If you’re like most Americans, Taco Bell is likely to be your go-to place to get your Mexican food fix. But did you know that Del Taco is far more vegan-friendly?
The American fast-food restaurant chain has been stepping up its vegan food game for a while. Although it still has a long way to go before it can be categorized as one of the country’s most vegan-friendly fast food chains, Del Taco certainly is one of the best places for Mexican-inspired vegan food.
Let’s find out what’s making Del Taco vegans’ favorite Mexican food spot and take a look at all Del Taco vegan options.
Why Do Vegans Love Del Taco?
In case you’re new to the vegan world and wonder why all Mexican food loving vegans around you seem to be crazy about Del Taco, let me solve the puzzle for you. Del Taco offers Beyond Meat!
Yes, you read that right!
Del Taco took the vegan world by storm when it added plant-based meat to its menu in 2019 with Beyond Tacos. It was the country’s first Mexican fast-food chain restaurant to do so. Naturally, it attracted a whole lot of customers and became a new favorite of plant-eaters.
What’s Vegan at Del Taco?
Whether you’re craving delicious tacos or hearty burritos, Del Taco has you covered. Here’s a list of all the vegan options at Del Taco for your convenience:
- Epic Beyond Fresh Guacamole Burrito
- Epic Beyond Cali Burrito – requires customization
- Beyond 8-Layer Burrito – requires customization
- 8-Layer Veggie Burrito – requires customization
- “Jacked Up Value” Bean & Rice Burrito – requires customization
- Bean & Cheese Burrito – requires customization
- New Beyond Guacamole Taco
- Beyond Taco
- Crunchtada Tostada – requires customization
- Avocado Veggie Bowl
- Signature Taco Salad – requires customization
- Hash Brown Sticks
- Crinkle-Cut Fries
- Bean & Cheese Cup – without the cheese
- Chips & Guac
- Sauces
- Beverages
Keep reading to learn more about these items, customization guidelines and to find answers to some of the common questions people ask about Del Taco’s vegan menu.
Del Taco Vegan Options – A Detailed Breakdown
Let’s dig down a little deeper into each vegan item on Del Taco’s menu to find out what they contain and what modifications some of them need to fully meet your vegan diet requirements:
Del Taco Vegan Burritos
Technically, you can make any of the burritos on Del Taco’s menu vegan-friendly by replacing the meat with Beyond Meat and skipping the cheese. However, the fast-food restaurant offers a 100% vegan burrito and a few vegetarian-friendly options on the menu too.
▪ Epic Beyond Fresh Guacamole Burrito
This is the only 100% vegan burrito on Del Taco’s menu. But, Del Taco has truly hit it out of the park with just one option. Featuring slow-cooked beans, cilantro-lime rice, guacamole, pico de gallo, and Beyond Meat crumbles in a giant flour tortilla, this burrito is both filling and satisfying.
You won’t look for other options because this one will surely satisfy your burrito cravings.
However, if you’re bored of eating the same burrito again and again and look for something a little different, you can easily get the following vegetarian burritos customized according to your vegan diet:
▪ Beyond 8-Layer Burrito
As the name tells, this Del Taco burrito also has Beyond Meat as the star ingredient. Wondering why it is not vegan, then? Because it has sour cream and cheese!
Ask for Beyond 8-Layer Burrito without cheese and sour cream to make it vegan.
Del Taco’s Beyond 8-Layer Burrito offers a delicious combination of various flavors and textures. You get the meatiness from the plant-based meat crumbles, creaminess from the slow-cooked beans and guacamole, tanginess from the zesty red sauce, and refreshing crunch from tomatoes and lettuce. Isn’t it the perfect burrito you ever imagined?
In case you’re wondering about the red sauce, let me tell you that it’s vegan-friendly. Here’s what it is made of:
There are absolutely no two views about how flavorful and scrumptious the 8-Layer Burrito is. It is, however, smaller than the Epic Beyond vegan burrito. If you’ve a big appetite or feeling very hungry, you may want to order two of these.
▪ 8-Layer Veggie Burrito
Love the powerful combination of ingredients in Beyond 8-Layer Burrito, but not in the mood for plant-based meat? Get this 8-Layer Veggie Burrito!
