✔ Updated · new copycat recipe with step photos
This copycat Taco Bell Volcano Sauce is a creamy, spicy lava cheese sauce you can make in 10 minutes. I've included the Volcano Taco build too, red shell and all, because the sauce deserves it.
How Do You Make Taco Bell Volcano Sauce at Home? (Quick Answer)
Make a quick roux with a tablespoon each of butter and flour, whisk in 3/4 cup of milk and simmer until lightly thick. Over low heat, melt in 4 slices of American cheese and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. Off the heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons of mayo, cayenne, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and a spoon of jalapeno brine. Taste and add heat.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Add the spices off the heat. Cayenne and paprika scorch fast in a hot cheese sauce, and a scorched sauce tastes bitter instead of fiery.
Why You'll Love This Volcano Sauce
- Creamy and fiery a smooth cheese sauce with a slow cayenne burn.
- 10 minutes with one small pan and a whisk.
- Red shells at home with a quick brush of paprika oil.
- Goes on everything tacos, nachos, burritos, fries and eggs.
- Adjustable heat from mild and smoky to proper lava.
What Is Taco Bell Volcano Sauce?
Taco Bell's Lava Sauce is a spicy, creamy cheese sauce, the fiery orange drizzle that made the Volcano menu famous. The Volcano Taco put it in a bright red crunchy shell with seasoned beef and lettuce, and Taco Bell's newer Volcano Sauce is described as part of that same Lava Sauce family.
There's no official recipe, so this is how I make mine: a silky cheese sauce built on American cheese and cheddar, with cayenne for the burn, smoked paprika for the color and a splash of jalapeno brine for tang. I'd bring the Volcano Taco back tomorrow, but until then, this does the job.
Is it still on the menu? Not as a regular item. Taco Bell launched the Volcano Taco around 2008, the Volcano menu disappeared in 2013, and it has popped back for short runs since, including a summer 2023 return. More recently Taco Bell has offered a limited-time Volcano Sauce, so check the Taco Bell app near you.
Ingredient Notes
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- American cheese: deli slices melt silky and keep the sauce smooth.
- Sharp cheddar: shred it yourself; bagged cheese has anti-caking powder that can turn the sauce grainy.
- Mayonnaise: two spoons make it creamy and a little tangy, like a squeeze-bottle sauce.
- Cayenne and smoked paprika: cayenne for the heat, smoked paprika for the deep red-orange color.
- Jalapeno brine: from a jar of pickled jalapenos. It adds tang without chopping anything.
- Taco shells: regular crunchy corn shells, tinted red with paprika oil.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- American cheese is the secret. It melts silky smooth and keeps the sauce from turning grainy. The cheddar brings the flavor.
- Low heat for cheese. Add it a handful at a time over low heat. Boiling cheese sauce splits and goes stringy.
- Spices off the heat. Whisk in the cayenne and paprika after the pan comes off the burner so they taste bright, not scorched.
- Build heat slowly. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and taste. You can always add more lava, you can't take it out.
- Thin it as it sits. The sauce thickens as it cools. Whisk in a spoon of warm milk to loosen it before serving.
- The red shell trick. A thin brush of paprika oil and 5 minutes in the oven gives store-bought shells that volcano red. In my Austin years I'd have driven across town for these, and now they're on my sheet pan.
- Crumble the beef fine. Tiny, saucy crumbles sit in the shell. Big chunks fall out the bottom with the first bite.
Copycat Taco Bell Volcano Sauce and Volcano Tacos
8
tacos15
minutes25
minutes290
kcal40
minutesA copycat Taco Bell lava sauce: a smooth, spicy, creamy cheese sauce with cayenne, paprika and jalapeno brine, plus Volcano Tacos with Taco Bell-style seasoned beef, lettuce and cheddar in red-tinted crunchy shells. Makes about 1 1/4 cups sauce and 8 tacos.
