Introduction: Cheetos Quesadilla - Copycat Taco Bell Recipe

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Back in 2016, Taco Bell released an innovative new menu item called the Cheetos Quesadilla! It's a simple idea combining the crunchy texture of Cheetos with the savoriness of a cheese quesadilla. The only problem? It was exclusive to the Philippines. I'm in the United States and found it tough to justify a trip to the Philippines for a fast food item.

The only option I had was to make my own version!

This is my experimentation to do my best at replicating the Taco Bell Cheetos Quesadilla. I tried 3 different methods and share which method had the best results. Let's get to it!

Supplies

  • Tortillas
  • Cheese (Shredded)
  • Cheetos
    • I used regular which was tasty. However, Taco Bell used jalapeño Cheetos which I can see being very tasty!

Step 1: Method I

The first method I tried was...

  1. Apply the cheese to the tortilla
  2. Apply the Cheetos on top of the cheese
  3. Fold and Fry the quesadilla
  4. Enjoy!

Step 2: Method II

The second method I tried was...

  1. Apply the cheese to the tortilla
  2. Fold and fry the quesadilla
  3. After the quesadilla is fried and the cheese is fully melted, pry the quesadilla back open
  4. Apply the Cheetos on top of the cheese
  5. Re-fold the quesadilla
  6. Enjoy!

Step 3: Method III

The third method I tried was...

  1. Apply the cheese to the tortilla
  2. Put a handful of Cheetos into a ziplock bag and crush them up
  3. Sprinkle the crushed Cheetos onto the cheese
  4. Fold and fry the quesadilla
  5. Enjoy!

Step 4: And the Winner Is...

Hands down the best option is Method II! Here's why...

  • Method I left the Cheetos tasting stale. I think this is because when I fried the Cheetos with the cheese, some of the moisture from the cheese went into the Cheetos.
  • Method II left the Cheetos crunchy and provided a wonderful texture opposite the gooey cheese.
  • Method III suffered from the same fate of staleness as method I. Additionally, crushing up the Cheetos altered the size and texture in an unfavorable way. I think the reason this works is because of the juxtaposition of the Cheeto size, shape, and crunch along with the savory gooeyness of the cheesy quesadilla.

Overall, I'd call this a win! Method II made for some tasty Cheeto Quesadillas!

I never got a chance to try the Cheeto Quesadilla from Taco Bell but I imagine this recipe being on par with it. I tend to even like my home-shredded cheddar cheese over Taco Bell's cheese. 🤫

Please let me know your thoughts on this recipe, if you try it yourself, and any ideas to improve the dish.

– Travis

P.S. I also host a podcast called Curiosityness! Every week I conduct a podcast interview with an expert about the most fascinating history, things, & people of our world. If that interests you, I encourage you to check out the Curiosityness podcast available for free at https://www.curiosityness.com/

And find me on Instagram @travderose: https://www.instagram.com/travderose/