Additional Coverage:
- I tried 10 new items coming to Taco Bell’s menu in 2026 and ranked them from worst to best (businessinsider.com)
Taco Bell Unveils Over 20 New Menu Items for 2026, Including a Crème Brûlée Crunchwrap Slider!
Hold onto your sombreros, Taco Bell fans! The fast-food giant is gearing up for a flavor explosion in 2026, dropping over 20 new menu items that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. Among the most talked-about innovations are a Crème Brûlée Crunchwrap Slider and Mexican Pizza Empanadas, promising a wild ride for your palate.
The exciting reveals came during Taco Bell’s annual superfan convention, Live Más Live, held on March 3rd at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. The star-studded event, which featured surprise appearances from celebrities like Lil Jon, Demi Lovato, and Jason Sudeikis, allowed attendees to get a sneak peek (and taste!)
of what’s to come. For those who missed the live show, it’s now streaming on Peacock.
Here’s a look at some of the most intriguing new offerings, ranked from interesting to absolutely essential:
10. Mountain Dew Baja Midnight Pie
Remember the original Baja Blast pie that caused quite a stir in 2024? Well, Taco Bell is back with the Baja Midnight Pie.
While the OG was surprisingly light and reminiscent of key lime, this new iteration is denser and boasts a fizzy texture. Described as “passionfruit-forward,” some tasters found the aftertaste leaned more towards grape, with muted citrus notes.
Despite its lower ranking, its marbled swirls and amethyst hue make it a visual standout – a treat Willy Wonka himself might conjure!
9. Fire Queso Sauce Packet
Taco Bell has achieved an impressive feat: an edible version of its iconic hot sauce packet! While the crispy packet itself was light, it lacked a standalone flavor.
The main draw is the interactive experience of squeezing the queso onto your taco. A dusting of nacho cheese powder on the packet might elevate it to a snack in its own right, but for now, it’s a clever, TikTok-friendly concept for sauce enthusiasts.
8. Tacodilla
Following the success of the Quesarito, Taco Bell has fused a quesadilla with a taco to create the Tacodilla. The star here is the grilled shell, a soft yet crispy blend of yellow corn and flour, reminiscent of fluffy pita bread. While substantial, some wished for a bit more grilled steak and red chile sauce to prevent the meat’s flavor from getting lost amidst the melted cheese.
7. Queso Cracked Cantina Bowl
Responding to fan demand for more chicken, Taco Bell is introducing the Queso Cracked Cantina Bowl. This lunch-friendly bowl features a crackable layer of cheddar cheese atop seasoned rice, slow-roasted chicken, black beans, lettuce, purple cabbage, sour cream, pico de gallo, cotija cream, and chile lime seasoning.
The aim is for the cheese to break into crispy chips, adding texture to the fresh, flavorful bowl. While the bowl itself is a satisfying mix of flavors and textures, the crackable cheese proved softer than expected, not quite achieving the promised chip effect.
6. Chocolate Fudge and Caramel Empanadas
These empanadas are among the first new items to hit nationwide after Live Más Live, arriving as a dynamic duo. The caramel empanada quickly became a favorite, evoking nostalgic memories of Caramel Apple Pops with its warm, gooey, and crispy perfection.
The chocolate fudge empanada, while not as sweet as anticipated (likely due to dark chocolate), complements its caramel counterpart well. A birthday cake empanada, in collaboration with Milk Bar, is also slated for release later this year.
5. Strawberry and Cream Mexican Pizza Bite
Don’t let the name fool you – these tiny bites share little with the traditional Mexican Pizza beyond their layered construction. A cheesecake filling is sandwiched between two miniature tostadas, topped with white-chocolate shavings and cinnamon-sugar macerated strawberries.
These delightful bites evoke the comforting taste of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, offering a crispy, nostalgic treat. A little more cheesecake filling would make them perfect!
4. Flamin’ Hot Mini Taco Salad
Taco Bell’s popular mini taco salad, introduced in January, is getting a spicy sibling. The Flamin’ Hot mini taco salad features seasoned beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, all topped with Fritos Flamin’ Hot corn chips and a Flamin’ Hot-seasoned tortilla bowl rim.
The spicy rim is a fun visual touch, and the Frito chips deliver a satisfying kick. For those who enjoyed the creamy chipotle sauce of the original, an extra packet of hot sauce is recommended.
3. Crème Brûlée Crunchwrap Slider
Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery highlighted this as the menu item he’s most excited about, calling it “outrageous” and a testament to the chain’s boundary-pushing creativity. This slider delivers the satisfying crack of a traditional crème brûlée, followed by a rush of sweet vanilla cream that pairs beautifully with a cinnamon-sugar tostada. Its bite-sized form makes it a fun, indulgent dessert that could become a future drive-thru classic.
2. Mexican Pizza Empanadas
Atoning for the past (Dolly Parton was not amused by the Mexican Pizza’s temporary removal!), Taco Bell is ensuring fans get their fill. Alongside strawberry bites and a Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza (coming in 2026), these Mexican Pizza Empanadas are a triumphant return. Stuffed with seasoned beef and a three-cheese blend, and served with Mexican Pizza sauce for dipping, these empanadas boast perfectly crispy shells and juicy, flavorful beef with a hint of heat.
1. Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets
Prepare for a fiery experience! Taco Bell is launching three limited-edition flavors of its crispy chicken nuggets, and the Diablo Dusted version takes the top spot.
Inspired by the iconic Diablo hot sauce, these nuggets are genuinely spicy – not for the faint of heart. The smoky, intense heat dances on the tongue, while the all-white meat nuggets remain extra-crispy and plump.
Paired with ranch sauce to temper the heat, these nuggets are a bold and incredibly satisfying addition to the menu. One taste was enough to send a taster back for seconds, despite the inferno!
Get ready, 2026 is shaping up to be a delicious year for Taco Bell aficionados!