I tried 10 new items coming to Taco Bell's menu in 2026 and ranked them from worst to best

10. Mountain Dew Baja Midnight Pie

When the original Baja Blast pie made its debut at the very first Live Más Live in 2024, there were gasps from the audience and a dozen DMs waiting in my Instagram from friends who were excited, aghast, or perplexed by its creation.

I actually loved the OG pie, which was surprisingly silky and light — it reminded me of a slice of key lime. The new Baja Midnight Pie was denser than I expected, with a texture that was fizzy instead of airy. While Taco Bell calls it a "passionfruit-forward pie," the aftertaste reminded me more of grape. The sweet, citrusy notes were just a tad too muted and lacked the brightness I was craving.

Although this gets the last spot on my list, I have to admit that the Baja Midnight Pie looks very cool with its marbled swirls and amethyst hue. As my friend Kayla said, "If Willy Wonka were real, he would make this."

9. Fire Queso Sauce Packet

Out of all of Taco Bell's wild creations, this is among its most impressive feats. The chain wanted to create an edible version of its iconic hot sauce packet, and it achieved it!

After biting off a corner of the Fire Queso Sauce Packet, I squeezed the sauce onto the classic crunchy taco that came with it. The packet itself was crispy and light, but it lacked flavor. I know being interactive was the main goal, but I would've loved to see the packet dusted with some nacho cheese powder so it could stand alone as a snack.

Business-wise, though, I think it's a really smart strategy. Gen Z has loved Taco Bell's focus on sauces, and the packet will look great on TikTok.

8. Tacodilla

After combining a quesadilla with a burrito to create the much-loved Quesarito, Taco Bell wanted to fuse it with a taco instead. And so, the Tacodilla was born.

The star of the Tacodilla is the grilled shell, made with yellow corn and flour. It's soft but crispy, with a fluffy, pillowy texture that reminded me of good pita bread. And I'm Greek — I know good pita bread.

While the Tacodilla was massive, I wish it had been filled with just a bit more grilled steak and red chile sauce. The meat's flavor got lost amid all the melted cheese, and some dry bites needed an extra hit or two of Taco Bell's hot sauce.

7. Queso Cracked Cantina Bowl

Liz Matthews, Taco Bell's chief food innovation officer, told me that fans have been clamoring for more chicken items after the debut of the chain's cantina chicken menu. She knew she wanted to release a new bowl for the lunchgoers, but she wanted to make it more exciting.

Enter the Queso Cracked Cantina Bowl, featuring a crackable layer of cheddar cheese atop seasoned rice, slow-roasted chicken, black beans, lettuce, purple cabbage, sour cream, pico de gallo, cotija cream, and a sprinkle of chile lime seasoning. The crackable cheese is designed to be broken into crispy chips.

I'm frequently singing the praises of Taco Bell's cantina chicken burrito, which is my go-to order, so I was very excited to see this bowl. It has the same crispy freshness as everything else on the cantina menu, with satisfying layers of flavor and texture in each bite. As I wrote in my notes at the time: "Fresh, crunchy, healthy, zingy — everything you need in a salad!"

My one note is that the cheese shell on top was much softer than I was expecting. It wasn't crispy enough to lift the salad, and it didn't really achieve the promised chip effect.

6. Chocolate Fudge and Caramel Empanadas

These empanadas are Taco Bell's first new menu items to be released nationwide after Live Más Live. They come as a pair, so you don't have to pick between the flavors. A birthday cake empanada, made in collaboration with pastry chef Christina Tosi's famous Milk Bar, will be released later this year.

I was an instant fan of the caramel empanada, which reminded me of Caramel Apple Pops. The flavor of the filling was so similar, I could practically see the iconic green lollipop wrappers I'd desperately search for in my trick-or-treat bag as a kid. It's warm, gooey, and crispy, and will satisfy any Taco Bell fan who misses the chain's iconic caramel apple empanada.

The chocolate fudge empanada wasn't as sweet as I expected, so I'd guess the shell and fudge filling are both made with dark chocolate. I didn't love it as much as the caramel empanada, but as a pair, their flavors work well together.

