Ten Ways to Use Leftover Taco Sauce Packages

Recently, I went to my local Mexican fast-food food drive through for dinner. I ordered a bean burrito with nothing else. When I reached the window, the young man handed me my bag and asked me if I wanted any taco sauce. I responded that I would like some mild sauce, and I held out my open bag for him. He turned around and grabbed up as many packets as his large hand could hold and put them in my bag -- about 12 or 13 taco sauce packages. There was another car behind me, so I drove off with my overabundance of taco sauce packets.

When you go to Mexican fast-food restaurants, what do you do with your extra taco sauce packets? I save mine for future use. Here are ten ways you can use your extra taco packages, and I have personally tried most of them! If you are on a budget and pinching every penny, these tips can add a little zest to your cooking just by saving your extra taco packets.

Leave your extra taco packages in the original packets and store them in the refrigerator. I store my leftover taco packets in a jar or zip-lock bag in the fridge. I think they will keep much longer this way. According to  FoodFacts, "Taco Bell says their Fire, Hot and Mild sauce packages are best when used in 120 days. They are generally in Taco Bell for no more than 30 days."

1. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce When You Fix Tacos or Fajitas - If you have been saving your taco packets, you may not have to buy any taco sauce next time you cook Mexican food!
2. Add Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Salsa - Adding a little mild taco sauce can tone down a hot salsa, or or spice it up with a packet of hot sauce.
3. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce on Frozen Mexican Dinners - Next time you reach into your freezer for a Mexican dinner, pull out some packets of extra taco sauce, too! It will make you feel like you are in a Mexican restaurant to have a package or two of taco sauce to add to your frozen dinner!
4. Add Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Heat-and-Serve Mexican Meals and Rice Dishes - These instant meals and rice dishes available at your local grocery store taste much better with your taco sauce on them. I like this particularly well with Spanish rice and other Mexican dishes, but I also like adding taco sauce to other rice dishes for a slightly different flavor.
5. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce in Soup - Taco sauce mixed in soup adds a delicious flavor to it. It's good in many soups, but especially nice in Tortilla Soup and some of the soups like Fiesta Chicken.
6. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Spice up Pizza Topping - A hint of taco sauce in your pizza can add a nice flavor. Make a Mexican pizza by adding some of your extra taco sauce to the topping along with onions, ground beef and other appropriate toppings!
7. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Make Chili Sauce - To add some saucy flavor to your chili, add your leftover taco sauce packets! Add them one at a time and taste test as you go.
8. Add Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Spaghetti Sauce - Next time you fix spaghetti sauce, add one packet of taco sauce and see if you like a little zest added to your spaghetti sauce. i would try a mild sauce first, then move on to a hot sauce if you find the mild sauce palatable.
9. Add Your Leftover Taco Sauce to Tomato Juice - You can make your own version of spicy tomato juice by using your leftover taco packages.
10. Use Your Leftover Taco Sauce in Bar-B-Cue Sauce, Baked Bean, Ramen Noodles, Etc. - Use your leftover taco sauce packets anywhere else you might want a hint of taco sauce flavor.

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