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    Home » Recipes » Sauces & Rubs

    Copycat Taco Bell Hot Sauce

    Published on December 17, 2020 - Updated on January 10, 2023 by Chef Rodney - 16 Comments - This post may contain affiliate links.

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    taco bell hot sauce
    This Copycat Hot Sauce from Taco Bell is not for the faint of heart. If you love a super hot sauce this one is for you! Good Luck!
     
    taco bell hot sauce

    We love to use Hot Sauce when we have Mexican food. And this Copycat recipe from Taco Bell is exactly what we needed for the Chicken Tacos I was making one night. If you love Taco Bell Hot Sauces then you need to give this recipe a try.

    saucepan with hot sauce
    Taco Bell Hot Sauce simmering in Saucepan

    Like most sauce recipes, this one is super easy to make and doesn't call for any special ingredients. If you eat a lot of Mexican Food or make spicy dishes on a regular basis, you most likely already have some Hot Sauce in your refrigerator.

    taco bell hot sauce

    You can use whatever brand of hot sauce you have on hand. I always have a bottle of Tabasco or Frank's Hot Sauce on hand so that is what I typically use. Just remember to start with a little hot sauce, taste it, then add more if needed.

    frank's redhot original hot sauce
    Fresh Jalapeños

    If you eat at Taco Bell on a regular basis, you know they offer many different kinds of sauces. As of this writing, they offer the following sauces at their restaurants: Mild Sauce, Hot Sauce, Fire Sauce and Diablo Sauce.

    bowl of taco bell hot sauce

    This copycat sauce recipe from Taco Bell is Hot. At least by our standards and we eat a lot of spicy food. I'm finding it a little hard to pin down if this is the Fire Sauce or the Diablo Sauce. My wife thinks it's most likely the Diablo Sauce.

    bowl of hot sauce and chicken tacos

    She found it extremely spicy but she recognized the distinctive flavor from Taco Bell. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this in the comment section below. Either way, this sauce is awesome!

    chicken tacos with red sauce

    ⭐ Copycat Rating

    Since the goal of a Copycat Recipe is for it to taste exactly like the original, it's only natural to rate this recipe against the original. This Copycat recipe rates a solid 8 out of 10 in my opinion.

    chicken tacos with hot sauce

    💭 Ingredient Substitution

    If you don't have any Xanthan Gum on hand and don't feel like buying some for this recipe you can substitute for some Cornstarch.

    package of xanthan gum

    Update 6/13/22: We made some slight changes to the list of ingredients from our original post.

    For more great recipes with Hot Sauce, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Cuban Corn Stew (Guiso De Maiz)
    • Spicy Egg Salad Sandwiches
    • Cuban Beef Ropa Vieja
    • The Best Caesar Cocktail

    📋 What Ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Copycat Hot Sauce recipe from Taco Bell (see recipe card for quantities): Tomato Paste, Water, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Salt, Xanthan Gum, White Vinegar, Onion Powder, Ground Black Pepper, Ground Cumin, Garlic Powder and Hot Sauce.

    🥣 How to make Taco Bell Hot Sauce

    In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato paste with the water and stir until smooth.
    Add the cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, Xanthan Gum, vinegar, onion powder, black pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Whisk until well combined.
    Add the hot sauce and continue to heat the sauce mixture to boiling. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes then remove from the heat.
    Let the sauce cool, and then put it in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
    Let the sauce sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. This will allow all the flavors to meld. You can use it immediately, but the longer you let it sit in the refrigerator, the more flavorful it will be.

    Copycat Taco Bell Hot Sauce

    Copycat Taco Bell Hot Sauce

    This Copycat Hot Sauce from Taco Bell is not for the faint of heart. If you love a super hot sauce this one is for you! Good Luck!
    4.42 from 48 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Condiments, Sauces & Dry Rubs
    Cuisine American
    Servings 32
    Calories 7 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 6 oz Tomato Paste
    • 3 Cups Water
    • 2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
    • 1 ½ tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 2 ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum
    • 2 teaspoon White Vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
    • 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce, or to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomato paste with the water and stir until smooth.
    • Add the cayenne pepper, chili powder, salt, Xanthan Gum, vinegar, onion powder, black pepper, cumin and garlic powder. Whisk until well combined.
    • Add the hot sauce and continue to heat the sauce mixture to boiling. Continue to stir for about 3 minutes then remove from the heat.
    • Let the sauce cool, and then put it in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate.
    • Let the sauce sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. This will allow all the flavors to meld. You can use it immediately, but the longer you let it sit in the refrigerator, the more flavorful it will be.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1ozCalories: 7kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 241mgPotassium: 67mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Sauces and Dry Rub Recipes

    • Rachael's Horseradish French Fry Dipping Sauce
    • Simple Poblano Ranch Sauce
    • Gluten Free Sweet & Sour Sauce
    • Copycat Taco Bell Green Sauce
    hot rods recipes

    Reader Interactions

    16 Comments

    1. Sharon

      December 18, 2020 at 8:18 am

      This sauce is very hot/spicy. So if you like this kind of sauce give it a try. I made it for family and they just loved it. I am not a spicy person, so was left out, but I must say it smelled delicious. Will certainly make this again for family or for someone who loves spicy sauces.

