Introduction: Cheetos Quesadilla - Copycat Taco Bell Recipe
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...
- Apply the cheese to the tortilla
- Apply the Cheetos on top of the cheese
- Fold and Fry the quesadilla
- Enjoy!
Step 2: Method II
The second method I tried was...
- Apply the cheese to the tortilla
- Fold and fry the quesadilla
- After the quesadilla is fried and the cheese is fully melted, pry the quesadilla back open
- Apply the Cheetos on top of the cheese
- Re-fold the quesadilla
- Enjoy!
Step 3: Method III
The third method I tried was...
- Apply the cheese to the tortilla
- Put a handful of Cheetos into a ziplock bag and crush them up
- Sprinkle the crushed Cheetos onto the cheese
- Fold and fry the quesadilla
- 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/

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6 Comments
2 years ago
I did not know this was ever a thing so I'm very glad you shared it and found it fun that you showed different ways to approach making it :D
Reply 2 years ago
Yeah, I was like "Taco Bell makes Cheetoh quesadillas? . . . .OH, I SO wanna make this!" Thank you so much travderose for showing us how to make it!
Reply 2 years ago
Thanks
2 years ago
So that you don't have to pry open the quesadilla, you could put the tortilla in tbe pan, spread a thin layer of cheese and let it cook/melt, open, then when the cheese is melted and tortilla crispy, throw on the cheetos, fold and eat. Thats how I always made quesadillas when i worked in f&b because then there is always cheese on both sides and you get a more consistent spread of fillings.
Reply 2 years ago
That's genius! Thank you
2 years ago
The only thing missing is a shot of you cooking this with a clothes iron.