Taco Bell Sides: Every Side With Calories and Prices
Nine sides cover fries, potatoes, chips, beans and peppers, so pick by how heavy you want the add-on. Black Beans are the lightest and a large order of fries is the heaviest. The table below lists each one with calories and delivery prices, and the cards show what you get.
9Sides listed
50 to 500Calories
$3.04+From
Black BeansLightest
Every side compared fast
Black Beans
Black Beans and Rice
Pintos N Cheese
Chips and Guacamole
Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce
Taco Bell sides come down to nine items: two sizes of Nacho Fries, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, two chip and dip orders, three bean and rice sides, and a cup of jalapeno peppers. They run from 50 to 500 calories, and delivery prices start under a dollar.
This is the taco bell sides menu as it appears in live menu data, checked for what each item contains, how they compare, who each one suits and what to pair them with. If you want everything else too, see the complete Taco Bell menu.
Nacho Fries and Large Nacho Fries: The Signature Fry Side
Nacho Fries are crisp fries seasoned with Mexican spices and served with nacho cheese sauce for dipping. They are the best known of the sides here, and they come in two sizes.
The regular order is 350 calories, and the large is 500, a jump of 150 calories for a price difference of about $1.22 on delivery. If you are sharing, the large is the better value per fry. If it is just you, the regular size fits beside a taco or burrito without taking over the meal.
The cheese is the main difference from a standard fast food fry. You dip, which means you control how much sauce you use, and the seasoning on the fries has enough flavor to stand up on its own. A hot sauce packet changes the whole order, and Fire tends to work best with them.
Taco Bell has also attached the name to specialty orders, such as the Diablo Ranch Steak Nacho Fries. That one is a limited-time main, not a side, and it is priced and counted separately.
Each size has its own spoke page. Read the full Nacho Fries guide with sizes and variations for the history, the sauce options and the details.
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes: The Potato Side With Nacho Cheese
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are seasoned potatoes topped with warm nacho cheese sauce and reduced-fat sour cream. They are the only potato side on the current menu, and at 240 calories they sit in the middle of the range.
The dish is softer and more filling than the fries. Where Nacho Fries are for dipping, the potatoes arrive already topped, so every bite has cheese and a cool bit of sour cream.
Taco Bell lists this side as lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means it has dairy but no meat. It also carries a note that preparation methods may lead to cross contact with meat. Delivery starts at $3.28, which makes it one of the lower-priced hot sides.
Potatoes were removed in 2020 and returned in March 2021, which is part of why fans treat them as a favorite. For ingredients, calories and customizing, see everything about Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.
Taco Bell Beans and Rice Sides: Black Beans and Pintos N Cheese
Three sides are built on beans, and they are the lightest and cheapest hot sides on the list. Black Beans are the leanest at 50 calories, Black Beans and Rice comes to 160, and Pintos N Cheese lands at 170.
Black Beans
Black Beans and Rice
Pintos N Cheese
Each one has a different use. Black Beans are slow-simmered beans, a small side that adds protein and bulk to a taco without much cost. Black Beans and Rice adds seasoned rice for a fuller portion. Pintos N Cheese is a creamier, cheesier choice made with refried beans.
Pair them by what you are eating. A crunchy taco is lighter than a burrito, so a cup of beans adds substance without doubling the meal. With a burrito that already has rice and beans, you may not need one at all.
Price is where they stand out. Black Beans and Black Beans and Rice both start at $3.04 on delivery, which makes the rice version the better value, since it adds 110 calories and a more filling portion at the same starting price.
Taco Bell Black Bean Options: Black Beans vs Black Beans and Rice
The two black bean options are close, and the question is whether you want rice. Black Beans alone is 50 calories. Adding seasoned rice brings the order to 160, so the rice contributes about 110 calories.
The delivery starting price is the same, $3.04, so the decision is about how hungry you are, not cost. Pick plain Black Beans when you want a light add-on or a topping for something else. Pick Black Beans and Rice when it is a side you eat on its own.
