Copycat Cheesy Gordita Crunch (but it’s gluten-free)

Sharing my healthier homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch recipe! Inspired by the Taco Bell original and it is made with all gluten-free ingredients and this comes together in just 10 minutes.

I used to go to Taco Bell every single week growing up. My brother was OBSESSED and he was 100x pickier than me. So my parent’s let him pick the places most of the time. And he was the king of the easiest meals. He’d go to Taco Bell and get a plain taco. Literally just a shell with beef and cheese lol – he’s nuts!

This Gordita Crunch though!! It is cheesy, tasty and EASY to make. Plus when you make one homemade it is so much healthier. I was even able to make this grain-free for us. So if you are gluten-free and love Taco Bell – you are in luck baby.

What ingredients are in these Gordita Crunch tacos:

• Cooked taco meat – I used beef! And followed my recipe for taco meat.
• Hard-shelled taco – you can use any hard-shelled taco shell you want
• Almond flour tortillas – to keep these gluten-free, I used almond flour tortillas but any flour tortilla works
• Shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese – either of these works for the cheese or if you want another type, go for it
• Romaine – I use shredded romaine
• Ranch dressing drizzled on top

How to make a healthy Taco Bell Gordita Crunch taco:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease
3. Sprinkle cheese on top of the flour tortilla then add to oven to 3 minutes to melt
4. Add hard shell taco on top and fold up the sides to stick it together
5. Add back into the oven and cook for 3 minutes or so then fill the shell with beef, cheese, romaine and dressing
6. Enjoy while warm!

Tips and FAQs on making homemade Gordita Crunch:

• What is a cheesy gordita crunch? A Taco Bell creation. It consists of a classic hard-shell taco with beef, cheese, lettuce and ranch sauce on top. It is wrapped up in a soft-shell tortilla and held together by melted cheese. SO good!!
• Is this recipe gluten-free? By using almond flour tortillas it is. The one at Taco Bell is not gluten-free as it uses flour tortillas.
• I don’t eat meat, can I substitute the beef? Yes. Feel free to sub vegan meat or if you just prefer another meat, use turkey, chicken or another ground meat.
• Are these okay leftover? I recommend eating fresh out of oven. They are best then but of course if you have leftovers, save them and reheat in oven or stovetop. Microwave would make them soggy.

A few other delicious and easy Mexican-flared recipes:

Vegetarian Enchilada Pasta (gluten-free)

Insanely Delicious Gluten-free Mini Taco Cups

20-minute Healthy Burrito Bowls!

INSANE Mexican Street Corn Taco Casserole!