Cheesy Gordita Crunch Vs Chalupa: How Do They Differ?

cheesy gordita crunch vs chalupa

Cheesy Gordita Crunch vs Chalupa must be on a bucket list when it comes to trying Mexican cuisines. However, people who haven’t got to experience them in person frequently confuse these two dishes with each other. This helpful guide will open the door to discover these specialties in detail. 

Quick Facts

Cheesy Gordita Crunch:

  • Ingredients: black beans, grilled chicken, seasoned beef, cheese blend, cheddar cheese, lettuce, Cali ranch sauce.
  • Cooking instruction: cook sauce, cook shells, and add toppings. 
  • Taste: crunchy, chewy, cheesy.
  • Nutritional value: calories, fat, carbohydrate, protein, salt.

Chalupa:

  • Ingredients: black beans, grilled chicken, seasoned beef, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, cheese blend.
  • Cooking instruction: cook shell and put toppings on. 
  • Taste: crispy, chewy, juicy, cheesy. 
  • Nutritional value: calories, fat, carbohydrate, protein, salt. 

Related: 30+ Mexican foods, so good you can’t ignore them!

Similarities

Taco Bell is the first thing popping into one’s head in terms of restaurants when mentioning Mexican cuisine. Amongst all delectable dishes on its menu, Cheesy Gordita Crunch and Chalupa are the top picks. The two foods collectively account for a majority of revenue in Taco Bell. 

Moreover, both are made from the same flatbread and filled with some classic toppings of Taco Bell, which are seasoned beef, grilled chicken, or black beans and cheese blend. 

Key Differences

Ingredients

A Cheesy Gordita Crunch includes a flatbread wrapped around a crunchy shell stuffed with seasoned beef, grilled chicken, and black beans. It also comprises lettuce, cheddar cheese, cheese blend, and Cali ranch sauce​.

Meanwhile, a Chalupa typically consists of seasoned beef, grilled chicken, or black beans, together with lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, and sour cream. 

Cooking instruction 

To make a home-made Cheesy Gordita Crunch, follow these steps below:

  1. First, heat olive oil to high heat until it shimmers; add ground meat and onion. Five minutes later, add condiments as desired and 3/4 cup of water. Next, turn down the heat to medium. When the sauce thickens after around ten minutes, keep it warm with low heat.
  2. At the same time, lay flour tortillas, add cheese blend on and bake for 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts. Add hard shells to the center, press one side of the shell into the cheese. Bake another 2-3 minutes. 
  3. Add meat evenly with the spicy ranch, lettuce, and cheddar cheese into each shell and any of your beloved toppings.

Otherwise, if you prefer cooking a Chalupa, follow some steps here:

  1. Add 1/4 of canola oil in a skillet with medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, rest a tortilla on the oil and cook for a minute until it bubbles. Next, add two tablespoons of salsa into the center of the tortilla. Cook till the rim and bottom are crisp.  
  2. Put the chalupa on a tray lined with paper towels to drain. 
  3. Add the chicken or pork and queso fresco. Embellish with cilantro and extra salsa verde if desired.

Taste 

Cheesy Gordita Crunch is second to none in how the wrapping is made. Indeed, its ingenious recipe brings about a mixture of a soft gordita flatbread around a crunchy taco shell with melted cheese between the two layers. Coming with classic fillings of Taco Bell, it easily wins customers’ hearts after one try. 

On the other hand, Chalupa has more beef, grilled chicken, or black beans. Besides, the sour cream and cheese blend give this tasty dish extra flavor. The existence of tomatoes also integrates some exceptional juiciness into it. Last but not least, a feeling of crispy texture outside mixed with a chewy composition inside nicely highlights its uniqueness.

Nutritional value  

According to nutrition information published by Taco Bell, Cheesy Gordita Crunch contains higher amounts of calories, total fat compared to Chapula. The relative levels are also accurate for each dish’s carbohydrate, protein, and salt content. See more about each nutrients’ amount here.

What Is A Noticeable Drawback Of Gordita? 

Eating Gordita comes with a hassle from time to time in the sense that its fillings can fall apart and drip off on your hands after one bite. Apart from that, it can somehow dirty your clothes that you better consider choosing this dish for a day when you dress up. However, don’t let such inconvenience hinder your great experience if you don’t truly mind. 

How Are Gordita And Chalupa Served? 

Typically, only after you place an order will it be made to ensure their freshness. Nevertheless, don’t worry about waiting for long since it only takes a short time of around three to five minutes to get your order ready. 

In addition, if you want to store them when you still have Gordita or Chalupasare left after eating, a cool, dry place is ideal assistance to keep the quality of your food. Still, they commonly offer the best flavors right after being done. 

Can People Who Have Food Allergies Eat Gordita Or Chalupa?

If you order it from Taco Bell instead of making it on your own, just tell the server about your food allergies, whether food intolerance or sensitivity. Therefore, they can pick a suitable dish from their menu for you.

Tamara Pierce

Tamara Pierce is a food writer at Elapasony, passionate about exploring diverse cuisines and sharing recipes and food experiences. From trendy restaurants to local hotspots, she's always on the lookout for new and exciting flavors.

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