The seasoned rice is the taco bell rice that appears in other Taco Bell burritos and bowls, and here it turns a topping into a small meal. Both versions are listed as lacto-ovo vegetarian in the menu data, and guides from PETA list beans, black beans and seasoned rice as animal-free. Cross contact with meat is still possible in the kitchen.
Taco Bell Pintos and Cheese vs Black Beans and Rice
Pintos N Cheese is the richest of the three bean sides. The menu describes Pintos N Cheese as refried beans with red sauce and a blend of mozzarella, pepperjack and cheddar cheeses. The taco bell refried beans are creamy and mashed, so the dish eats more like a warm dip than a bowl of whole beans.
It costs $3.53 on delivery and has 170 calories. That puts it 10 calories above Black Beans and Rice and 49 cents higher in starting price. The extra money buys melted cheese and a red sauce kick.
The choice is simple. Pintos N Cheese is better when you want something cheesy and soft, for example next to a quesadilla or a crunchy taco. Black Beans and Rice is better when you want a lighter, brothy, rice-based side. The cheese in Pintos N Cheese means it is vegetarian but not vegan.
Taco Bell Chips With Guacamole or Nacho Cheese Sauce
Two chip orders sit in the sides category, and the only difference is the dip. Chips and Guacamole is 230 calories and starts at $4.01 on delivery. Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce is 220 calories and starts at $3.65.
Chips and Guacamole
Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce
Both are shareable and both are easier to eat in a car than a plate of nachos, because the dip sits in a cup beside the chips. The guacamole version is made with Hass avocados, and the cheese version comes with warm nacho cheese sauce.
If you want a cooler, fresher side, go with guacamole. If you want a classic, salty snack, the cheese cup is the standard pick. The cheaper order is the cheese one by 36 cents, though the calorie gap between them is only 10.
You can also add a packet to either one. Hot sauce goes well with the cheese version, and the dipping and packet sauces guide lists the choices.
Guac and Chips: What Comes in the Order
This order is a portion of warm tortilla chips with a cup of guacamole to dip. Taco Bell says the guacamole is made with Hass avocados, and the item is listed as lacto-ovo vegetarian, which reflects possible cross contact with meat in the kitchen.
How it differs from the cheese-sauce version: the dip is cold and fresh instead of hot and salty. It is a little higher in calories at 230, and a little higher in price at $4.01. The extra cost is the avocado. For a side you can split between two people, it is a lighter-feeling choice than fries. The menu describes the chips as warm and crispy, and the portion feels generous even though the calorie count stays modest. If you plan to share, ask for an extra cup of dip, since a single cup disappears quickly once two people are dipping.
Jalapeno Peppers and Other Add-On Sides
Jalapeno Peppers are the cheapest item on the sides menu, starting at $0.49 on delivery, and they work more like a topper than a side.
Jalapeño Peppers
The menu data lists no calorie figure for them, and no description. Do not assume a number. If you need an exact count for tracking, check the nutrition guide on the Taco Bell site.
Use them where you want a bite of heat and acid: on a bean burrito, a quesadilla, a taco or a cup of Pintos N Cheese. They are also the easiest add-on for a fan hack, and one of the cheapest ways to change an order.
Beefy Potato Loaded Griller and Other Potato Items Fans Search For
This griller is not a side, but it gets searched far more than most sides, so it belongs here. It is a grilled roll-up filled with seasoned beef, crispy potato bites, nacho cheese sauce, Chipotle sauce and reduced-fat sour cream. In the menu data used for this site it sits on the Luxe Value Menu, from $3.53 on delivery and 480 calories.
Taco Bell has sold a line of Loaded Grillers, and fans connect the taco bell loaded potato griller name with potato, beef and cheese fillings, including Beefy Potato, Cheesy Potato and Beefy Nacho versions. Only the Beefy Potato one shows up in the live data, so treat the others as retired or limited. Taco Bell rotates its value items, so check the app to see whether your store still lists it. The value menu shows what else sits in that price tier.
