d6cb51d7ec_z.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7606\/17249470471_d6cb51d7ec_z.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16671,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2014\/04\/15\/spotted-on-menus-taco-bell-breakfast-stuft-quesadilla\/","url_meta":{"origin":19656,"position":1},"title":"SPOTTED ON MENUS – Taco Bell Breakfast Stuft Quesadilla","author":"Marvo","date":"April 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Taco Bell's Breakfast Stuft Quesadilla doesn't look like a Taco Bell Quesadilla, but it does look like a Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Nacho. 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Lots of steak and cheese. Tender steak. Salsa has a nice flavor that goes well with the quesadilla and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Taco Bell Cantina Double Steak Quesadilla","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/farm3.staticflickr.com\/2877\/9408780963_a50a1eb4cf.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":25162,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2017\/10\/06\/fast-food-news-taco-bell-crispy-chicken-quesadilla\/","url_meta":{"origin":19656,"position":3},"title":"FAST FOOD NEWS: Taco Bell Crispy Chicken Quesadilla","author":"Marvo","date":"October 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"With all of Taco Bell's Crispy Chicken technology, I'm a bit sad its new Crispy Chicken Quesadilla is not made using two flour tortilla-sized discs of chicken. 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While that one used Taco Bell's original Crispy Chicken\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fast Food News"","block_context":{"text":"Fast Food News","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/fast-food-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Taco-Bell-Crispy-Chicken-Quesadilla.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Taco-Bell-Crispy-Chicken-Quesadilla.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Taco-Bell-Crispy-Chicken-Quesadilla.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74136,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2025\/11\/21\/taco-bell-steak-and-poblano-rolled-quesadilla-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":19656,"position":4},"title":"REVIEW: Taco Bell Steak & Poblano Rolled Quesadilla","author":"Marvo","date":"November 21, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Flat burrito. That was the first thought that rolled into my head when I pulled out Taco Bell\u2019s Steak & Poblano Rolled Quesadilla from its sleeve. Despite accurately describing what I received and what the promotional photos show, \u201cflat burrito\u201d would obviously be a worse name for a Taco Bell\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Reviews","link":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Taco Bell Steak & Poblano Rolled Quesadilla sleeve","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/tbsprolque1-600x450.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/tbsprolque1-600x450.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/tbsprolque1-600x450.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17000,"url":"https:\/\/www.theimpulsivebuy.com\/wordpress\/2014\/06\/09\/fast-food-news-taco-bell-quesarito\/","url_meta":{"origin":19656,"position":5},"title":"FAST FOOD NEWS – Taco Bell Quesarito","author":"Marvo","date":"June 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The Taco Bell Quesarito is a burrito wrapped in a quesadilla, and I really hope Taco Bell's new quesadilla-burrito hybrid is the beginning of many more hybrid products with names that your smartphone wants so badly to autocorrect. According to the L.A. 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