Is Taco Bell teaming up with Beyond Meat in 2026? Unfortunately, no. But this false news has been making headlines recently. So, what happened? Let’s go back to the start.
Back in 2021, Taco Bell did team up with Beyond Meat to develop and trial a new menu item using the brand’s plant-based protein. The result of that partnership was Beyond Carne Asada Steak, which was initially offered in a quesadilla in 2022 at select Taco Bell restaurants in Dayton, OH.
At the time, Liz Matthews, Taco Bell’s global chief food innovation officer, said the new steak was the “result of [Taco Bell’s] long-standing partnership with Beyond Meat,” which was “previously unseen in the QSR industry.”
The Beyond Carne Asada Steak, however, wasn’t meant to be. The initial test quietly wrapped up, and Taco Bell seemingly didn’t continue the partnership.
Taco Bell
But in April 2026, a new story started doing the rounds, apparently revealing that Taco Bell was teaming up with Beyond Meat again. It also claimed the chain was bringing back two popular vegetarian items: the Spicy Potato Soft Taco and the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.
A Taco Bell spokesperson has since confirmed to VegNews that this isn’t the case. In reality, the article was simply the same 2021 story republished with a new date. Taco Bell fans likely spotted the error right away: the Spicy Potato Soft Taco and Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes haven’t left menus since they were reintroduced five years ago.
The misinformation seems to have originated from MassLive, a Massachusetts-based news platform that utilizes AI tools to produce many of its online articles. That said, the outlet notes that its AI content is typically reviewed and fact-checked by human writers.
Taco Bell
So, what is vegan at Taco Bell?
If you were excited by the Beyond Meat partnership, it’s not all bad news.
Taco Bell still offers several meatless options, although most rely on beans for protein, and you’ll need to order them without cheese or sour cream if you want them to be fully vegan.
Over the years, Taco Bell has also experimented with its own vegan beef, as well as vegan cheese and even vegan chicken chalupa shells. At the time of writing, however, none of these options are currently on the menu. There are still a few vegan-friendly dishes available, including the Veggie Bowl, the Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme, and, yes, the Spicy Potato Soft Taco.
The key to ordering vegan at Taco Bell is to ask for your meal to be made “fresco style,” which replaces dairy-based ingredients and mayo-based sauces with pico de gallo.
You can find out more in our guide to ordering vegan options at Taco Bell here.
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
