I Dipped My Way Through 16 Different Taco Bell Sauces and the Winner Was a Total Surprise originally appeared on Parade.

If we’re being honest, I think we can all agree that condiments are the unsung heroes of the food world. Of course, the main dish does the heavy lifting, but it’s the sauces and dips that amplify flavors, enhance texture and keep you wanting just one more bite. Whether it’s a dunk in, drizzle on or full drench of your meal, the right dip or sauce can turn an ordinary meal into something extra special. 

And nowhere do dips reign more supreme than at Taco Bell, a fast food joint that basically operates on sauce packets and cravings. There are SO many sauces on their menu that accompany their meals, each one adding its own hint of tang, creaminess or heat.

As a lifelong TB girlie (Nacho Supreme and Crunchwraps, FTW!) who probably has a few packets of Diablo sauce in her glovebox at this moment, I’d like to think every milestone in my career has led me to this very moment: doing a taste test to find the best Taco Bell sauce. Without further ado, let’s dip in!

Related: All of McDonald’s Dipping Sauces, Ranked Worst to First

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How I Tested the Taco Bell Sauces

To rank these sauces fairly, I tasted each dip in two ways: on its own off a spoon and on a Taco Bell tortilla chip. I wanted to have a taste of the sauce by itself, and then on something plain and salty, because, as we know as food peeps, salt brings out the flavor in whatever you’re tasting. I judged each sauce on flavor, texture and balance. 

Related: Dolly Parton’s Favorite Taco Bell Order Is Surprisingly Relatable

16 Taco Bell Sauces, Ranked Worst to First

16. Red Sauce

The Taco Bell classic red sauce, usually served with their burritos, was my least favorite of the bunch. It had hints of tomato and chili flavors, but was extremely thin. The flavor tasted watered down and dull.

15. Mexican Pizza Sauce

This sauce was very similar in texture to the red sauce, but it also contained unidentifiable pieces (my husband suspected peppers?). The tomato-based sauce was very garlicky and had an overpowering chili powder flavor. To be fair, I’m not sure this sauce is supposed to be sold without its main dish, Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza, but I guess it was my (un)lucky day?!

14. Avocado Verde Salsa 

Honorable mention for this packet being adorable, but the texture was disappointingly watery. The tanginess overwhelmed any subtle avocado flavor. It lacked the creamy richness you’d expect from a sauce with the word “avocado” in it.

13. Hot Honey Diablo Sauce

I was very hopeful for this one, given my love for Mike’s Hot Honey. My gut says they were aiming for a classic-fast-food-vibe sweet and sour sauce, but this sauce missed the mark for me. And with a name like “Diablo Sauce,” you would expect some heat, but it was barely spicy.

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12. Creamy Jalapeño Sauce

This sauce was very smooth and very tasty, but I didn’t taste any actual jalapeño flavor in it. It was giving more creamy taco seasoning sauce versus spicy green pepper sauce.

11-8. Mild, Hot, Fire and Diablo Sauce Packets

These freebies are always a delightful accompaniment to anything you’re ordering off the Taco Bell menu. I’m ranking them together because, as far as I can taste, they are all a very similar flavor, but with different amounts of heat. With the names that they have, I was expecting the Fire and Diablo sauces to be much hotter than they actually were.

7. Avocado Ranch Sauce

This sauce was very good, very smooth and had a great ranch flavor, but the only thing that hinted at avocado in this sauce was the color. I didn’t taste a hint of avocado flavor. I might rename this one zesty green ranch, versus its given name. 

Related: The Taco Bell Burrito-Ordering Hack We Wish We’d Known About Sooner

6. Bell Sauce

This is Taco Bell’s “special sauce,” if you will. It’s creamy, smooth and tangy. It’s one of those sauces you can put on just about everything.

5. Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce

Another “fire” sauce that’s spicy in name only. It’s smooth with great, classic ranch flavor and slightly spicy, but not enough to call it “Fire Ranch.” It plays it safe, in a comforting and crowd-pleasing way. 

Related: I Got a Sneak Peek of the Brand New Hidden Valley Ranch Flavors and My Favorite Shocked Me

4. Nacho Cheese

As classic as they come. Creamy, cheesy and somewhat artificial tasting, just like every other nacho cheese sauce you remember from childhood. Never change, Nacho Cheese.

3. ChipotleSauce

This is the epitome of a classic Taco Bell Sauce. It’s smoky, creamy and a little spicy from the chili flavor and is the perfect accessory to their quesadillas and chipotle melts. The flavor is solid chipotle flavor, without being overpowering or too spicy. 

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2. Spicy Ranch Sauce

This is everything you want a ranch to be—well-balanced, creamy and peppery. I tasted more buttermilk in the base of this ranch, but again, didn’t get a ton of spicy flavor.

1. Jalapeño Honey Mustard Sauce 

This sauce was pretty perfect. It’s a classic honey mustard, but with a satisfying, notable jalapeño kick. I loved that it was a well-balanced, spicy honey mustard—not too spicy and not too sweet. I would eat this on many foods, both on and off the Taco Bell menu.

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I Dipped My Way Through 16 Different Taco Bell Sauces and the Winner Was a Total Surprise first appeared on Parade on May 31, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.