Photo: Joshua Blanchard (Getty Images)
Last summer, Taco Bell suddenly stopped long-term stand-bys such as quesarito, fiesta potatoes and the 7-layer burrito. Two of them were not banished forever – the Quesarito lives as one In-app exclusive and Potatoes seem to be back forever– but the classic 7-layer burrito has simply disappeared into the ether.
This is bad news for vegetarians, vegans, and anyone trying to eat less meat, however TikTok user damntastyvegan recently shared a simple workaround: Order a Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito “Fresco style”- which swaps mayo-based sauces and dairy products for diced tomatoes – and adds potatoes, rice and guacamole. With this order, you get a delicious, filling, 100% vegan 7-layer burrito for just over $ 2 – at least where the damn vegan is.
As a vegan, I applaud this hack. As a Taco Bell enthusiast, I have a little catch: if it’s vegan, it’s not a real 7-layer. According to the Taco Bell website, a 7-layer burrito contains the following ingredients:
- Beans
- sour cream
- tomatoes
- 3 cheese mixture
- rice
- Green salad
- guacamole
Veganizing a 7-layer burrito removes 2 of the layers and adds potatoes that are not part of the original product. It’s still a great burrito – it’s just not really the same burrito. (I think vegans only get 6 layers.)
If just the OG 7-layer burrito is enough, you can simply modify an existing menu item to create one. Depending on your preferences, you can either use one Cheese Bean and Rice Burrito (as the TikTok recommends) or a Burrito Supreme. How to customize it according to Reddit users from / r / tacobell, the internet one-stop shop for all information about Taco Bell:
- Cheese Bean and Rice Burrito: No creamy jalapeño sauce, no nacho cheese; Add tomatoes, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole and 3-cheese mixture
- Highest Burrito: No beef, no onions, no red sauce, no cheddar; Add guacamole, rice and 3 cheese mixture
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The main difference here is the price – the Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito is cheaper than the Supreme and requires fewer modifications. Other than that, I always found the dollar menu items small; If you’re super hungry, a modified Burrito Supreme might be the right choice.
Regardless of which permanent menu item you choose, customer-specific orders are easier in the Taco Bell app. Once you have your 7 layer order perfected, just save it for future use. You can even name it how Reddit user joec_95123 did it for his modified Burrito Supreme: “I set up exactly this order as ‘Recreated 7-Layer’ in the app.” Follow his example and you are only a few taps away from your beloved burrito – even if it is not on the menu .