It’s made with a similar combination of ingredients as Beyond-8 Layer Burrito, but has cilantro lime rice instead of vegan meat. It comes standard as vegetarian, but can be made vegan simply by omitting sour cream and cheese.
▪ “Jacked Up Value” Beans & Rice Burrito
For those vegans out there who love a hint of spice in their burritos, Del Taco offers a Jacked Up Value Burrito. While it’s not vegan, it can be made completely plant-based by removing the cheese. You will get a delicious combination of mushy, slow-cooked beans, fresh and zesty cilantro lime rice, and a tangy, spicy green sauce made with a combination of green chilies and jalapenos.
Simple yet delicious, Del Taco’s Jacked Up Value is a great option for a quick snack or a light lunch.
▪ Bean & Cheese Burrito
This one is for true bean lovers. Originally a vegetarian Del Taco burrito, it can be made vegan by skipping the cheese. You will get a warm flour tortilla filled generously with slow-cooked beans and spiced-up with your choice of sauce. You can choose from the tangy and spicy green sauce or the zesty red sauce.
You will likely not want to eat this Del Taco vegan burrito when there are other more exciting and flavorful varieties available, but it’s always good to know all your options.
Personal Recommendation
As mentioned earlier, you can get any Del Taco burrito customized according to your vegan diet. However, it doesn’t seem worth the hassle when you have vegan and vegetarian options. Having said that, if you really want to try a different burrito flavor, I would suggest getting the Macho Combo Burrito customized.
It packs a powerful punch of flavors and a great combination of textures and comes in a huge serving.
The Macho Combo Burrito is made with an oversized tortilla, which is warmed up and packed with seasoned beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, red and green sauces, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. When ordering vegan style, hold the sour cream and cheese. You can either skip the beef or have it replaced with Beyond Meat crumbles.
Vegan Tacos at Del Taco
Tacos is where the whole vegan meat game started at Del Taco. Beyond Taco was the first meatless item on Del Taco’s menu made with plant-based meat. And things have only got better for vegans at Del Taco since then.
Just like burritos, you can get any taco on the restaurant’s menu customized as per the vegan dietary principles, you are better off choosing the following:
▪ New Beyond Guacamole Taco
The only 100% plant-based taco on Del Taco’s menu, this powerhouse of flavors and textures features Beyond Meat crumbles topped with a generous amount of freshly made guacamole, tomatoes, and lettuce, inside your choice of soft flour tortilla or crunchy corn tortilla shell.
Classified as the vegan version of the classic seasoned beef tacos, it promises to offer the same flavors and protein. It surely is worth trying for every vegan Mexican food lover. It’s your classic taco at its best in vegan form.
You can also get a vegan sauce on the side (find the list below) for an extra burst of flavor
▪ Beyond Taco
Since Beyond Taco was the first item on Del Taco’s menu that was made with plant-based meat. But, you may be surprised to know that it’s not 100% vegan; it’s vegetarian. Getting it made vegan is simple though. You just have to ask them to hold the cheese.
Beyond Taco also comes in both soft flour tortilla and hard corn shell, which are filled with seasoned vegan meat crumbles, tomatoes and lettuce. It’s a great vegan taco option for those who do not like guacamole (yes, such people exist) or want to fully enjoy the plant-based meat with no other ingredient overpowering its flavor.
Del Taco Vegan Hack for a Soft Corn Taco
Do you prefer a corn tortilla over the flour one? Only two taco varieties come with a warm corn tortilla at Del Taco. These are the Chicken Al Carbon Taco and Carne Asada Al Carbon Taco. The only difference between these two types of tacos is the kind of meat used. One features grilled chicken while the other contains grilled carne asada (beef steak slices).
All the other ingredients are same, which include tangy green sauce, chopped onions, and cilantro.
Get the meat replaced with Beyond Meat to have a vegan taco with a soft corn tortilla.
Del Taco Vegan Tostada
The crispy, crunchy tostada has to be one of my favorite Mexican foods. While it’s essentially a flat taco, its unique construction allows you to enjoy more of those scrumptious toppings in every single bite (just like a thin crust pizza). Fortunately, Del Taco allows us vegans to enjoy the classic corn tostada.
▪ Crunchtada Tostada
Crunchtada Tostada is essentially vegetarian, but only needs one little alteration to become vegan-friendly.
