Written by Kayla Hoffman (Features Writer)
When it comes to fast-food chains, Taco Bell is a well-known favorite amongst the public. Their menu presents lots of unique items like nacho cheese fries and icy drinks called “freezes” that can come in flavors like Baja Blast. However, a common menu item that cannot be found anywhere else is something called the Crunchwrap supreme.
The Crunchwrap was designed by Taco Bell specifically for people eating while driving. Tacos and other food items like it can get very messy, especially while driving in a car. I for one, manage to get shredded cheese and lettuce all over the car after going through the Taco Bell drive-through. The Crunchwrap offers everything one may love about a taco in a simpler presentation for perhaps a long road trip.
Whether you’re social-distancing or refuse to trust in the food quality of drive-through services, social media, particularly TikTok, spread the message of making your own Crunchwrap supreme at home! With this idea comes the possibility of adding or taking away ingredients that you want or don’t want. When ordered from the Taco Bell menu, you get seasoned beef, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, and creamy nacho cheese. You can also add various things chicken, beans, or creamy jalapeno sauce. With this at-home method of making this fast-food favorite, you can add things that you wouldn’t typically see on the menu.
Beef:
- 1 lb of ground beef
- 1 tsp of chili powder
- ½ tsp of ground paprika
- ½ tsp of cumin
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Additional Ingredients:
- 8 large flour tortillas
- ½ cup of nacho cheese sauce
- 4 tostada shells
- 1 cup sour creme
- 2 cups shredded lettuce
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup each of shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey jack
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Supplies
- Non-stick skillet
- Medium-sized bowl
- Wooden spoon
- knife
- Utensils to help build the Crunchwraps (like spoons, knives, forks)
First, you need to season the beef and prep all of the ingredients. In a bowl, with clean hands, mix all the spices and beef together. Be sure to wash your hands before and after this process. Chop your tomatoes and lettuce and portion your other ingredients like the cheese, sour cream, nacho cheese sauce, oil, tortillas, and tostada shells. Tostada shells are like round tortillas but harder, think “giant round chip”. These give the “crunch” to your wrap. This recipe is not just in the cooking, it’s a lot of prep.
Once the beef and spices are all mixed thoroughly, over medium heat, combine and cook your beef until you don’t see any pink left in the meat. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Drain the fat and set your meat aside. Clean the pan because you’ll be using this later to cook your Crunchwraps. Next is when you assemble your Crunchwraps.
Take a large flour tortilla and place a tostada shell in the center. Trace around the edges of the shell with your knife to cut a smaller tortilla you’ll be adding as the last and top layer. Remove the tostada shell and the cut-out smaller tortilla and replace it with a full tortilla again. Add a scoop of ground beef to the center of the remaining 4 large flour tortillas, leaving a decent amount of space for you to fold your Crunchwraps. Take your nacho cheese sauce and spread your delighted amount over each and put a tostada shell on top. This separates the meat and cheese layer from your lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. Spread the sour cream, then top it with lettuce, tomato, and cheeses. Place your smaller flour tortilla cutout from the beginning on top and tightly fold edges of the large tortilla toward the center, creating this pleated look on the outside. Quickly invert Crunchwraps so pleats are on the bottom and they stay together. This can be difficult due to the fact it can fall apart easily, so be careful with this as you cook in the non-stick skillet.
In the same skillet over medium heat, heat your vegetable oil. Add your Crunchwrap and cook on each side for about three minutes or until golden brown. Repeat for more Crunchwraps and enjoy this fast-food delicacy at home!
The Claw 