The Taco Bell Bean Swap You Should Make For A More Flavorful Meal

When it comes to fast food, Taco Bell's menu is top-tier. It's hard to beat the prices and the sheer variety of textures, flavors, and customizable opportunities at your fingertips. Unbeknownst to many, though, one of the best ingredient swaps has been in front of us all along, ready and waiting to supercharge the flavor of your favorite bean-filled menu items. Yep, we're talking about the simplest of all Taco Bell menu hacks: swapping out Taco Bell's refried beans for black beans.

For many, the texture and flavor of Taco Bell's black beans are far more desirable than the soft (but still satisfying) refried beans. For example, the obvious switch from refried to black bean cheesy bean and rice burrito is an upgrade in flavor, texture, and nutritional benefits. Black beans offer more grams of protein and fiber per serving, and also have a significantly more flavorful profile. Taco Bell's black bean recipe features onion powder, chili powder, and various spice blends, compared to the straightforward refried bean recipe. Plus, the black beans are a protein-heavy substitute for meat if you want to keep your order vegetarian. Even if you aren't meatless, though, it's worth experimenting to elevate your order at Taco Bell.

At Taco Bell, you can get creative with your order, and the employees are totally down for your menu experimentation. Try black beans on the Mexican pizza by asking the cook to pile the beans on top of the pizza (for a slight upcharge). Or, you can also request them inside the Mexican pizza — which, if you opt to keep the refried beans in as a binder (and you should), is a two-bean delight.

It's also worth adding black beans to a Nachos BellGrande, either instead of or in addition to the refried beans. Diners who can't stand the refried beans making some of their chips soggy by the time they get home with their order, take note! This is how you can avoid those floppy chips. And for the Taco Bell-loving vegans and vegetarians who are rightfully obsessed with the spicy potato soft taco, skip the "make it Supreme" option for an extra dollar and add black beans for just 30 cents more. We all know the sky's the limit when it comes to the interchangeability of Taco Bell's menu, but you can think outside the bun by topping all of your items with black beans next time you order. And to make it even better, take advantage of a different (free) step and ask for your burrito to be grilled.