Tell your server at the time of order to hold the cheese to enjoy a vegan tostada at Del Taco. You will get a crunchy corn tostada shell topped with rich and creamy slow-cooked beans, tangy salsa, and fresh lettuce. Not only you’ll get a delicious combination of flavors, but also a great contrast of textures that will make for a delightful meal.
Bonus Tip
Order Del Taco’s fresh house-made guacamole on the side and add it to your vegan tostada for an even powerful burst of flavors.
Del Taco’s Vegan Bowls and Salads
Del Taco may be known for its tacos and burritos, but it also offers a few varieties of bowls and salads for those looking for healthier options. However, only the Veggie Bowl comes standard as vegan. You can also get a customized vegan salad though.
▪ Veggie Bowl with Fresh Guac
This is the veganized version of Del Taco’s classic Pollo Asado Bowl with Fresh Guac. It features seasoned black beans, rich and creamy fresh guacamole, romaine and iceberg lettuce, onions, and tomatoes over a bed of fresh and zesty cilantro lime rice.
Del Taco’s veggie bowl is rich, hearty, filling, and oh-so delicious. It’s particularly a great option for those who want to enjoy all those delicious burrito flavors without the extra dose of carbs from tortilla.
▪ Signature Taco Salad
Del Taco’s Signature Taco Salad is non-vegan, with sour cream, cheese, and beef as the culprit. Ask to remove these three ingredients to enjoy a vegan salad at Del Taco.
You will get a scrumptious mix of seasoned black beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo over a bed of fresh romaine and iceberg lettuce blend. The salad is topped with cilantro and comes with a side of house-made tortilla chips and Del Taco’s signature salsa. Doesn’t it make your mouth water?
Vegan Sides at Del Taco
For me, a meal is not complete with a side. If you’re someone like me, complete your vegan meal with any of the following vegan sides at Del Taco:
▪ Hash Brown Sticks
A unique take on the classic breakfast item, these crispy hash brown sticks hit all the right notes with the crispy, crunchy exterior and soft, almost creamy inside. They come in a pack of five, but you will find it really hard to not order more than one.
At Del Taco, they cook their hash browns in vegetable oil, so you don’t have to worry about animal ingredients sneaking into your food from oil.
Hash browns may be a breakfast item, but there is no one stopping you from enjoying them as a snack. Order these hash brown sticks with your burrito or taco to enjoy a complete vegan meal at Del Taco or get them on their own for a quick vegan snack.
▪ Crinkle Cut Fries
For potato fans, like me, a restaurant’s menu is incomplete without French fries. Del Taco takes the good ol’ humble fries (that are already a star menu item in their original form) up a notch by giving them a unique shape. The crinkle cut fries offer a superior crisp and inarguably make the perfect side to any item on Del Taco’s menu. They are also certified vegan, so you can enjoy them without any worries.
▪ Chips & Guac
If a restaurant makes its own guacamole in-house, you know that it takes its food seriously. Del Taco does so every day. No wonder people rave about their guacamole.
Del Taco’s signature house-made guacamole is featured in a variety of their dishes. But, if you want to truly enjoy the taste of it, have it with chips. Del Taco also makes its tortilla chips in-house. The combination of freshly made tortilla chips and guacamole is simple but truly delicious. You may take it further up a notch by requesting Del Taco’s signature salsa on the side too.
▪ Bean & Cheese Cup
Bean and cheese cup makes a great side with Del Taco’s bowls and salads. It also goes great with chips and guac; you can make your own vegan nachos by topping the tortilla chips with beans, guac, and salsa.
Bean & Cheese cup consists of slow-cooked beans mixed with Del Taco’s zesty red sauce and topped with cheese. You will obviously have to skip the cheese when you’re ordering vegan at Del Taco.
▪ Vegan Condiments and Sauces at Del Taco
When eating vegan at Del Taco, you can further elevate your meal with the following plant-based sauces and condiments:
- Ketchup
- Red Sauce
- Green Sauce
- Taco Sauce
- Cilantro Sauce
- California Chili Sauce
- Del Scorcho Sauce
- Del Inferno Sauce
- Pico De Gallo
- Salsa Casera
- Guacamole
- Hamburger Seasoning
- Lime Seasoning
- Salsa Seasoning
- Real Strawberry Topping
- Vanilla Syrup
▪ Vegan Beverages at Del Taco
You can find plenty of vegan drinks options at Del Taco. However, sadly, they also have yet to offer any vegan shake. Like most other fast food restaurants, Del Taco doesn’t offer any vegan milk option for shakes and other milk-based drinks.
