Today marked the return of the Grilled Stuft Nacho from Taco Bell. It originally hit stores in December 2013, and only lasted about a month or two. It was one of the Taco Bell items I would regularly get during that time. It’s now back for a limited time, so I wanted to make sure to review it before it was gone again.
Taco Bell describes the Grilled Stuft Nacho as this:
“Nacho flavors all wrapped up and grilled to perfection in the shape of a giant nacho chip, with seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, our new zesty nacho sauce, crunchy red strips, and cool reduced-fat sour cream.”
I was mainly a big fan of the Grilled Stuft Nacho because of the price. It was $1.29, which felt like a value, however now they have raised the price to $1.49. I still think that is a good deal, and still in line with the prices of their other menu items.
In ordering it again, my first reaction is the shape and structure. The triangle shape makes it look really big, however it is somewhat awkward to eat. It also is very limp and soft, without much structure inside. Other Taco Bell items, such as the Crunchwrap, are easy to eat. The Crunchwrap includes a tostada shell on the inside that creates a level of stability. Maybe that is something the Grilled Stuft Nacho should adopt? It might be worth trying.
Now about the taste – I am a big nacho cheese fan, and the fact that this has two different types of cheese is a big plus for me. The zesty nacho sauce was somewhat spicy, and seemed to complement the regular nacho cheese. However, the cheese did saturate the rest of the ingredients. The beef flavor wasn’t very discernable under all of the cheese, and the red strips weren’t as crunchy as they could have been, but all in all, it is a nice mixture of flavors with a lot of cheese and sour cream, and some nice textures. I would have preferred a bit more crunch.
With this type of food delivery system, just like the Crunchwraps, Chickstar, or Crunchwrap Sliders, the way you eat it definitely impacts the different flavors you encounter for each bite. With the Grilled Stuft Nacho, it is almost impossible not to eat it vertically, which means most of the cheese sauce and sour cream moves to the bottom. It creates an uneven flavor combination. When you eat this, make sure you even out the ingredients and try to eat it as horizontal as possible.
All in all, it isn’t Taco Bell’s best item, but I think for the price point and what you get, it is right on the mark.
FastFoodWatch.com Grade 3.5/5
For the most part, the flavors are delicious, especially the different cheese sauces. The red chips don’t pack near the cripsy punch as I’d hope. The main problem with the Grilled Stuft Nacho is the shape and lack of structure. It makes for somewhat messy, awkward, and uneven eating, overall the price point is great, and if you are just looking to fill up, this is a great option.
Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Nacho Nutritional Information
- Serving Size: 194 g
- Calories: 570
- Protein: 14 g
- Fat: 32 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Sodium: 960 mg