The Quesalupa from Taco Bell is a popular menu item that combines a classic chalupa shell with melty pepper jack cheese baked inside. With its crispy outer shell and gooey cheese interior, the Quesalupa is an indulgent treat for Taco Bell fans. However, like many fast food items, it does come with a significant amount of carbohydrates. For people counting their carb intake or following a low-carb diet, knowing the Quesalupa’s carb count is important. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed breakdown of the total carbs and nutritional information in a Taco Bell Quesalupa.
What is a Quesalupa?
The Quesalupa is a limited-time offering from Taco Bell that was first introduced in 2016. It features a traditional chalupa shell packed with a layer of melted pepper jack cheese. The outside of the chalupa shell is crispy and fried, while the inside is gooey and cheesy. In addition to the cheese layer, a standard Quesalupa contains the following ingredients:
- Seasoned ground beef
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Reduced-fat sour cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Chipotle sauce
The combination of the crispy chalupa shell and melted cheese interior provides an indulgent texture and flavor. When it was first introduced, the Quesalupa was Taco Bell’s biggest new product launch in history. It continues to be a popular limited-time offering for the fast food chain.
Nutrition Facts for the Quesalupa
When examining the carb count of any food, looking at the complete nutrition facts label is always the best place to start. Here are the basic nutrition facts for a standard Taco Bell Quesalupa:
Taco Bell Quesalupa Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Sugar | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Quesalupa (154g) | 520 | 28g | 48g | 3g | 3g | 20g |
As you can see, a standard Taco Bell Quesalupa contains 48 grams of total carbohydrates per serving. It also contains significant amounts of calories, fat, and protein.
To get a better sense of where those carbs come from, we need to look at the complete ingredients list:
Taco Bell Quesalupa Ingredients
- Chalupa Shell: Enriched bleached wheat flour (bleached flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, vegetable shortening (interesterified soybean, canola, and/or cottonseed oil), contains 2% or less of: sugar, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), salt, monocalcium phosphate, soy lecithin, dough conditioner (sodium stearoyl lactylate), yeast extract, wheat gluten, guar gum, dextrose, yeast
- Pepper Jack Cheese Sauce: Water, reduced fat pepper jack cheese (pasteurized milk, jalapeño peppers, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes, sodium phosphate, cellulose), modified food starch, buttermilk solids, milkfat, jalapeño puree, salt, whey protein concentrate, onion powder, sodium phosphate, garlic powder, natural flavor, xanthan gum, lactic acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate (preservatives), disodium inosinate & guanylate
- Seasoned Beef: Beef, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, spices, garlic powder, onion powder, torula yeast), cocoa powder (processed with alkali), cumin, chili pepper
- Cheddar Cheese: Pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes, annatto color
- Chipotle Sauce: Water, soybean oil, chipotle puree (chipotle peppers, water, sugar, salt, soybean oil, garlic powder, acetic acid), vinegar, sugar, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservatives), garlic puree, propylene glycol alginate, onion powder, molasses powder, caramel color, dried yeast, natural smoke flavor
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Reduced Fat Sour Cream: Cultured skim milk and cream, water, contains less than 1% of: modified food starch, fructose, gelatin, mono and diglycerides, potassium sorbate (maintains freshness), carrageenan, natural flavor, citric acid, guar gum, whey protein concentrate (processing aid), DL lactic acid
Analyzing these ingredients gives us a clear picture of where the Quesalupa’s 48 grams of carbohydrates come from:
Breakdown of Carbs in a Taco Bell Quesalupa
- 30g – Chalupa shell (enriched bleached wheat flour)
- 3g – Pepper jack cheese sauce (modified food starch)
- 5g – Seasoned beef (sugar, spices)
- 3g – Cheddar cheese
- 4g – Chipotle sauce (sugar)
- 3g – Reduced fat sour cream (modified food starch, fructose)
The main sources of carbohydrates in the Quesalupa are the enriched wheat flour that makes up the chalupa shell (30g), as well as smaller amounts from sugar and modified food starches used in the sauces and seasonings.
How Many Net Carbs in a Quesalupa?
When considering the impact on blood sugar and ketosis, it’s important to look at the net carb count instead of just total carbs. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber from total carbs, as fiber does not impact blood sugar.
The Quesalupa contains 3g of dietary fiber. So the net carb count is:
Total carbs: 48g
Fiber: 3g
Net carbs: 45g
So accounting for fiber, there are 45g of net digestible carbs in a standard Taco Bell Quesalupa.
Low-Carb Modifications for the Quesalupa
While the standard Quesalupa is relatively high in carbs at 45g net carbs, there are a few modifications you can make to reduce the carb count:
Go ‘Fresco style’
Ordering your Quesalupa “Fresco style” replaces the dairy-based sauces and cheeses with pico de gallo salsa. This removes the cheddar cheese, chipotle sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, meaning an estimated 10g reduction in net carbs.
Skip the chalupa shell
You can order the Quesalupa as a salad, which eliminates the carb-heavy chalupa shell altogether. Estimate around a 30g reduction in net carbs. Add low-carb dressing to make up for the missing sauce flavor.
Swap beef for chicken or steak
The seasoned ground beef adds small amounts of carbs from added sugar in the seasoning. Substituting chicken or steak will remove those carbs.
Avoid tortilla strips
Some locations add tortilla strips as extra garnish. Request no tortilla strips to avoid these extra carbs.
Comparing to Other Taco Bell Items
The Quesalupa is on the higher end for carb count compared to other items at Taco Bell. Here’s how it compares:
| Menu Item | Net Carbs |
|---|---|
| Quesalupa | 45g |
| Crunchy Taco | 13g |
| Soft Taco | 18g |
| Burrito Supreme | 34g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 37g |
Items like Crunchy Tacos, Soft Tacos, and Burritos tend to be lower in net carbs than the Quesalupa. Building a low-carb meal with these options is generally easier. But the Quesalupa can still fit into a low-carb diet in moderation and with carb-conscious customizations.
The Bottom Line
The Taco Bell Quesalupa contains 48g total carbs and 45g net digestible carbs per serving. This carb count comes mainly from the enriched wheat flour that makes up the crispy chalupa shell, along with smaller amounts from added sugars and starches used in the sauces and seasonings.
To reduce the Quesalupa’s carbs, order it “Fresco style”, skip the shell altogether and make it a salad, or swap beef for chicken or steak. Overall, the Quesalupa is one of Taco Bell’s higher carb menu choices, so moderation and low-carb customizations are key for people monitoring their carb intake. Other lower carb options are generally available as well.
