Archive
Jul 25, 2013

Review: Taco Bell - Smothered Burrito

Taco Bell's Smothered Burrito features a warm flour tortilla filled with Latin rice, refried beans, creamy chipotle sauce, and the choice of new shredded chicken, seasoned beef, or steak. The burrito is then covered in red sauce, a melted 3-cheese blend, and reduced-fat sour cream. It looks like it's served in the same container as a Cantina Bowl.

I picked up the shredded chicken version for $4.09.

It looks like the Enchirito is off the menu board to make room for the Smothered Burrito, which makes sense given their similarities. But don't fret Enchirito fans. Since they still have the ingredients on hand, you can probably still order one.

Compared to the Enchirito, the Smothered Burrito seems at least twice the size for a less than twice the price (if you get the comparable seasoned ground beef version, which carries a suggested price of $2.99; $3.29 at my local Taco Bell though).

There's no lack in the cheese, sour cream, and red sauce coverage. The cheese mostly adds creaminess and a gooey, stretchy texture. The sour cream mixed into the sauce for some additional creaminess. The sauce carries a nice tang and a light pepper flavor.

Inside the burrito is a somewhat indistinguishable mix of rice, beans, shredded chicken, and sauce. Being a knife and fork affair, I cut the burrito into fairly large, bite-sized pieces. Between the chicken, the chipotle sauce and the red sauce, the Smothered Burrito gets a bit salty and there isn't enough beans and rice to balance it out.

I think either the chicken or the chipotle sauce adds just a touch of heat, but it's hard to tell with everything mixed together.

While I wish Taco Bell's Smothered Burrito was a degree or two less salty, I enjoyed the overall flavor profile, which combined the familiar seasoned flavor of the chicken, the earthiness of the beans and rice, the creaminess of the cheese and cream, plus the tang of the red sauce in a tasty fashion.

Nutritional Info - Taco Bell Smothered Burrito (387g)
Calories - 650 (from Fat - 250)
Fat - 28g (Saturated Fat - 10g)
Sodium - 2230mg
Carbs - 67g (Sugar - 4g)
Protein - 34g

14 comments:

  1. Looks disgusting. Looks like the inside of a stomach.

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  2. The one I got tasted a lot better than it looked... but yea it's pretty rich, I doubt I'd get one again. Wasn't bad at all to try though.

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  3. is that a freshly passed fetus?

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  4. More like an aborted fetus.

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  5. $4.09?!! Costs $6.59 at my local Taco Bell.

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  6. The chipotle sauce has egg whites, right? This is a dealbreaker for my allergies.

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  7. That's probably for the meal.

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  8. Actually, you may be interested to know, there is an independent Mexican fast food restaurant that serves what they call the "pregnant burrito" which is a huge wet burrito (similar to Taco Bell's smothered burrito) with a small chimicanga on the outside. I wish I had a picture to show you--but it really looks like a pregnant burrito! It was delicious too, by the way!

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  9. I had one and it was really delicious! As a vegetarian I substituted lettuce for the ground beef and really enjoyed it. It is huge and the chipotle sauce that they add is outstanding but they don't put enough on it. I may try to order it with extra chipotle sauce next time. It's very similar to the Sonoran style wet burritos popular at independent Mexican fast food places and restaurants in Southern California.

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  10. Well with the enchirito discontinued this is your only choice. I prefer the enchirito and was disappointed when told they no longer sold them

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  11. We're not snobs but we have eaten in the finest restaiurants throughout the world and the Smothered Buritto at the Beverly Blvd. (Los Angeles) Taco Bell looked even better than the TV ad and tasted even better yet! Wow. Probably not a good idea for a heart patient with diabetes. But once a month can't do that much harm? Can't wait until next time. Hope this isn't a limited promotion.

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  12. Don't worry. It's a permanent menu item.

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  13. The problem with Taco Bell menu items at this price point is that's less value, less food for dollar and (likely) less tasty ingredients than a dozen mexican-american restaurants in the area which serve something that looks exactly the same except a lower cheese to everything else, ratio. Hopefully they at least use skim low fat cheese so you don't blow your colon on the way out.


    Let's also see some low sodium offerings and then provide packets of salt on the side for salt junkies. High sodium is the #1 reason I don't eat TB more often. Yes I know they offer fresco items, then it's only excessive sodium instead of a salt mine in a shell.

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