Cheesy Gordita Crunch

Cheesy gordita crunch (double decker tacos) are crunchy tacos stuffed with seasoned beef or chicken, nestled between warm, soft tortillas with melted cheddar cheese. Serve it with all your favorite taco toppings for a tasty Taco Bell-inspired meal!

Craving copycat Taco Bell recipes? Try my 7 Layer Taco Bell Nacho Fries and this Better than Taco Bell Mexican Pizza next!

Jump to:

• Why We Love This Cheesy Gordita Crunch Recipe:
• What is the Cheesy Gordita Crunch?
• Ingredients you need:
• How to Make a Cheesy Gordita Crunch:
• Alternatives and Variations:
• Pro-Tips:
• Storing and Reheating:
• FAQ:
• More Mexican Inspired Recipes to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this Double Decker Taco recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!

What is better than one taco? Two! Elevate your next Taco Tuesday with the cheesy gordita crunch!

If you have ever struggled between choosing a soft taco or a crispy taco shell, you will love these double decker tacos. They are soft, crunchy, cheesy, and filled with deliciously savory ground beef.

Why We Love This Cheesy Gordita Crunch Recipe:

Better Than Fast Food! While the Taco Bell cheesy gordita crunch is pretty affordable and accessible, these homemade cheesy gordita crunch tacos are made with fresh ingredients so it is healthier and tasty too. Plus, you can make as many as you want with no long drive-thru lines!

Super Versatile! Make these tacos as plain or as fancy as you please. Make enough toppings and you can serve these at a party and everyone can customize their own tacos.

Easy to Prepare! With minimal prep time, these tacos are assembled in less than 30 minutes.

What is the Cheesy Gordita Crunch?

Taco Bell Cheesy Gordita Crunch is a crunchy beef taco wrapped in warm, cheesy flatbread. Add-ins include spicy ranch sauce, lettuce, jalapeno peppers, and even more cheese.

For this homemade version, I swap the flatbread for flour tortillas but you can use either!

Ingredients you need:

• Ground beef: The delicious meat used to fill the taco shells.
• Water: To make the ground beef mixture saucy.
• Taco shells: For the crunch.
• Flour tortillas: The soft component of this recipe.
• Cheddar cheese: Shred the cheese yourself for the best results.
• Taco Seasoning: I use chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.

Optional Toppings:

• Creamy Chipotle sauce 
• Spicy ranch
• Guacamole
• Pico de Gallo
• Shredded lettuce
• Diced tomatoes
• Chopped Green Onions
• Salsa or Taco Sauce

How to Make a Cheesy Gordita Crunch:

Cook the Beef or Chicken

Preheat your oven to 375°. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef or chicken until fully cooked. Then drain the excess fat.

Add the seasonings including the chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano. Then add the ½ cup of water to the skillet. 

Stir the ground beef until the seasoning is evenly distributed. Cover the skillet with a lid and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the taco meat thickens.

Warm up Taco Shells & Flour Tortillas

While the taco meat is cooking, lay the hard shell taco out on a baking sheet and place them in the oven for 5 minutes to heat up.

Now lay the flour tortillas flat on a large baking sheet (may have to do 6 at a time), sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese generously on top of each tortilla.

Add the baking sheet to the oven and bake for about 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove immediately from the oven.

Assemble Cheesy Gordita Crunch Tacos

Add the hard taco shell to the center of each flour tortilla, and gently press the cheese into the hard shell until it sticks. The cheese is sort of like a “glue.”

Repeat these steps until all of your double layer tacos are made. Add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Alternatives and Variations:

Taco Shell: For even more hard-soft texture contrast, swap the flour tortilla for fluffy pita bread or flat bread.

Protein: If you do not want to use ground beef, try chicken, steak, or shrimp. Use ground chicken or ground turkey for a healthier alternative.

More Add-Ins: For more protein (or as a meat replacement) add black beans or refried beans. Also, consider adding sour cream and your favorite hot sauce.

Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch: Replace the crunchy taco shell with Doritos taco shells or even just the chips.

Pro-Tips:

• If you are having trouble finding spicy ranch dressing, add your preferred hot sauce to ranch dressing.
• Instead of using individual spices for the taco meat, you can use a packet of taco seasoning instead.
• Save time by preparing the taco meat in advance.

Storing and Reheating:

Store leftovers in the fridge. Store the meat, the individual toppings, and the tacos separately. I suggest preparing just enough taco shells as you anticipate you will need.

To reheat the meat, warm it up in the microwave until heated through. Microwave the soft shells and heat up hard taco shells in the oven.

FAQ:

What does gordita mean?

Gordita means chubby in Spanish. However, it also references a thick Mexican corn cake that is fried, baked, or grilled then stuffed with various fillings.

What is the difference between the Cheesy Gordita Crunch and the Double Decker Taco?

The two Taco Bell dishes are very similar. The double decker taco (which was discontinued in 2019) was made with a flour tortilla instead of flatbread. The cheesy gordita crunch includes the spicy ranch sauce.

Is the Cheesy Gordita Crunch discontinued?

Taco Bell's cheesy gordita crunch was discontinued in 2019. Since then, it has reappeared on the menu. But with this recipe, you can enjoy this cheesy gordita crunch meal whenever!

More Mexican Inspired Recipes to Try

• Tacos Dorados
• Beef and Cheese Chimichangas
• Chicken Birria Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Migas with Chorizo
• Pozole Rojo (Mexican Stew with Pork and Hominy)
• Pozole Verde with Chicken

Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you make this Double Decker Taco recipe! I would love to see your creation, and give you a shoutout!