The potato story matters because Taco Bell cut potatoes in July 2020 during a menu streamlining, then brought back only two potato items on March 11, 2021: Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes and the Spicy Potato Soft Taco. Other potato items did not return in that move.
The taco bell potato burrito family is part of that history. Fans still ask for the Beefy Potato Burrito and its cheesy cousins, and they sometimes build a rough version by adding potatoes to a regular burrito in the app. It is a hack, not an official item, and the result depends on how your store handles custom orders. The secret menu hacks page explains how those custom builds work and what the app allows.
If you are chasing that potato and cheese flavor as a side, the closest official item is Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes. For potato in a handheld form, the Spicy Potato Soft Taco is the pick. The throwback menu tracks retired favorites, so you can follow what returns and what stays gone.
Which Taco Bell Side Has the Fewest Calories and the Lowest Delivery Price?
Black Beans have the fewest calories at 50, and Jalapeno Peppers have the lowest delivery price at $0.49. Among sides you would eat as a real portion, Black Beans is cheapest at $3.04 and lightest at 50 calories.
The table below ranks all nine by calories, from lowest to highest, with the delivery starting price beside each. Delivery-app prices run higher than prices at the restaurant, so use them for comparing, not budgeting.
Which Taco Bell Side Has the Fewest Calories and the Lowest Delivery Price?
| Rank | Side | Calories | Delivery from price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Beans | 50 | $3.04+ |
| 2 | Black Beans and Rice | 160 | $3.04+ |
| 3 | Pintos N Cheese | 170 | $3.53+ |
| 4 | Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce | 220 | $3.65+ |
| 5 | Chips and Guacamole | 230 | $4.01+ |
| 6 | Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes | 240 | $3.28+ |
| 7 | Nacho Fries | 350 | $3.65+ |
| 8 | Large Nacho Fries | 500 | $4.87+ |
| 9 | Jalapeño Peppers | Not listed | $0.49+ |
Calories are only part of the picture. Fries and cheese sauces carry more fat and sodium than beans, and the large Nacho Fries is a full meal's worth of calories on its own. If you are adding a side to a burrito that already tops 500 calories, a small bean cup keeps the total in check far better than a large fry order.
Choose by need. For the lightest side, pick Black Beans. For the best value at a real portion, pick Black Beans and Rice. For something to share, pick the large Nacho Fries or either chip order. For a hot, cheesy side with moderate calories, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes is the answer. The full calorie and nutrition chart covers every other item.
Sides at Taco Bell for Vegetarian, Vegan and Allergen-Conscious Orders
Most of these sides are vegetarian, and a few are vegan or close to it. Where the answer matters, check the allergen guide, because recipes change and kitchens share equipment.
The table summarizes what the menu data and public vegan guides say.
Sides at Taco Bell for Vegetarian, Vegan and Allergen-Conscious Orders
| Side | Vegetarian | Vegan | Main allergens to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nacho Fries | Yes | Fries are listed as vegan by PETA, but the cheese dip is not | Milk in the dip |
| Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes | Yes (lacto-ovo) | No | Milk, wheat |
| Chips and Guacamole | Yes (lacto-ovo) | Check the chips and guide | Check the allergen guide |
| Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce | Yes | No | Milk |
| Black Beans | Yes (lacto-ovo) | Beans are listed as animal-free by PETA | Check the allergen guide |
| Black Beans and Rice | Yes (lacto-ovo) | Beans and rice are listed as animal-free by PETA | Check the allergen guide |
| Pintos N Cheese | Yes (lacto-ovo) | No, it contains cheese | Milk |
Cross contact is the caveat that applies to nearly everything. Taco Bell's own item descriptions say that preparation methods may lead to cross contact with meat. Fryers may also be shared, and this page could not verify the fryer setup, so anyone with a strict diet or a serious allergy should ask the store and read the official guide.
On gluten, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes contain wheat, so they are not gluten free. Nacho Fries and chips are also fried or seasoned items that may share surfaces with gluten-containing foods, so confirm before you order.