Ingredients
- For the Volcano (Lava) Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
4 American cheese slices, torn
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, finely shredded
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno brine
- For the Seasoned Beef
1 lb ground beef, 80/20 or 85/15
1 tablespoon masa harina (or 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon each paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, beef bouillon powder and salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup water
- For the Red Shells and Tacos
8 crunchy corn taco shells
1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 cup iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
Directions
- Make the Volcano Sauce
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until it lightly coats a spoon.
- Turn the heat to low and whisk in the American cheese and cheddar a handful at a time until smooth. Off the heat, whisk in the mayonnaise, cayenne, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and jalapeno brine. Taste and add more cayenne if you want more heat.
- Cook the Beef
- Brown the beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into tiny crumbles, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Drain the fat.
- Stir in the masa harina, chili powder, dried onion, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, bouillon, salt, sugar and the 3/4 cup water. Simmer over medium-low for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until saucy but not wet.
- Red Shells and Assembly
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the oil and sweet paprika together and brush a thin coat over the outside of each taco shell. Warm the shells on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, until crisp and tinted red.
- Fill each shell with about 1/4 cup beef, drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of warm volcano sauce, then add lettuce and a pinch of cheddar. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
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How Hot Do You Want It?
Adjust the cayenne to match your crowd.
| Level | Cayenne | Extra | Tastes like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | 1/4 teaspoon | Extra smoked paprika | Smoky nacho cheese |
| Medium | 1/2 teaspoon | None | Warm, slow burn |
| Lava | 1 teaspoon | A few dashes of hot sauce | Proper fire |
| Volcano | 1 1/4 teaspoons | Minced pickled jalapeno | Bring milk |
Ways to Use Volcano Sauce
Once you have a jar, you will put it on everything.
- Volcano burrito: beef, rice, sour cream and a big drizzle of sauce in a flour tortilla.
- Volcano nachos: pour it warm over chips, beef, beans and jalapenos.
- Fries: a cup for dipping next to crispy fries or tater tots.
- Breakfast: spoon it over scrambled eggs in a breakfast taco.
Storage and Reheating
Keep the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and the beef for 3 to 4 days. Reheat the sauce gently with a splash of milk, whisking, until smooth, and reheat the beef with a splash of water until it reaches 165°F. Re-crisp the shells in a 350°F oven for 3 minutes before filling.
More Taco Bell Copycats
Love a cheesy Taco Bell sauce? Pour it over my copycat Taco Bell Nacho Fries or a tray of Nachos BellGrande. The same seasoned beef goes into my Taco Bell Enchirito and the crunchy copycat Mexican Pizza.
See more lost menu favorites in our list of discontinued fast food items, and browse my copycat recipes collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Taco Bell Volcano Sauce?
Taco Bell describes its Volcano Sauce as part of its Lava Sauce family. Lava Sauce is a spicy, creamy cheese sauce, like a fiery nacho cheese. My copycat uses a smooth cheese base with cayenne, smoked paprika and jalapeno brine.
Is Lava Sauce the same as Volcano Sauce?
Close cousins. Lava Sauce came first, with the Volcano menu, and Taco Bell later introduced Volcano Sauce as part of the same family, with similar heat. This recipe works for either craving.
What was on the Taco Bell Volcano Taco?
The Volcano Taco had a red crunchy shell filled with seasoned beef, lettuce and Lava Sauce, and many people remember cheddar on top too. My version builds it the same way with a paprika-tinted shell.
Is the Volcano Taco still on the menu?
Not as a regular item. It launched around 2008, the Volcano menu left in 2013, and it has popped back for short runs since, including in 2023. Taco Bell has also run limited-time Volcano Sauce items, so check the app near you.
How spicy is this volcano sauce?
With 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne it is a medium, warm heat. Use the full teaspoon plus a pinch more for proper lava, or swap half the cayenne for extra smoked paprika for a mild, smoky version.
How long does homemade volcano sauce keep?
Up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it gently in a small pan or the microwave in short bursts, whisking in a splash of milk, until hot and smooth.
