Taco Bell's Volcano Quesarito Review: Does It Bring The Heat?

Even though the dishes are what bring us all into Taco Bell, it's the chain's hot sauces that keep many of us there. This month, the chain is expanding its already sweat-inducing offerings (and a brand new tier of heat) with Volcano sauce. The latest release is what the restaurant is calling an evolution of its fan-favorite Lava sauce, billed as a creamy blend of cheese and spices and even more of a kick than its beloved predecessor.

To celebrate the launch, Taco Bell is showcasing the latest sweat-inducing condiment with a new menu item: The Volcano Quesarito. Fortunately, even if you're not willing to step outside of your comfort zone, you can also find the latest hot sauce tier incorporated into other familiar menu items, from crunchy tacos to steak fries and everything in between. To put this new condiment to the test, I sacrificed my taste buds and dove into the entire menu at one of the chain's locations in Manhattan to see how it all stacks up. Here are the dishes that worked best — and the ones I might never order again.

If you're one of those people who loves to hunt down new ways to experience sheer heat, you're in luck: The Volcano Style Menu is officially live after launching on Jan. 8, 2026, meaning you can find it at participating locations nationwide.

The Volcano Quesarito is now on the menu for all customers to enjoy, priced at $4.99 at most locations (including the Herald Square location in New York City where I held my tasting). Just keep in mind that the rest of the menu is only available as a Rewards Member exclusive, meaning you'll have to sign up for an account if you want to place your order through the app. But don't wait too long to try it: Taco Bell says that, like all eruptions, these special items and namesake condiment are available for a limited time only and won't be on the menu forever.

When it comes to nutritional facts, the Volcano Quesarito itself clocks in at 640 calories per serving, with 32 grams of fat and 55 milligrams of cholesterol. As for the rest of the menu, the Volcano Crunchy Taco ($3.29) has 236 calories per serving; the Volcano Crunchwrap ($6.69) has 604 calories; the Volcano Cheesy G ($6.59) has 492 calories; the Volcano Steak Fries ($6.75) have 480 calories; and the Volcano BellGrande ($8.29) clock in at 804 calories, according to the Taco Bell app for an order in New York City.

At face value, this seems like the kind of item that would best suit a creamy hot sauce. As the name suggests, it's a traditional burrito made with seasoned beef, seasoned rice, and reduced-fat sour cream, wrapped once again inside a grilled quesadilla with melted cheese, the chain's famous nacho cheese sauce, and (of course) the brand new namesake Volcano Sauce.

If I'm being completely honest, this reads as the exact item I would gravitate towards when ordering Taco Bell in general. Even picking it up off my plate felt hefty, which is usually a good sign when it comes to this format. My first bite immediately revealed this was absolutely my kind of dish, with beef afloat in molten cheese meeting a different texture of melted cheese off the bat. Given what I've experienced with Lava Sauce (and this being the next "evolution" of heat), I was expecting a lot more of a kick from the Volcano Sauce off the bat. Instead, it landed more as an afterthought, with the creaminess and spice flavoring coming through more than actual heat.

Still, this was far from a letdown. It felt like the kind of over-the-top menu item I've come to love from Taco Bell, and the Volcano Sauce brings a nice layer of seasoning that rounds out the whole package. The next time I order this (which is very likely), I'm requesting a couple of extra Diablo hot sauce packs to get that spicy kick I'm after.

There's absolutely no introduction needed for this consummate Taco Bell classic. But for those who may have been out of the loop for the last several decades, this is a crispy tortilla shell taco layered with seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, all souped up by the addition of Volcano sauce.

How do you improve upon such a mainstay dish? As it turns out, it's by adding something as delicious as Volcano Sauce. Everything about the composition of this feels comforting, with the crispness of the fresh lettuce to the saltiness of the beef getting buoyed by the creamy and slightly spicy condiment. To put it another way, this takes a perfectly fine but run-of-the-mill offering and makes it something new.

As the second item in the lineup I tried, it was also at this point that I realized that while the Volcano Sauce was not upfront spicy like traditional hot sauce, it built a latent kick, chipotle pepper-style. The building heat that came with my second bite made me realize that I might request an extra side of the sauce to really get the kick I'm after when I'm going for spicy at Taco Bell.

As one of the later formats developed at Taco Bell, I still have a soft spot for this style. This version of the viral crunchwrap creation comes stacked with seasoned beef, the chain's beloved nacho cheese sauce, Volcano Sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, shredded lettuce, and tomatoes, all wrapped up and grilled to provide a perfect little handheld pocket.