When ordering vegan at Del Taco, you can pair up your meal with any of the following drinks:
- Coca-Cola
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
- Diet Coke
- Coca-Cola Cherry
- Sprite
- Fanta Orange
- Powerade Mountain Berry Blast
- Hi-C Flashin’ Fruit Punch
- Simply Orange Juice
- Minute Maid ZeroSugar Lemonade
- Real Strawberry Lemonade
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Mr. Pibb Xtra
- Fuze Raspberry Iced Tea
- Gold Peak Iced Tea
- Prima Java Coffee
Note
Prima Java Coffee is 30% Rainforest Alliance Certified. For those who do not know, Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working to promote ethical and sustainable farming, agriculture, and manufacturing practices to protect forests and mitigate the risks posed by climate change. The organization also works to improve the lives of farmers.
A brand that carries the Rainforest Alliance Seal contributes to these causes. Prima Java Coffee is 30% certified by the organization, which means 30% of the company’s procedures and practices are sustainable and eco-friendly.
Del Taco Menu Items That May Look Vegan, But are Not
Like most other restaurants, Del Taco’s menu also includes a few items that some people may mistake as vegan-friendly. However, a quick look at their ingredients will tell that they are non-vegan. I am listing them down here for your convenience:
- Chipotle Sauce – contains egg yolk and buttermilk
- Habanero Sauce – contains eggs
- Secret Sauce – contains milk and eggs
- Burger Sauce – contains milk and eggs
- Epic Cali Bacon Burrito – While the name tells that this burrito is non-vegan, it also comes in Beyond Meat option. Some people may get confused that ordering Epic Cali Burrito with Beyond Meat will get a vegan burrito, it’s not the case. It will still have bacon, cheese, sour cream, and chipotle sauce.
- Grill Seasoning – contains milk and eggs
FAQs About Del Taco’s Vegan Menu
Let’s answer some of the questions that you may still have about Del Taco vegan options to give you a clear idea of what you can eat at the Mexican fast food restaurant and what is off-limits for you as a vegan:
▪ Does Del Taco have lard in their beans?
Del Taco beans do not have lard in them and are 100% vegan. Here’s what they contain:
▪ Is the rice at Del Taco vegan?
Del Taco only offers one rice variety, i.e., Cilantro Lime Rice. They do not contain any animal-derived ingredients and hence, are completely vegan. Here’s the list of Del Taco’s Cilantro Lime Rice ingredients for your reference:
▪ Does Del Taco have a vegan burger?
No. Even though Del Taco offers Beyond Meat, it doesn’t offer a meatless burger for its plant-eating customers. But, keeping in view the fact that they offer plant-based burritos, tacos, bowls, and salads, we can hope that they will certainly add a vegan burger to their menu in the future. I just hope they do so soon.
▪ Does Del Taco have vegan desserts?
Del Taco only offers a limited number of dessert options, all of which contain milk and/or eggs. The Mexican fast food restaurant doesn’t have any vegan sweet treat on its menu.
Conclusion – Is Del Taco Vegan-Friendly?
Del Taco may still have a long way to go before it becomes the ultimate fast food restaurant for vegans, but it certainly is a great place to be at for some plant-based Mexican classics. What particularly makes the restaurant immensely popular among plant-eaters is that it is the only Mexican fast food chain in the country that offers plant-based meat.
At Del Taco, you don’t have to rely on bean tacos and rice and bean burritos. You can enjoy the classic meat-y tacos and burritos with Beyond Meat. The options may be limited, but you at least have vegan meat.
Another reason behind Del Taco’s increasing popularity among plant-eaters is that it caters to all types of eaters. You have the fried tostadas, tacos, burritos, chips, and fries for those who aren’t bothered much about calories or nutrients and salads and veggie bowls for the health-conscious.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Del Taco is a must-visit place for every vegan who likes Mexican food (who doesn’t?)
Did you find this article helpful? Interested to learn about vegan options for other cuisines as well? Check out my article Panda Express Vegan Options to find out what American Chinese dishes you can enjoy there.
