The Unexpected Seasoning Hidden In Taco Bell's Guacamole

Taco Bell is famous for many things, from its dirty soda-inspired Baja Blast Dream Freeze (part of Taco Bell's new menu for 2025) to the limited-time, headline-grabbing Big Cheez-It Tostada in 2024. However, one menu item that the Tex-Mex chain is not exactly renowned for is its guacamole. 

Taco Bell retooled its guac recipe in 2022 to include fresh ingredients like tomatoes and onions, but it seems the guac part of the new and improved guacamole still comes from a bag. As such, the creamy green condiment is pretty forgettable, and very easy to skip over in favor of more exciting options. Take the chain's beloved Fire Sauce, for example, which also comes with the benefit of being free, and is a great way to upgrade your Taco Bell nacho fries.

However, Taco Bell's guacamole does have at least one interesting attribute worth considering. In addition to avocado pulp and, frankly, a lot of other stuff according to the ingredients list on its website, Taco Bell guacamole contains a somewhat surprising condiment: Mustard. Although we weren't expecting the chain that brought us Mexican Pizza to stick to a traditional guacamole recipe, the addition of mustard to guacamole is quite an interesting choice.

Lots of people have strong opinions on what should or shouldn't be included in guacamole, from Bobby Flay's tomato-free take on guac to the unique culinary mash-up that is Rob Gronkowski's Gronkamole dip. However, generally speaking, in addition to the requisite avocados, guacamole usually contains bright, zesty, herbaceous ingredients such as onions, cilantro, and lime juice. While mustard is not typically on the table when debating over guacamole ingredients, there is some logic behind adding the tangy yellow seasoning to your avocado dip.

Mustard brings an acidic, zesty bite that balances well with rich, fatty flavors –- think honey mustard dressing, or the classic combination of sausages and mustard. In the case of guacamole, the sharp tang of mustard pairs nicely with the creamy avocado, particularly in the absence of more traditional tangy guac additions like fresh citrus juice.

Because Taco Bell is not whipping up fresh guac from whole avocados like its fast-casual cousin Chipotle, its avocado pulp-based sauce likely needs a little extra help in the flavor department. Adding mustard is likely a cost-effective and efficient way to add a much-needed zesty bite to its guacamole. Whether or not it does the trick is up to interpretation, but it just might be worth adding a side of guac to your next Taco Bell order to taste for yourself.