Taco Bell is known for its Americanized take on Mexican tacos. Taco Bell Restaurant chains began way back in the 1950’s. The first Taco Bell location was in San Bernardino County, California by Glen Bell. Franchises began popping up by 1964 and grew to over 800 locations by 1980, around the time that Glen Bell sold 868 Taco Bell locations to PepsiCo Inc. The hot sauces that Taco Bell developed, and still carries today, are reminiscent of chili pepper-based condiments found within Latin cuisines of South America. Are these hot sauces vegan?
Yes, all varieties of Taco Bell hot sauce are vegan. These hot sauces mainly contain ingredients such as tomato puree, sugar, spices, and preservatives. None of these ingredients contain animal products. The best healthier and vegan alternatives to Taco Bell hot sauces include Siete Traditional Hot Sauce, Tapatio Salsa Picante, and Tia Lupita Hot Sauce.
In this article, we will discuss the nutritional value of Taco Bell Hot Sauce, as well as better vegan alternatives. Let’s spice things up and talk some hot sauce!
Contents
Taco Bell Sauces
There are 10 sauces sold on the Taco Bell Restaurant menu. Six Taco Bell sauces are rated on the Scoville scale. (The Scoville scale is used to rate the spicy heat of hot sauces or chili peppers themselves.) Taco Bell’s hot sauces do not use MSG which is great. The hot sauces are also zero calorie, but contain sugar, lots of salt, and several preservatives. Here is the list of the taco bell sauces.
Taco Bell Sauces with no rating on the Scoville Scale:
- Chipotle Sauce
- Creamy Jalapeno
- Avocado Ranch
- Nacho Cheese Sauce
Other Sauces not considered “hot sauce”:
- Spicy Ranch
- Red Sauce
Taco Bell Hot Sauces and their Scoville (SHU) scores:
- Diablo Sauce 3,000 SHU
- Hot Border Sauce 450 SHU
- Mild Border Sauce 100 SHU
- Fire Sauce 1,000 SHU
We will dig into the Hot Sauces that Taco Bell sells on their menu currently below.
Taco Bell Hot Sauces
Diablo Hot Sauce by Taco Bell
The Diablo sauce by Taco Bell is considered to be their hottest in their line of hot sauce condiments. This packet of hot sauce is best known for adding a frontal kick of heat but lacks in overall flavor. Many customer reviews liken the Diablo Hot Sauce to Frank’s Red-Hot Sauce. Diablo Hot Sauce is free of all major allergens and is certified vegan. This hot sauce is a zero-calorie food.
The ingredients for Diablo Hot Sauce by Taco Bell are:
- Tomato Puree
- Modified Tapioca Starch
- Salt
- Spices
- Sugar
- Maltodextrin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Natural Flavors
- Xanthan Gum
- Disodium Inosinate
- Guanylate
- Paprika Extract
- Vinegar
- Sodium Acid Sulfate
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
Nutrition Facts (per 1 packet):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 30mg
Hot Taco Bell Border Sauce
Taco Bell’s Border Hot Sauce should really be considered a medium heat hot sauce. Hot Border Sauce is Taco Bell’s original hot sauce condiment. The recipe has not changed, but consumers want for more intense heat in their hot sauces have. Jalapenos are a main ingredient in making this hot sauce. Hot Border Sauce contains soy, but is free from other major allergens. Hot Taco Bell Border Sauce is a certified vegan hot sauce. This hot sauce is another zero-calorie food with a slightly higher sodium content than the Diablo sauce above.
The list of ingredients for Hot Taco Bell Border Sauce are:
- Tomato Paste
- Water
- Jalapeno
- Vinegar
- Food Starch
- Salt
- Chili Spices
- Minced Onion
- Sugar
- Natural Flavors
- Maltodextrin
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Bnzoate
- Garlic Concentrate (contains soy)
Nutrition Facts (per 1 packet):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 45mg
Mild Taco Bell Border Sauce
The Mild Border Sauce by taco bell can barely be considered a hot sauce. Almost unable to register on the Scoville Scale this mild sauce is very, very mild. This mild hot sauce contains a bit of soy like its Hot Border Sauce friend above. When perusing the ingredient list, you will find that “chili spices” is listed 6th on the list, no wonder it is so mild. Although the mild heat does allow for more flavor from the garlic, vinegar, and salt to be tasted, making this still a decent condiment to your Taco Bell foods if you can’t handle spice.
Here is the list of ingredients for Mild Taco Bell Border Sauce:
- Tomato Puree
- Vinegar
- Food Starch
- Xanthan Gum
- Salt
- Chili Spices
- Sugar
- Natural Flavors
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Maltodextrin
- Garlic Concentrate (contains soy)
Nutrition Facts (per 1 packet):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 30mg
Fire Sauce by Taco Bell
This Fire Sauce by Taco Bell used to be the hot sauce top dog, until Diablo was released. This Taco Bell hot sauce is jalapeño pepper-based adding a good punch of heat. The other hot sauces by Taco Bell listed are gluten free, however the Fire Sauce contains wheat, gluten, and soy. Fire Sauce is certified vegan. Fire Sauce has more flavor components than the other hot sauces on the menu. With onion, several layers of different chili peppers, and garlic added. Fore Sauce also has the highest sodium level of all Taco Bell’s hot sauces.