If your goal is a vegan meal, the easiest sides are the beans and the rice, and the fries without cheese sauce, which you can pair with guacamole. For a full list of items, see vegetarian options across the menu and vegan orders at Taco Bell, and use the allergen and gluten-free guide for the details.
Build a Meal Around Your Taco Bell Side
The taco bell side menu works best when the side matches what it sits beside. Think of it as balance: soft with crunchy, rich with light, hot with cool.
With a crunchy taco or a Soft Taco, a cup of Black Beans adds protein and bulk for little cost. With a Burrito Supreme or a Crunchwrap, Nacho Fries make the meal bigger, so pair them only if you are hungry. With a quesadilla, Pintos N Cheese keeps the theme going, while Black Beans and Rice works if you want something lighter.
For sharing, the large Nacho Fries or a chips order is the better choice, and nachos add a bigger dip. The Taco Bell nachos and loaded chip orders page covers those.
If you want to save money, a combo box often includes a side already. See the combo boxes that include a side to compare the bundle with ordering pieces separately.
Add a hot sauce packet to any of these. Fire suits fries and chips, and Mild suits the beans. The packet range is covered in the dipping and packet sauces guide, and the next section answers the common questions. When you are ready to see everything else, head back to the full list of Taco Bell menu sides and mains.
Taco Bell Sides FAQs
What sides does Taco Bell have?
Taco Bell lists nine sides: Nacho Fries, Large Nacho Fries, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, Chips and Guacamole, Chips and Nacho Cheese Sauce, Black Beans, Black Beans and Rice, Pintos N Cheese and Jalapeno Peppers. The taco bell side menu at your store can vary, so check the app.
Are Taco Bell Nacho Fries vegan?
The fries themselves are listed as vegan by PETA's guide, but the nacho cheese sauce they come with contains dairy. To keep them vegan, skip the cheese sauce and ask for guacamole instead. Fryer sharing is not confirmed, so strict vegans should check with the store.
Which Taco Bell side has the fewest calories?
Black Beans have the fewest at 50 calories. Black Beans and Rice is next at 160, and Pintos N Cheese is 170. Jalapeno Peppers have no calorie figure in the menu data, so they cannot be ranked. The highest is Large Nacho Fries at 500.
What is the cheapest side on the Taco Bell menu?
Jalapeno Peppers are cheapest at $0.49 on delivery, but they are a topper. Among real sides, Black Beans and Black Beans and Rice both start at $3.04. Check the taco bell sides menu in your app, since prices vary by store and delivery adds markups.
Are the refried beans vegetarian?
Yes. Pintos N Cheese is listed as lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means dairy and eggs are allowed but meat is not. It is not vegan, because it contains cheese. Cross contact with meat is possible in the kitchen, so strict vegetarians should confirm with the store.
What is the difference between Black Beans and Black Beans and Rice at Taco Bell?
Black Beans is a small cup of slow-simmered beans at 50 calories. Black Beans and Rice adds seasoned rice for 160 calories. Both start at $3.04 on delivery, so rice is the better value if you want more food. Beans alone suit a light add-on.
How many calories are in Pintos N Cheese?
Pintos N Cheese is 170 calories in the menu data. It is made of refried beans with red sauce and a blend of mozzarella, pepperjack and cheddar. It starts at $3.53 on delivery, which is slightly above the black bean sides.
Does Taco Bell still sell Loaded Potato Grillers?
The Beefy Potato version is listed on the Luxe Value Menu in the delivery data, at 480 calories and from $3.53. Other Griller flavors, such as Cheesy Potato and Beefy Nacho, are not listed. Availability changes, so check your store in the app.
Are Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes a side or a breakfast item?
They are a side, listed under both Sides and Veggie Cravings. They have 240 calories and start at $3.28 on delivery. Some people add them to breakfast orders, but breakfast availability varies by store, so check the app before you plan a meal around them.
Can I get chips and guacamole or chips and nacho cheese sauce as a side with any order?
Generally yes, since both are standalone sides you add to an order. They are not tied to a particular main. Availability and price vary by store, and delivery apps show their own prices, so confirm in the app when you build your cart.