Homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch with Spicy Ranch
Homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch with Spicy Ranch
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cold water, for slurry
- 1/2 packet Taco Bell Original Taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
For the Spicy Ranch
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
For Assembly
- 4 flatbreads, such as Kontos Gyro bread
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, block, shredded
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, block, shredded
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded super duper thin
- 4 hard shell tacos, yellow corn tortilla shells
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of cold water and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
⏱️ 1 min
- 2
Cook the ground beef: Brown the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Use a potato masher to break down the beef into a very fine consistency, mimicking Taco Bell's texture.
⏱️ 8 min
- 3
Drain excess fat: Once the beef is browned, tilt the pan and use paper towels held with tongs to carefully dab and absorb the excess fat. Discard the paper towels.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Season and simmer beef: Add 1/2 packet of Taco Bell Original Taco seasoning to the beef. Pour in 3/4 cup of water, then stir in the prepared cornstarch slurry. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and let the beef simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a saucy consistency.
⏱️ 12 min
- 5
Prepare the spicy ranch: In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk all ingredients until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Prepare cheese and lettuce: Shred both the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses into a bowl. Shred the iceberg lettuce into very thin strips.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Melt cheese onto flatbread: Place one flatbread on a microwave-safe plate. Generously sprinkle a portion of the shredded cheese mixture (cheddar and pepper jack) over the flatbread. Microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Seal the hard shell: Immediately take one hard shell taco and place it in the center of the melted cheese on the flatbread. Carefully fold and seal the flatbread around the hard shell taco, using the melted cheese to adhere them together. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for the remaining flatbreads and hard shells.
⏱️ 4 min
- 9
Assemble the Cheesy Gordita Crunch: Fill the inside of each hard shell taco with a healthy serving of the prepared seasoned ground beef. Drizzle some of the homemade spicy ranch over the beef. Add a layer of shredded lettuce, then finish by sprinkling more shredded cheese on top of the lettuce.
⏱️ 4 min
- 10
Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch!
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch with Spicy Ranch
Ingredients
For the Seasoned Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cold water, for slurry
- 1/2 packet Taco Bell Original Taco seasoning
- 3/4 cup water
For the Spicy Ranch
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash cayenne pepper
For Assembly
- 4 flatbreads, such as Kontos Gyro bread
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, block, shredded
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, block, shredded
- 2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded super duper thin
- 4 hard shell tacos, yellow corn tortilla shells
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of cold water and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
⏱️ 1 min - 2
Cook the ground beef: Brown the ground beef in a large pan over medium-high heat. Use a potato masher to break down the beef into a very fine consistency, mimicking Taco Bell's texture.
⏱️ 8 min - 3
Drain excess fat: Once the beef is browned, tilt the pan and use paper towels held with tongs to carefully dab and absorb the excess fat. Discard the paper towels.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Season and simmer beef: Add 1/2 packet of Taco Bell Original Taco seasoning to the beef. Pour in 3/4 cup of water, then stir in the prepared cornstarch slurry. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and let the beef simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a saucy consistency.
⏱️ 12 min - 5
Prepare the spicy ranch: In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Whisk all ingredients until well combined and smooth.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Prepare cheese and lettuce: Shred both the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses into a bowl. Shred the iceberg lettuce into very thin strips.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Melt cheese onto flatbread: Place one flatbread on a microwave-safe plate. Generously sprinkle a portion of the shredded cheese mixture (cheddar and pepper jack) over the flatbread. Microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Seal the hard shell: Immediately take one hard shell taco and place it in the center of the melted cheese on the flatbread. Carefully fold and seal the flatbread around the hard shell taco, using the melted cheese to adhere them together. Repeat steps 7 and 8 for the remaining flatbreads and hard shells.
⏱️ 4 min - 9
Assemble the Cheesy Gordita Crunch: Fill the inside of each hard shell taco with a healthy serving of the prepared seasoned ground beef. Drizzle some of the homemade spicy ranch over the beef. Add a layer of shredded lettuce, then finish by sprinkling more shredded cheese on top of the lettuce.
⏱️ 4 min - 10
Serve immediately and enjoy your homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch!
⏱️ 1 min