Taco Bell Will Test First Dedicated Vegetarian Menu

Vegetarians, your dining options are growing. Later in 2019, Taco Bell will be testing the restaurant's first dedicated vegetarian menu. It's just one of a list of New Year's commitments the chain is announcing for the months ahead.

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"We decided to scratch the idea of New Year's resolutions and instead make New Year's commitments," said Julie Masino, President of North America at Taco Bell, in a press release. "From simplifying our ingredients while improving food quality, to creating more new jobs, to improving our recycling efforts, these are just some of our promises to keep doing even better and being even better, and they are promises that we know we will keep."

According to the company, Taco Bell has 8 million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year. About seven percent of all items ordered are vegetarian-friendly or made vegetarian-friendly by substitution or removal of ingredients.

The chain also has a webpage detailing how to eat meatless at Taco Bell that offers tips and lists 13 menu items certified meatless by the American Vegetarian Association. Those items not only don't contain meat, but they are not fried in oil that may have been used for meat dishes. Offerings that qualify include the veggie power menu burrito, cheese quesadilla and 7-layer burrito.

Other commitments the chain is making include working to ensure all of its beef is sustainable, improving its recycling efforts, and creating 100,000 new U.S. jobs by 2022. And while it's not a New Year's commitment, have you heard about Taco Bell's cheese-dispensing billboard, coming this month to Toronto? And if going veg is on your 2019 to-do list, here are 15 vegetarian cookout recipes that will make you forget burgers and dogs.