Our Latest Taco Bell-Inspired Recipe Got Millions of Views on Social Media Last Week

When the mood for tacos or burritos strikes when you’re on the go, there’s a solid chance you may end up at Taco Bell. But of course, the craving doesn’t always conveniently hit when you’re already out and about. Sometimes, the solution is to make a Taco Bell copycat at home. 

A few weeks ago, we published a new recipe from Nicole McLaughlin (aka Nicole McMom) that takes all the flavors of a Taco Bell favorite and puts them in casserole form. We’re talking about the crunchwrap here, folks. While we love a good copycat Crunchwrap Supreme, it’s a single-serving meal. Sure, you can double or quadruple the recipe, but it’s a lot more work to individually wrap and cook each crunchwrap. 

To make crunchwraps fit for a family dinner plus leftovers, Nicole developed the Crunchwrap Casserole which serves eight. It’s got all the fixings you could hope for: seasoned beef, shredded cheese, tomatoes, sour cream, a crunchy tostada layer, and nacho cheese all wrapped in a crunchy tortilla casing—and people on social media are loving it. 

How to Make a Crunchwrap Casserole

To help you "casserole-ify" the crunchwrap, Nicole's video is a great place to start. After prepping all the ingredients and preheating your oven, you're ready to start assembling the casserole. There are a few key components that make this recipe work:

• Coat your baking dish with melted butter before lining it with tortillas. The melted butter will give the tortilla a crispy golden brown exterior as it cooks. 
• Build the casserole upside-down. After you cook the casserole, you’ll turn it out of the pan so the bottom becomes the top. Building the casserole starting with the ingredients you want to eventually have on top will result in a finished product that’s more similar to a Crunchwrap Supreme.
• Hold off on adding shredded lettuce inside. While a Taco Bell Crunchwrap typically contains shredded lettuce inside, Nicole suggests waiting to sprinkle it on top after you’ve portioned out the casserole. Because it has a longer cook in the oven as opposed to a short cook on the stovetop, the lettuce would wilt if added to the interior of the crunchwrap casserole.
• After cooking, let the casserole sit for a few minutes before inverting, slicing, and serving. It will hold its shape better if it has a few minutes to cool, and you’ll be able to make clean slices to the supersized crunchwrap.

Fans Are Loving the Crunchwrap Casserole

The recipe has been a hit with users that have made it. Allrecipes member Patrick Mundy said, “Life is complicated. But recipes like this make it easy to sit back and enjoy the ride." On Instagram, there has been similarly solid feedback. One commenter said, “Made it last night and all three teenagers at my house, including the one with lots of food sensory issues, loved it! Leftovers heated up well in the toaster oven, but an air fryer would probably be even better.”

Users across platforms noted the flexibility to adjust the recipe based on your family's preferences, such as cutting out onions for picky kids, adding green chiles to the seasoned beef mixture, and even swapping Doritos for the tostadas, as one user suggested on TikTok. Whatever your family’s preferences, this recipe is sure to become a part of your dinner rotation.