How do you make a Cheesy Gordita Crunch at home?

To make a copycat version of Taco Bell's Cheesy Gordita Crunch at home, make the sauce and refrigerate for at least three hours. Brown and season the ground meat. Wrap a cheese-topped gordita shell around a hard taco shell, and fill it with the ground beef, sauce and your choice of additional toppings.

1. Process the vegetables

   Place1/4 cup of red or green bell pepper, 1/4 cup of onion and a seeded and sliced jalapeño pepper into the food processor. Process until smooth. Remove the mixture from the food processor.

2. Add the vegetable mixture to the mayonnaise base

   Add the pureed vegetable mixture to 1 cup of mayonnaise or prepared salad dressing and 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Season the mixture with 1/4 teaspoon each of cumin, garlic powder and cracked black pepper. Stir until well-combined. Refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.

3. Brown the ground beef

   Brown 1 pound of ground beef in a large skillet. Drain the grease, then place the browned ground beef back into the pan. Add 1 1/4 cups of water and one packet of prepared taco seasoning mix to the meat. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

4. Fill the shells

   Lay a gordita shell or one piece of pita bread on a microwave-safe plate. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of shredded, Mexican-style cheese over the shell. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the cheese melts. Place a hard taco shell over the melted cheese on top of the gordita shell. Fold the gordita shell over the taco shell. Fill the taco shell with about 1/8 of the ground beef mixture. Top with about 1 teaspoon of the refrigerated sauce and shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes.