Here is the complete Taco Bell gluten-free menu. We don’t personally recommend Taco Bell as a good place to eat gluten-free, but there are a couple of items. We would recommend checking out Chipotle for a better selection.
Taco Bell Gluten-Free Menu 2024
- Hashbrown
- Cantina Power Bowl – Chicken
- Cantina Power Bowl – Steak
- Cantina Power Bowl – Veggie
- Boss Nachos – Chicken
- Boss Nachos – Steak
- Black Beans
- Black Beans & Rice
- Chips and Guacamole
- Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips
- Triple Layer Nachos
In 2020, they removed Spicy Tostadas from their menu.
Taco Bell Sauces
- Border Sauce – Diablo
- Border Sauce – Hot
- Border Sauce – Mild
And all their soda and freezes are gluten-free.
Important: The Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce doesn’t contain wheat, but it does contain gluten. Taco Bell’s beef mixes are gluten-free, but do contain oats.
Taco Bell Nachos
According to the Taco Bell website and sources we have talked to, they use white ground corn for their chips, not flour. Here are the official ingredients. White ground corn (with fumaric acid, cellulose gum, sodium propionate and sorbic acid (P). However, you might want to verify that with your local Taco Bell before trying the nachos.
Taco Bell History
Taco Bell is named after Glen Bell, its founder. The story of Taco Bell begins in 1946. At 23 years, Glen bell put up a hot dog stand in San Bernardino and dubbed it Bell’s Drive. Four years later he opened a hamburger stand in Latino neighborhood in San Bernardino, which he called Bell’s Hamburgers and Hot Dogs.
In early 1950, the area around Bell’s Hamburgers and Hot Dogs was saturated with similar restaurants which led Bell to decide to incorporate other menus in order to stay relevant. At this time, he noted that the Mexican restaurants across the street attracted long lines of customers because of their hard-shelled tacos. Over the next two years, he dined there with an attempt to reverse engineer the hard-shelled tacos recipes. With time, he became friends with the owners who shared their recipes.
A short time late, he introduced taco at his stand and in no time, they were outselling the hot dogs and hamburgers which made him focus solely on Mexican food. In 1954, together with a partner, they opened a taco stand which they called Taco Tia.
A few years later while Taco Tia was a hit and after marrying, Bell moved to Los Angeles and had to sell his shares of Taco Tia to his partner. He later opened El Taco with a group of partners. The new business was a hit in Southern California and it started with four locations. He later decided to sell his shares to the partners and begin from scratch once again.
Combining everything he had learned about fast foods and restaurants, Glen opened a restaurant that served Mexican specialties. A friend suggested he combines his name and passion and call the new restaurant Taco Bell. Therefore, in 1962, the first Taco Bell was opened, a simple 20-foot by 20-foot Spanish style stucco building.
Just six months later, he opened his second location in Long Beach and in two years, Taco Bell had opened over seven locations in the area.
In 1965, Glen sold his Franchise to Kermit Bekke and in 1967, over 100 Taco Bells had been scattered throughout Los Angeles.
In 1978, Taco Bell was sold to PepsiCo for $130,000,000 and from there the chain has grown to thousands. In 1997, PepsiCo spun off its food chains including KFC, Taco Bell and Piza Hut into Kentucky based Yum brands.
Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion customers each year across more than 6,500 restaurants. In 2015 Taco Bell launched delivery via Door Dash and also online ordering.
Sources
- Taco Bell Allergen Menu
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/09/first-taco-bell_n_6818968.html
- https://consumerist.com/2015/04/20/taco-bells-founder-intended-to-start-a-burger-empire/
If this Taco Bell gluten-free menu was helpful or if you find something inaccurate please let us know below.
Not happy with the Taco Bell menu? Let them know we want healthier gluten-free options. Contact Taco Bell
Taco Bell Gluten-Free Menu
- Gluten-Free Options
Summary
Taco Bell does not have a lot to eat for those that are gluten-free and so we cannot recommend them.
Any item fried such as hashbrown and chips are definitely not gluten free. They are fried in the same oil as items with gluten such as flat bread, potatoes and other special items like potatoes and rolled chicken tacos etc.
Yes, anyone eating at Taco Bell should watch out for cross-contamination. I don’t go near the place myself, not worth the risk.
Well i am at taco bell now and not even the nachos and cheese is gluten free and half the stuff on here is not on the menu anymore 😠
So I just at Taco Bell and I ate the power bowl chicken and my stomach is tore all to pieces and I’m not sure why they said that it was gluten free so me and my family decided to call and then they told us it might have been contaminated! Not very happy and very very upset.
Better late tha never a response.
Their cheese sauce has gluten in it.
Today I got nachos which are supposed to be gluten free with the meat sauce also supposed to be gluten free. I’m having symptoms that occur after eating gluten. Maybe they should double check what they’re using. It’s hard enough finding good tasting gluten free foods.
Sorry to hear you are having issues Pam. You might want to check with your local Taco Bell’s manager as I have noticed different branches sometimes use slightly different ingredients.
This article warns that their beef mixes have gluten…
Nacho Cheese Doritos are NEVER gluten free. Nor are the spicy chilli. Cool Ranch Doritos ARE gluten free. You need to fix this article you could make someone sick.
