Stop stuffing your pockets with tiny sauce packets every time you visit Taco Bell. This homemade taco sauce recipe captures the exact flavor profile of the restaurant’s beloved mild sauce using simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. With the perfect balance of tomato, spices, and just a hint of heat, you’ll never need to hoard those little packets again.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to authentic-tasting Taco Bell sauce lies in the specific combination of spices and the gentle simmering process. Unlike fresh salsas, this sauce achieves its signature smooth consistency from a tomato-based sauce, while the blend of chili powder, cumin, and garlic creates that unmistakable fast-food flavor. The low-temperature cooking allows all the spices to meld together without becoming bitter or overpowering.
What to put Taco Sauce on?
Did you know you can put this Taco Bell sauce on so many different things? Sure, it’s great for tacos, but Taco sauce goes well on:
- Quesadillas
- Tacos
- Sauce for burritos, either inside or on top
- On eggs, either scrambled or fried eggs
- Nachos
Homemade Taco Bell Sauce Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- Canned tomato sauce – Provides the smooth, consistent base that creates the signature texture
- Water – Thins the sauce to the perfect pourable consistency
- White vinegar – Adds tangy brightness that balances the rich tomato base
Spice Blend:
- Chili powder – Delivers the primary heat and earthy pepper flavor
- Ground cumin – Contributes warm, nutty depth essential to Mexican-inspired flavors
- Garlic powder – Provides savory backbone without overpowering other spices
- Garlic salt – Enhances overall flavor while adding necessary sodium content
- Paprika – Adds color and subtle smoky sweetness
- Dry minced onions or onion powder – Creates savory depth and authentic fast-food flavor
Flavor Enhancers:
- Sugar – Balances acidity from tomato and vinegar while rounding out flavors
- Cayenne pepper – Provides the gentle heat that makes this sauce addictive
How to Make Taco Bell Mild Sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir well.
- Simmer at a very low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Room Temperature: This sauce is served at room temperature and does not require reheating
- Refrigerator Storage: Store in airtight containers or squeeze bottles for up to 10 days in the refrigerator
- Freezer Storage: Freeze in ice cube trays for individual portions, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months
More Copycat Taco Bell Recipes
- Taco Bell Tacos
- Fresco Crunchy Taco
- Spicy Potato Soft Taco
- Taco Bell Crunchwrap Recipe
- Taco Bell Breakfast Burrito
- Taco Bell Enchilada
- Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
- Crispito
- Cinnamon Twists
- Baja Blast Freeze
Favorite Mexican Fast Food Copycat Recipes
Be sure to check out more of my easy Mexican recipes and the best fast food copycat recipes.
Copycat Taco Bell Taco Sauce – Homemade Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dry minced onions
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a saucepan and stir well. Simmer at a very low temperature for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove and cool. The taco sauce may be kept in the refrigerator for several days.
excellent!! how to up it to be FIRE sauce. hard to find. Can you please send me what to add to make Fire? thank you!
I will have to work on it. Thanks!
I worked at Taco Bell for 8 years they also made the bell Berger every night I had to bring one to my Daughter very good
I would really like the recipie for the Mexi-Nuggets they used to have.
I didn’t even know they had these.
I made this and added a more chili powder, garlic, cumin, and some more hot pepper to the mix.
I had some taco bell hot sauce and I did a taste comparison. This recipe doctored up tasted much better.
do you happen to have the recipe for the sauce they use in the quesadillas?
Which sauce is that?
For the guy looking for a Green Sauce – doctor up a 29oz can of green enchilada sauce – add spice to your liking – i use Cumin, fresh chopped onion and jalapenos. Bring it to a boil and simmer to infuse the flavors & reduce its consistency. Great on corn tortillas/street tacos with chicken, cheese, and cilantro
Great tip!
Thank you for taking the time to create this recipe.
I LOVE the red sauce used on the burritos & enchiritos but not the taco sauce in the packets. Please, please, please, do you have a recipe for the red sauce?