5. Strawberry and Cream Mexican Pizza Bite

The Strawberry and Cream Mexican Pizza Bites are as tiny as the Tacodilla is big, and the only thing they have in common with the traditional Mexican Pizza is the layering technique.

In the middle is a cheesecake filling, sandwiched between two miniature tostadas. The bites are topped with white-chocolate shavings and chopped strawberries, which have been macerated with cinnamon sugar.

While the caramel empanada made me think of candy, these Mexican Pizza bites tasted like cereal — specifically Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Their crispy texture and that sprinkling of cinnamon sugar brought me right back to that childhood favorite. I wanted just a bit more cheesecake filling, but overall, this was a fun and nostalgic treat.

4. Flamin' Hot Mini Taco Salad

Taco Bell just introduced the mini taco salad in January as part of its new value menu, but it's already releasing a spicy sidekick.

The Flamin' Hot taco salad features seasoned beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, and is topped with Fritos Flamin' Hot corn chips, with the tortilla bowl rimmed with more Flamin' Hot seasoning.

I gave the mini taco salad the top spot in my ranking of Taco Bell's Luxe Value Menu, so I wasn't surprised to love this dish. The Flamin' Hot rim was a fun visual touch that reminded me of a margarita glass with Tajín. The shell was also deliciously crispy, and I loved the heat from the Frito chips.

I did miss the creamy chipotle sauce from the original mini taco salad, so I recommend grabbing some extra hot sauce packets to drizzle on top.

3. Crème Brûlée Crunchwrap Slider

Taco Bell CMO Taylor Montgomery told me this was the menu item he was most excited to release in 2026.

"It's outrageous that we would do something like this," Montgomery said. "I think it's one of those products that show our fans there's really nothing off-limits for us."

When I took my first bite of the slider, I heard that same satisfying crack you get when you tap a spoon to the caramelized top of a crème brûlée. After the crust shattered, a rush of cream burst through. I was surprised to taste vanilla instead of the crème brûlée's traditional custard filling, but it paired well with the cinnamon-sugar tostada.

The cream is very sweet and would probably be too much if the slider were the size of an actual crunchwrap, but in bite-sized form, it feels fun and indulgent.

This is the kind of drive-thru dessert that I think Gen Alpha kids will remember when they grow up, just like I'll never forget eating Hershey's Sundae Pies from Burger King after school.

2. Mexican Pizza Empanadas

During Live Más Live, Montgomery admitted that getting rid of the Mexican Pizza had been a huge mistake. Even Dolly Parton wasn't happy about it!

It's been four years since the chain course-corrected, but Taco Bell is still making sure fans get their fill of the iconic dish. Joining the strawberry bites and a Cantina Chicken Mexican Pizza — which we didn't get to sample but will also be coming out in 2026 — are the Mexican Pizza empanadas.

Just like the original Mexican Pizza, these empanadas are crunchy, delicious, and inventive. They come stuffed with seasoned beef and a three-cheese blend and are served with a side of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza sauce for dipping.

The shells were perfectly crispy, releasing a gratifying crackle that tickled my ear. They gave way to the juicy, flavorful beef in the middle, slicked with sauce that added an extra kick of heat.

1. Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets

Taco Bell debuted its first-ever chicken nuggets in 2024, and this year the chain will release three different limited-edition flavors. I got to try the Diablo Dusted Crispy Chicken Nuggets, which feature a new seasoning inspired by Taco Bell's iconic Diablo hot sauce.

I turned on my phone's dictation feature to capture my reaction while I tasted the nuggets, and the first thing it wrote was: "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god." Typically, when fast-food chains say something is spicy, they don't deliver more than a mild kick of heat. But these nuggets are truly HOT and not for the faint of heart. That's why I loved them.

The heat from the Diablo seasoning is smoky and intense, with a spice that really dances on your tongue. The nuggets, made with all-white meat, are extra-crispy and plump. They tasted delicious with the accompanying ranch sauce, which helped tame the heat a bit.

This was the first thing I tried at Live Más Live and, after sampling nine other menu items, I couldn't help but go back for seconds. My mouth was on fire, but my soul was ecstatic.