Taco lovers Ahoy! Taco Bell's famous crunchwrap is going vegan

June 13th, 2023

Fast food often comes to people as quick relief when they need to eat quickly, have screaming children in the car, or simply have cravings. Well, meat and dairy have dominated fast-food menus for decades. Except for fries and drink, almost everything else has always contained animal products in most restaurants. But that has fortuitously begun to change. Now that vegan items are available in so many chains, it's easy to stop by practically any drive-thru booth and find plant-based food to eat. Taco Bell is the newest eatery in the list of restaurants where vegan diners don't have to hold up the queue by perusing the menu. This is because people can confidently order a Vegan dish at Taco Bell in the United States. This is also noteworthy since the California-based restaurant will now offer its Vegan Crunchwrap, its first totally vegan meal item.

The popular menu item has been updated with a plant-based protein topped with two vegan sauces and wrapped in a crunchy tortilla shell. For the time being, the fast-food giant has stated that it will only be accessible in areas with significant vegan populations, such as Los Angeles, New York City, and Orlando, while supplies last. It's unknown when they'll be available nationwide. Read on to know more about this intriguing vegan crunchwrap!

© Vegetarian Times

Vegan ingredients in the new Crunchwrap

If you like the original version — or have always wanted to try one — this revamped crunchwrap seems interesting. With Taco Bell's exclusive plant-based "beef," a creamy vegan blanco sauce, and vegan nacho sauce, it promises an abundance of clean flavors. The Vegan Crunchwrap's ingredients, including its crispy tostada shell, have all been certified vegan by the American Vegetarian Association. The chain does highlight that in some restaurants, the same oil may be used to fry both vegan and animal items, and that its personnel may handle both vegan and animal ingredients, so there may be some cross-contamination.

Insight on the move

In a statement, Taco Bell said that there had been “years of tasting and testing” as it worked on creating its first major vegan entree. The vegan nacho sauce alone took a long time to perfect as the chain's in-house experts laboured to refine its flavour. “Such a large part of our fandom is vegan or vegetarian, and we're as committed to them as they are to us and our menu. That's why we took so long, months and years, to release something this special; we wanted and needed to get it exactly right, to get it mouth-watering. Because let's admit it, we've all eaten plenty of products on today's market that don’t taste great and certainly aren't craveable,” Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s Global Chief Food Innovation Officer, said.

“Our fans are always hacking our customizable menu to try new options, especially veggie-forward,” Missy Schaaphok, Taco Bell’s Director of Global Nutrition and Sustainability, said. “So now we’re hacking the hack, if you will, with a product that’s completely vegan as-is, right off the menu. I may be biased, but no veggie burger could compare.”

© ABC News

Accessibility and price parity 

The new item will cost the same as the non-vegan Crunchwrap, which may vary depending on the market. According to the chain, this is a trial run to gather consumer input and "inform future menu developments," so the Vegan Crunchwrap may become more widely available in the future. But keep in mind that the Vegan Crunchwrap is only available for a limited period at a few locations in Los Angeles. (6741 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028), New York City (976 6th Ave, New York, NY 10018), and Orlando (11893 East Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32826). So, if you live in L.A., New York, or Orlando, you can try this out for yourself.