The red sauce is included in Stephanie’s Enchirito recipe. Just do a site search, and you’ll find it.
what ever happen to the taco bell green sause, would like to make some
Stephanie, just for the record, I think you are darn close! 🙂 If you go to the Taco Bell website and look at the Ingredients statements, you’ll find the following:
Border Sauce – Hot
Tomato puree (water, tomato paste), jalapeno, vinegar, food starch or xanthan gum, salt, chili spices, minced onion, sugar, natural flavors, maltodextrin, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (P), garlic concentrate (contains soy). Contains: Soy [certified vegan]
Border Sauce – Mild
Tomato puree (tomato paste, water), vinegar, food starch or xanthan gum, salt, chili spices, sugar, natural flavors, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (P), maltodextrin, garlic concentrate (contains soy). Contains: Soy [certified vegan]
The mild sauce does indeed contain both salt and sugar, so your use of garlic salt is not wrong, neither is your use of sugar.
Just thought I’d let you know, your recipe is very close to the original. I’d call it a blend of the ingredients in the original Mild & Hot Border Sauces.
PS ~ Keep up the good work.
Thank you very much. I did try pretty hard on this recipe.
I liked this sauce a lot just omitted the vinegar. I was thinking that the Taco Bell’s sauce the one that is in the burritos “secret” ingredient, the one that makes us come back there again and again and crave it more are those yeast extract and natural flavors that are hidden words for mono sodium glutamate, a food flavor enhancer that ppl become addicted to.
Ok, recipe is wrong. There is no sugar in the real sauce. Tomato PASTE is used in the real sauce. The real sauce is very low in sodium (35mg) so the garlic salt is not necessary, just garlic powder.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Thank you for letting me I am wrong.
Stephanie ~ I’m thoroughly impressed with your ability to take such a rude comment in stride. Actually, the fact that you allowed it to get past “moderation” shows your ability to take criticism without an issue, even if the person commenting is actually the one who is in the wrong.
I love your recipes and thoroughly appreciate the time and care that you put into each dish you recreate. You truly are the OG, the #1, top Copycat Recipe Queen! Thank you for continuing to treat us with the information that allows us to eat wonderful meals at home without the OUTRAGEOUS RESTAURANT BILL at the end of our amazing feasts! Especially NOW/TODAY, post~pandemic, the bill at the end of your meal can ruin the whole experience, leaving you wishing you would have stayed home and eaten a bowl of Ramen! Luckily, for those of us “in the know”, we don’t have to worry about that anymore, we can put those same amazing dishes on our very own table and enjoy the WHOLE EXPERIENCE, no worries about the bill at the end! OH, and we can have dessert after without the guilt! (Although we’re always FAR TOO FULL to consider Dessert! lol)
Thanks again for the happiness and full bellies!
Thank you 😉 As long as someone isn’t rude, I generally let the comments go. It matters to me, that people enjoy the recipe, and it tastes like the restaurant’s recipe. I agree dining out has become so much more expensive in the last few years. I am really frustrated by fast food and what used to be the casual dining restaurants. I hate paying 17 dollars for a simple salad and soup.
Perfect. Tastes just like the stuff in the little packets or the restaurant sauce they sell in the store.
I found this very close to Taco Bell’s sauce. I will cut back on the vinegar the next time I make it. It was a little too sour for my liking. I also “like it hot” so I used hot, smoked Spanish paprika.
I am glad you enjoyed this. You may be able to cook a little of that vinegar out, also you could add a little sugar.
can i can this recipe?
Yes, but I would pressure can it, to be safe.
I GONNA DO THAT I LOVE TACO BELL!!!:p
Who doesn’t love a run to the border?
I liked it, and actually thought it was pretty damn close to Taco bell’s Mild sauce.
I am happy that you enjoyed this recipe.
Would this be something I could make in a big batch, then can in mason jars for longer storage?
I did this, several years ago. Made 10 pints per batch with homegrown tomato puree. Came back to find the recipe again. 🙂
Did you just process this with a hot water bath? If so, how long did you process this.
is this the taco bell sauce they use in their burritos?
It’s not the sauce in the burritos.
i really want the recipe for the red sauce in burritos pls!
^ Agreed ^
Meeee toooo!!!!! I tried the recipe here and it’s definitely NOT the burrito sauce….damn…
http://www.instructables.com/id/Taco-Bell-Lava-Sauce/
Too hot. I cut the cayenne in half.