Santa Fe Gordita

Many of you probably don't remember a time when the "Santa Fe" option was available to gordita lovers. Of course, it was also available on the chalupa, but that doesn't matter here.

This is about the Santa Fe Gordita something that I knew well and loved often. There were countless nights where I pulled up to the Taco Bell in tiny Jasper, Indiana and said, "Three Santa Fe Gorditas with Chicken and NO CHEESE."

Emphasis was put on the "no cheese" part of my order, but not too much emphasis. Too much emphasis can ring darkly in the ears of pissed off Taco Bell staff and through a conscious (or unconscious) synopsis, translate to extra cheese. It is said that my behaviour earned me the name "no cheese lady."

Cheese on my gordita meant one of two things:

One number: Manual cheese removal, a detailed and lengthy procedure that often resulted in...
Two number: The trash

Enough sadness, allow me to take you there and wrap you in the pillowy flatbread that was the vehicle for the heart and soul of the Santa Fe Gordita (no cheese). After all, that's where it all started, on that warm and soft base. Standard Taco Bell chicken topped with Santa Fe Sauce and Fiesta Salsa (aka 'heaven'). Fiesta Salsa consisted of black beans, crispy corn kernels and cilantro. I think I remember finely minced red onion and I've found copy cat recipes that called for a diced red pepper, but I don't recall well enough to confirm either.

It was so good. It was the perfect combination of warm and cool, soft and crunchy and just plain tasty!

I'd be lying if I didn't tell you that I could shed a tear over how I miss this. Not only was it good, but it was also available during a time in my life that was really good. You know the time. It's my comfort food. Imagine how you'd feel if mashed potatoes or spaghetti were discontinued.

I've found several "copy cat" recipes online for the Santa Fe Gordita. I mean, really, the only hard part to figure out is the sauce. I can throw together a can of frijoles negros and some corn. The recipes I found all called for Chili Sauce, Mayo, Lemon and Vinegar. It sounded okay and it was all I had to go on, so I did it. Right now, as I write this for you, I'm trying to recreate the Santa Fe Gordita. Like Randall said in Clerk's 2 - "I'm taking it back."

The recipe I found for the sauce is as follows:

2 Tbls. Chili Sauce
2 Tbls. Mayo
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Vinegar

Combine and let stand for at least 30 minutes.

Well, let me tell ya, this shit must be what Sour Patch kids are dipped in. I should have known. I do okay in the kitchen and Chili Sauce, Lemon Juice and Vinegar are all sour, sour, sour! I did what any normal cook would do - I started adding. Firstly, I tried some southwestern type spices. Specifically, "Fiesta Party Dip Mix" from Tastefully Simple. Still sour. So sour, in fact, that I couldn't even tell I put it in there. I added some sour cream with no luck. I felt like it was getting me there, so I added more sour cream. A touch of horseradish and a bit of sugar later, I think I have a decent sauce. Of course, it's probably no where near Taco Bell's Santa Fe sauce, but it's better than the lethal combination that was the recipe I found.



Now, the Fiesta Salsa was a breeze. I rinsed a can of black beans, drained a can of summer crisp corn and threw it in with some finely chopped red onion and cilantro. Fiesta Salsa, done.



As far as the chicken goes, I just pan roasted some boneless chicken breasts. Seriously, it's not like Taco Bell was even using real chicken. So, I feel like I'm ahead of the game already. Chicken, done.


They were okay. I mean, they tasted good, but they were no replica of Taco Bell's Santa Fe Gordita. The sauce was just too sour and tangy. I think even off-the-shelf southwestern style ranch would make more sense.