Quick Answer
The nacho cheese sauce at Taco Bell is not very spicy. While it has a little kick from spices like cumin and chili powder, the nacho cheese sauce gets most of its flavor from cheese, milk, and other dairy ingredients. The sauce is mildly spicy at most. Those who are very sensitive to spice may find it has a bit of heat, but it is not overwhelmingly hot or spicy for most people. The nacho cheese sauce at Taco Bell is meant to have a cheesy, savory taste with just a touch of spice.
Ingredients in Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Sauce
The main ingredients in Taco Bell’s nacho cheese sauce include:
| Ingredient | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Milk | Provides creaminess and cheese flavor |
| Cheddar Cheese | Adds sharp, tangy cheese flavor |
| Monterey Jack Cheese | Contributes a mild, buttery cheese taste |
| Jalapeño Puree | Provides a subtle heat |
| Tomato Puree | Adds richness and a touch of acidity |
| Onion Powder | Provides savory, oniony flavor |
| Garlic Powder | Gives a subtle garlic taste |
| Cumin | Adds a warm, earthy flavor |
| Chili Powder | Contributes mild heat and spice |
As you can see, the bulk of the nacho cheese sauce ingredients are dairy products like milk and cheese. This gives the sauce a rich, creamy, cheesy flavor.
The jalapeño puree and chili powder provide just a hint of heat. But the amount of these spicy ingredients is relatively small compared to the cheese, milk, and other components.
Heat Level of Jalapeños and Chili Powder
Jalapeño peppers on their own can range from mild to moderately hot. On the Scoville scale, they measure 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. By comparison, habanero peppers can be over 300,000 SHU.
But Taco Bell uses jalapeño puree, which dilutes the heat. The other ingredients like cheese and milk also offset the spice. So the jalapeño puree adds just a touch of heat.
Likewise, chili powder blends contain mild ground chile peppers like ancho, pasilla, and New Mexico chiles. These are not nearly as hot as chiles like cayenne. So the chili powder provides a subtle spiciness.
Taste Reviews of Taco Bell Nacho Cheese Sauce
When reviewing the nacho cheese sauce at Taco Bell, most people describe it as mildly spicy at most:
| Review |
|---|
| “The nacho cheese sauce has a nice hit of spice at the end, but it’s mostly just cheesy and creamy with a hint of heat.” |
| “I’d describe the Taco Bell nacho cheese sauce as very mildly spicy. You mostly taste cheese, onions, and tomatoes with a bit of cumin.” |
| “While you can detect some chili flavor, the nacho sauce is pretty low on the spice level. I’d say it’s more savory than spicy.” |
| “If you’re very sensitive to spice, the nacho cheese may have a slight kick from the jalapeño puree. But it’s nowhere near hot or spicy for most people.” |
| “The Taco Bell nacho cheese has a little tingle from the spices, but the creamy, cheesy flavors dominate. I wouldn’t call it spicy.” |
These reviews demonstrate that most people find the nacho cheese sauce at Taco Bell to be mildly spicy at most. While some can detect hints of heat, the predominant flavors are of cheese, milk, and tomatoes. The spice level is low enough that even those sensitive to heat likely won’t find the sauce overly hot.
Spiciness Compared to Other Taco Bell Sauces
Taco Bell’s nacho cheese sauce is one of the mildest sauces on the menu. Many of the other signature sauces contain hotter peppers and more pronounced heat:
| Sauce | Spiciness |
|---|---|
| Nacho Cheese | Mild |
| Mild Sauce | Mild |
| Hot Sauce | Moderately spicy |
| Fire Sauce | Hot |
| Diablo Sauce | Very hot |
The Hot, Fire, and Diablo sauces contain peppers like cayenne, habanero, and ghost pepper to give them more heat. By comparison, the nacho cheese sauce has just a hint of spice.
So while the nacho cheese at Taco Bell contains a couple spicy ingredients, it ranks on the mild end of the heat spectrum compared to the chain’s other signature sauces. The nacho cheese gets most of its flavor from its creamy, cheesy ingredients rather than heat and spice.
Ways the Sauce Could Be Spicier
There are a few ways Taco Bell could adjust the nacho cheese sauce to make it spicier:
| Method | Result |
|---|---|
| Add more jalapeño puree | Would provide more heat from the jalapeños |
| Use a hotter chili powder | Would make the chili flavor spicier |
| Add diced jalapeños | Would give bites of spicy jalapeño |
| Add a hot sauce like Cholula | Would introduce more heat and tang |
| Use extra sharp cheddar | Would add a sharper, spicier cheese flavor |
However, Taco Bell designed the nacho cheese sauce to have very mild spice. Making it much spicier would go against the intended cheesy, creamy flavor profile. The chain offers hotter sauces for those seeking more heat.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the nacho cheese sauce served at Taco Bell contains just a touch of heat from jalapeño puree and chili powder. But it is not considered spicy, especially compared to the chain’s Hot, Fire, and Diablo sauces. Most people perceive the Taco Bell nacho cheese as mildly spicy at most, with creamy, cheesy dairy flavors being more prominent. While the sauce has a little spice from cumin and chili, it is not overwhelmingly hot or pungent for the average person. Taco Bell could amp up the heat by adding more jalapeños or hotter peppers and spices. However, the purpose of the nacho cheese sauce is to provide a cooling contrast to their spicier taco fillings and salsas. So the modest heat level of the cheese pairs well with many menu items without overpowering them. The nacho cheese sauce gets its signature flavor more from its rich, creamy texture and cheese ingredients rather than high levels of spice.