Every Taco Bell Burrito, Ranked from Worst to Best by a Food Editor

• What Is It: seasoned beef, refried beans, reduced-fat sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla lines with nacho cheese sauce
• Price: $4

My editor and I are always singing the praises of slop (aka mushy, messy foods that still somehow taste delicious), and Taco Bell is sort of the king of that stuff. This burrito contained basically all the slop on the menu minus produce and rice. It was tasty, but definitely a bit heavy and sloppy to eat. It’s a good bulky pick for sour cream lovers.

• What Is It: seasoned beef, refried beans, diced tomatoes and onions, lettuce, red sauce, reduced-fat sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla
• Price: $5

With the one-two punch of beef and beans, it was both very creamy and filling, with a high protein content that’ll keep you satisfied for the long haul. Rice would give the Taco Bell burrito a more varied texture that isn’t straight-up slop, but it still got the job done (read: will scratch your itch for savory, beefy, cheesy goodness) without it.

• What Is It: refried beans, seasoned rice, nacho cheese sauce and creamy jalapeño sauce in a flour tortilla
• Price: $2

This one looks like something a picky kid would eat (as long as they don’t think the jalapeño sauce, which is rich and only slightly spicy, is too hot). The nacho cheese added some very subtle additional heat, while the rice kept it sturdy. However, I found myself missing the red sauce that comes in the regular bean burrito in the face of all these creamy, cheesy condiments.

• What Is It: slow-simmered black beans, nacho cheese sauce, seasoned rice, crunchy Fiesta strips, creamy chipotle sauce and reduced-fat sour cream in a flour tortilla, grilled in a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses
• Price: $5

I sort of have beef with the creamy chipotle sauce, as it’s very overpoweringly bacon-y and dominates every menu item it’s in (for my palate, anyway). But its heat was really nice here. The corn flavor of the Fiesta tortilla chip strips really shone through surprisingly, so I think some greens (maybe cabbage?) would make a nice pairing, if you’re open to modifications.

• What Is It: savory, slow-roasted chicken, avocado ranch and creamy chipotle sauces, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, pico de gallo and shredded cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla
• Price: $6

The Cantina menu has a fresher vibe than the rest of Taco Bell’s offerings, as it comes with fresh pico, vibrant cabbage and proteins that are a notch above the standard ground beef. Here, the chicken was tender but dried out as I chewed it. The slaw was pretty but went soggy after a few minutes. Of course, Taco Bell is best eaten fresh (ideally in the car like a famished rat in a dumpster) anyway. This one was definitely a step above the rest, but you’ll have to decide if it’s worth the modest upcharge.

• What Is It: double seasoned beef, seasoned rice, nacho cheese sauce, crunchy Fiesta strips, a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses and reduced fat sour cream in a flour tortilla
• Price: $3

There was nothing wrong with this Taco Bell burrito. But I think I would’ve liked it better grilled and without rice, sort of like a resurrected DIY version of the Beefy Loaded Griller. The chips started to go soggy in minutes, so dig in ASAP to make the most of its varied texture.

• What Is It: grilled, marinated white-meat chicken, seasoned rice, red sauce, a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses and reduced-fat sour cream in a flour tortilla
• Price: $3

This one had similar vibes to the meatless bean burrito because of the red sauce (which is my favorite Taco Bell sauce of all time), but also a fresher, cleaner taste than the rest. Leave it up to chicken to give a lighter overall feel versus beef. This one was also notably cheesy compared to the others, but maybe that was a fluke.

• What Is It: refried beans, red sauce, diced onions and shredded cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla
• Price: $2.50

I will never stop singing the praises of the O.G. bean burrito, which is a stellar cheap option. It was the first Taco Bell item I ever had, and I fell in love at first bite. I still adored the crunchy sharpness of the raw onions and the slightly earthy, bright-and-tangy red sauce. Texturally, sure, it’s mostly slop. But the onion made a big difference. I also like that it comes with regular melted cheese instead of nacho cheese sauce.

• What Is It: seasoned beef, nacho cheese sauce, seasoned rice, crunchy Fiesta strips, creamy chipotle sauce and reduced-fat sour cream in a flour tortilla, grilled in a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack and cheddar cheeses
• Price: $5

Somehow, this behemoth dethroned my beloved bean burrito. It smelled like a grilled cheese sandwich, and the caramelization on the outside was straight up drool-worthy. Again, the chipotle sauce was quite bacon-y versus plain smoky, but it played so well with the other components that it didn’t detract from the experience for me. Eaten while the chips are still crispy, this Taco Bell burrito is a definite home run.