The ingredients for Taco Bell’s Fire Sauce are:
- Tomato Puree
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Vinegar
- Modified Food Starch
- Chili Powder
- Minced Onion
- Onion Juice
- Spices
- Natural Flavors (contains wheat and soy)
- Xanthan Gum
- Salt
- Potassium Sorbate
- Sodium Benzoate
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
Nutrition Facts (per 1 packet):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 55mg
Healthier Vegan Hot Sauces
Top Brands of Vegan Hot Sauces
- Tapatio
- Tia Lupita
- Siete
Tapatio Salsa Picante
Tapatio Salsa Picante is having its 50th anniversary. Nutritionally Tapatio Salsa Picante is much higher is salt content than the Taco Bell Sauces. This Mexican style Hot sauce is known for having a deep chili flavor with a mild to medium heat. Tapatio Salsa Picante has a Scoville of 3,000. Equal in heat to Taco Bell’s Diablo Hot sauce. Slightly less additives than the Taco Bell Brand of hot sauces. Tapatio contains no added sugar or MSG, and is certified vegan.
The ingredients for Tapatio Salsa Picante are:
- Water
- Red Peppers
- Salt
- Spices
- Garlic
- Acetic Acid
- Xanthan Gum
- Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)
Nutrition Facts (per 5g or 1 teaspoon):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 90mg
Tia Lupita Hot Sauce
Tia Lupita has a line of four hot sauces or salsas. The flavors of hot sauce by Tia Lupita are: Tia Lupita Hot Sauce, Salsa Verde, Habanero Sauce, and Chipotle. For this article we will focus on the Tia Lupita Hot Sauce for comparisons. Tia Lupita brand strives to make healthy and sustainably sourced products. Tia Lupita is a non-GMO, gluten-free, low salt, no sugar hot sauce brand. Estimated to contain 1,500 SHU’s this hot sauce is vegan verified. No additives or preservatives, Tia Lupita Hot Sauce is a healthy choice for hot sauce.
The ingredients in Tia Lupita Hot Sauce are:
- Red Jalapenos
- Water
- Organic Distilled Vinegar
- Salt
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Black Pepper
- Cumin
Nutrition Facts (per 5g or 1 teaspoon):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 25g
Siete Traditional Hot Sauce
This Whole 30 approved hot sauce comes in four flavors: Chipotle, Habanero Hot, Jalapeno Hot, and Traditional Hot Sauce. We will focus our assessment on the Traditional Hot Sauce. Siete Traditional Hot Sauce is grain free, dairy free, non-GMO, soy free, gluten free, and vegan. Gaining its sweetens and glossy texture from golden beets, flax and chia seeds, this hot sauce is unique and loaded with flavor.
Here is the list of ingredients for Siete Traditional Hot Sauce:
- Water
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Jalapeño Pepper
- Golden Beets
- Puya Pepper
- Sea Salt
- Flax Seeds
- Garlic
- Chia Seeds
- Black Pepper
- Orange Peel
- Oregano
Nutrition Facts (per 1 teaspoon or 5g):
- Calories 0
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 0g
- Sugars 0g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 45mg
Final Thoughts
Overall, Taco Bell Hot Sauce’s nutritional value is a zero for pretty much every category but sodium. This is also true for all the hot sauces we went over. Hot sauce does not give any nutritional value on its own. It is simply a condiment to add flavor and heat. To reduce our soy intake as well as additives and preservatives, we recommend not using Taco Bell Hot Sauce on your meals.
Instead, we have a clear winner for vegan hot sauce and that is Tia Lupita Hot Sauce. Tia Lupita Hot Sauce is the best vegan hot sauce. It has the lowest in sodium, and a short list of 8 whole food ingredients. We are sure than if you need a spicy kick to your food, you will not be disappointed with Tia Lupita Hot Sauce. Enjoy!
Related Questions
Is Taco Bell Hot Sauce good for you?
Taco Bell hot sauces are just there to add heat, acid, and salt as a condiment. They offer no fiber, protein, or any vitamins of note. Don’t look to Taco Bell Hot Sauces for adding nutrition to your diet.
Is Sriracha Vegan?
Another great hot sauce unique in its own way. Inspired by Asian influences, thick and very spicy, Siracha is a favorite condiment in the USA. Depending on the brand of Sriracha you buy, it could be vegan. For a detailed list of brands of Sriracha and if they are vegan read our article here.
Is Hot Sauce Keto?
Yes, Hot Sauce is keto friendly and here’s why.