      Reply
    2. Zach

      February 28, 2021 at 10:01 pm

      I substituted pickled jalapenos for the sliced, they did not seem as spicy though.
      Thank you for sharing this recipe, because we have not seen any Taco Bell Hot Sauce on store shelves for a month now.
      It is a great substitute until I can buy more.

      Reply
    3. Kerry

      March 18, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      Close enough for me! I love Taco Bell Hot Taco Sauce but only 1 store I know near enough to me carries it, the bottle is too small, and ingredients aren’t great for my dietary lifestyle. We can fly thru the bottle in 3/4 meals between 2people. Like another reviewer I used pickled jalapeños but doubled the amount, used the vinegar from that jar, swapped 1/4 tsp xanthan gum instead of cornstarch, and added a squirt of lime juice for extra zing. Way less carbs than brand bottle or using cornstarch for the amount per serving. And this recipe give way more flavor using less!!! Thank you Hod Rod!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        March 20, 2021 at 6:38 pm

        Love your use of xanthan gum. I totally need to try that next time I make a batch of this sauce.

        Reply
      • Holly Devine

        August 18, 2021 at 6:49 pm

        Hi, I was wondering if this recipe able to be canned? We love hot sauce & have a garden, so would be great to make in a bulk batch.

        Reply
        • Chef Rodney

          August 19, 2021 at 3:35 pm

          I see no reason why you couldn't. Just make sure you seal the jars properly. I have a small write-up here if you've never done it before. https://www.hotrodsrecipes.com/easy-candied-jalapenos/

          Reply
    4. Tracy

      January 31, 2022 at 11:57 am

      My husband loves this!
      The hotter the better, so I added a tsp of chipotle powder. I also used pickled jalapeños as that’s what I had on hand. I normally buy Pico Pica but it went up $5 a bottle on Amazon so I looked for something better and this is it. I just threw everything into a Vitamix on soup mode and it was perfect. Thank you for a fantastic recipe!

      Reply
    5. Claire Biagianti

      March 08, 2022 at 7:47 am

      I love this! Quick, easy and tastes great! This will be a staple from now on in my house!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        March 08, 2022 at 11:18 am

        Glad you liked it!

        Reply
    6. Claire

      March 19, 2022 at 10:42 am

      We love this sauce! Perfect spice, I’m on my second batch, no more store bought sauce for us!

      Reply
    7. Nikki

      April 06, 2022 at 1:42 am

      Thank you so much for this recipe!

      We had a hard time finding the Taco Bell sauce in stores and the boyfriend doesn't care for the other brands we've tried. One night I searched for a copycat recipe and came across yours. I've made it several times now, but just getting around to writing a review because I suck. lol

      The boyfriend loves this stuff! He said it doesn't taste EXACTLY like Taco Bell sauce, but he actually likes it better. Win! I like it too, but I'm honestly not as picky about taco sauce. (I'm who had to finish all the jars of the other brands we bought). However I do love that it's inexpensive and I can make it easily whenever we need it from things I keep stocked anyway. Also, like others, I used pickled jalapeños and the liquid from the jar rather than vinegar.

      Thanks again, you rock! <3

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        April 06, 2022 at 4:58 pm

        Thanks for the feedback! Glad you liked it! I hope to publish the recipe for Taco Bell's Green Sauce in the very near future!

        Reply
    8. Brenda Rosas

      August 13, 2022 at 11:58 pm

      I ordered Taco Bell for delivery and they didn’t give me any sauce. Out of desperation, I looked online and found this recipe and thankfully had all the ingredients except for the xanthan gum(I used corn starch). It taste so good!!! I couldn’t believe how easy and simple it was to make! Thank you to the person that made it!
      One question, how can I store this so I can keep it for my next taco bell delivery!

      Reply
      • Chef Rodney

        August 15, 2022 at 8:09 am

        I usually keep mine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    9. Joe Becker

      August 26, 2022 at 6:47 am

      This is great. Just made my 3rd batch. I found this while looking for hot sauce, as the local stores have had difficulties keeping the ones I like in stock (supply chain issues).
      First batch was the old recipe, the one with diced jalapeno peppers and dried minced onions in it.
      Then I came back to make a second batch, and you had changed it, removing the peppers & onions and adding a few things.
      Would you consider republishing the original one, just for reference?
      Or noting what was changed?
      I liked the original one, so I still put the peppers & onions in it, but the addition of black pepper & cumin are great.
      It's not QUITE the same as TB sauce, but it's great. It has flavor in addition to heat, which is what I look for. Just 'hot' doesn't really appeal to me.

      Reply
    10. Kel

      September 10, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      Nice recipe! Haven’t made it yet, but will tonight. Looking at the mix, I’m betting this would be much like the Diablo sauce. I say that specifically because both their Hot and Fire sauces use jalapeños, and you don’t. That does make a difference. The Diablo oddly doesn’t list any kind of chili or peppers in the ingredients, but probably uses cayenne or habañero under their secret spices. That secret “spices“ ingredient also has a pinch of oregano, dried onion (in addition to the onion powder), probably some cilantro, neutral smoke flavor, and a tiny bit lemon or lime essence as well, so I think that might be where yours diverges. It also has a couple other emulsifiers and binders that can affect the flavor, although not enough to worry about.

      Reply

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