Hi Angel. According to Dorito’s website, Nacho Cheese are gluten-free: http://www.fritolay.com/nutrition/special-dietary-needs/us-gluten-free-products-and-products-not-containing-gluten-ingredients.htm
Hi Angel, yes the Nacho Cheese Doritos are gluten free. I also use an app to double check and it also tells me the same thing. Eat away. :)
The link is no longer valid. However, after navigating their website under Doritos the only listed gluten free variety is DORITOS® Simply Organic White Cheddar Flavored Tortilla Chips.
A lady in the Apopka Florida Taco Bell. When I asked what was Gluten Free she said everything on our new menu is gluten free.
Haha, ya that is scary Debbie. Many employees don’t even know what gluten-free means. 99% of Taco Bell’s menu is not gluten-free.
I’m in Taco Bell In Thomasville, Ga. I ordered according to this website. However, when I told the cashier that I had to make sure my food was gluten free, she looked like a deer in headlights, called the supervisor and asked what gluten is. I knew I was in trouble. Taco Bell should seriously at least provide a safe list of gf items for the employees So people don’t have to ask 100 questions. The list does mention things to be gf that this Taco Bell said are not. For instance, the corn chips used in the nachos are fried with the flour chips. This place is sloppy and nasty and not to be trusted. I stopped in because I am traveling, but I know it to ever come back. Praying I have no reaction.🙏
I’ve never had a problem with cross-contamination at taco bell (but have had that issue wt sit down, higher-end restaurants all the time). Weird. The hot sauce has wheat in it so IDK what this article is talking about. Only mild sauce is safe.
I’m trying to figure out the tostadas. One employee said the diablo sauce they use has gluten. Heads up.
Regarding the ground beef: they use oat flour in it. At least according to the taco bell website for ingredients. Oats naturally are gluten-free but a lot of oats get contaminated in processing AND even in the fields! So far I’ve been fine (and I have a pretty severe histamine allergy and need to keep Benadryl and an EpiPen with me). But a friend of mine with celiac can’t handle the ground beef.
Ps- thank you for this article!
Thanks for commenting Stephany!
According to Taco Bell’s website, the hot and diablo sauces don’t have any wheat in them.
And yes, you are correct regarding the beef mixes. I’ve updated the info above. It is most likely the oats and cross-contamination that causes problems for people with the beef.
Just FYI, nacho cheese sauce is no longer gluten free (it is wheat free) but not gluten free.
Thanks Ashley!
We’ve updated the menu above regarding the Nacho Cheese Sauce having gluten.
Ashley – Gluten/wheat – same thing. I know as have had a gluten/wheat allergy for over 30 years.
You’re right, but it’s because of another gluten-containing grain (Barley or rye), not wheat.
Well, I ate at Taco Bell a few nights ago. I should have known better. I’ve had Celiac Disease for 20 years now. After a day and a half, I felt like I had poisoned my body. My suggestion is to stay away from it.
Hey Michele!
Sorry to hear that. Yes, Taco Bell can be a very dangerous place in my opinion for trying to eat gluten-free. I usually do OK with the Power Bowls, but I don’t dare even think about anything else on their menu. Hopefully one day Taco Bell will add some more gluten-free options.
I wish more fast food places had a dedicated fryer. Doesn’t seem like it’d be that hard. Then we could at least get fries or nacho chips Along with our bunless burgers, etc. Taco Bell could sell us the chips and a packet of soft GF cheese so we’d have something to eat. We are used to spending a bit more for our food.
Spicy Tostadas are no longer available at Taco Bell. I loved them and tried to order them a week ago and was informed they are part of the menu items removed very recently.
Thanks DMc. Yes, they’ve removed Spicy Tostadas from their menu everywhere. I’ve updated the menu options above.
I think Taco Bell’s story is just amazing and a wonderful American story. I have eaten gluten free for 35 years; have such a terrible reaction to gluten, I have even gone to the ER. I have also eaten in Taco Bell for that many years from Arizona, New Mexico and through Texas and never one time had a problem.
I love Taco Bell. When traveling from Texas to Arizona every year, I know where they all are and make sure I stop. A little granddaughter often with me loves the one in Globe, AZ so I cut through the mountains just to take her there….and then, of course, hit the Globe, AZ antique stores. I often eat Taco Supremes with sour cream and again, NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM. Thank you Taco Bell for years of good eating. You are appreciated by this old lady. And now, all this talk has made me hungry. I’m headed for my local Taco Bell. :)
Really? Is one Taco Bell that much different from another? Yuck!
Thank you for this information. I have to be “wheat-free” but not totally gluten-free. As long as I stay away from items made with the soft flour tortillas (soft tacos, burritos, etc.) I have no problem eating at Taco Bell.
HI,
What ingredient in the nacho cheese sauce is gluten?
Hey Laura,
Not exactly sure, but I’ve confirmed this with a couple of folks at different Taco Bells, including corporate.
My father has been celiac for about 20 years now and I have been gluten free about 2. We eat the regular and supreme tacos (both regular and doritos locos) and we have never had problems! Why aren’t those on the list? (Genuinely asking) My father is very sensitive and has been to the hospital many times over very small amounts.