Just like the Quesarito, this use of the latest hot condiment provided a nearly perfect distribution throughout each bite, making it much clearer I was getting a different version of the item I've grown accustomed to ordering. Every bite from the edges to the center had plenty of the spicy, creamy flavor I was hoping for, once again proving that this style of wrap is truly one of the chain's greatest innovations.

As expected, I found it hard to put my sample back down and continue working through the lineup. This was about neck and neck with the Quesarito, distinguished only by that satisfying namesake crunch that comes with each bite. I fully expect to order this again when I come back to Taco Bell, but if I'm forced to pick between the two, I might have to double up rather than risk missing out.

Can't decide between a soft or crunchy taco? That's where a Cheesy G (or formally known as the iconic gordita) has always come in handy for me. This updated version is made with a flatbread layered with a three-cheese blend that's wrapped around a crunchy taco loaded with seasoned beef, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheddar cheese. Of course, the addition of Volcano Sauce makes it special.

If we're talking pure texture, this is the order that surely takes the cake. There's something deeply satisfying about hitting a solid layer of crunch beneath a pillowy, cheese layer of softness that just sets the senses afire. It also doesn't hurt that this construction helps you get that hardshell taco crunch without the first bite creating a catastrophic break that sends all of the fillings falling out onto your plate.

In this case, the Volcano Sauce was a perfect addition to a true menu highlight, bringing more spice and creaminess into the fold. However, the doughiness of the softbread made me want to reach for a packet of hot sauce more than at any other point in the tasting lineup. That being said, I'm now stuck with a three-way tie for my favorite order on the new menu, thanks to how well this works.

Out of all the items on the menu, my heart skipped a beat when I noticed this offering. Having formerly studied in Quebec, Frites Supreme on the Canadian Taco Bell menu was the stuff of legend that I would regale my American friends with upon returning home. While it's not exactly the same as what I was eating north of the border (which used ground beef), this dish has seasoned fries with sliced steak, nacho cheese sauce, cheddar, pico de gallo, all spiced up with a drizzle of Volcano Sauce.

First and foremost, let me go on the record to say that Taco Bell has fantastic fries. As a thicker shoestring cut, they're crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, with plenty of seasoning to make every bite count. The Volcano Sauce not only added a delicious flavor that works perfectly with thick slices of steak, but also helped hold everything together. For expediency's sake, I decided to dig in with a fork, which helped me to get a bit of everything with each bite.

I'll go so far as to say that this is an ideal share order at Taco Bell, as practically no one would object to a delectably creamy sauce livening up this already appetizing item. I also realized that a bite of pure fry and Volcano Sauce really helped the new condiment shine, with its creaminess and spice making it an ideal dipping sauce for any type of fried potato.

Loaded nachos might not be the first thing on people's minds when they come to Taco Bell, but with the latest condiment, that might change. As usual, this comes with crispy tortilla chips smothered in seasoned beef, refried beans, nacho cheese sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, and diced tomatoes. Naturally, this version also has Volcano Sauce.

While I don't often indulge in this order, these chips really took on a new life thanks to the addition of this creamy new hot sauce. Even if you know what you're getting when you order a plate of loaded nachos, each bite felt like it brought in distinctly Taco Bell flavors with an added kick of heat that poked through by the time I got to my third or fourth chip.

Just like the Volcano Steak Fries, this is exactly the type of dish I would order if I were planning a group meal at Taco Bell. I'd be interested to see if the chips would hold up as well over time as the fries, but based on the addition of Volcano Sauce alone, I'd be much more likely to try these again on a future visit.

As someone who is decently familiar with the standard Taco Bell menu, it's hard to see the addition of Volcano Sauce as anything but a major boon to the iconic Mexican food chain. Of the six dishes I tried, there were no real lowlights (they're working from a solid base, after all). But items like the Volcano Quesarito, Volcano Cheesy G, and Volcano Crunchwrap all seemed to take on a truly new life with the addition of that creamy, spicy condiment.

No matter what your personal opinion is on the food, Taco Bell is a brand that has built its reputation on giving its customers what they want (in some cases by literally incorporating viral menu hacks into its offerings). Even though it's a limited-time option, this sauce is proof that the chain still knows what it's doing when it comes to innovation. Is it anywhere near as spicy as I was expecting based on the name? Not exactly. But I'll take a condiment that actually adds something to the overall flavor profile of a dish instead of just a stunty level of pure heat any day.

Ultimately, I was very pleased with the full run of items on the new menu. There isn't a single item I tried during this tasting that I wouldn't recommend or order again, and I only hope that Taco Bell considers bringing this on beyond its limited run to keep around permanently.