Abuelo's Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Abuelo's cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 137 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Abuelo's fry in? The full answer
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Safest Orders at Abuelo's
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Steak Fajitas + Dasani Water, 2.2g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Beef Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Steak Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Vegetable Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Fajita Salad (Shrimp) | 2.3g |
| Fajita Salad (Chicken) | 2.4g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Abuelo's
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Chicken Tampiquena | 42.3g |
| Nachos Grande (Ground Beef) | 42.3g |
| Nachos Grande (Refried Beans) | 40.3g |
| Nachos Grande (Fajita Steak) | 39.2g |
| Nachos Grande (Shredded Chicken) | 38.4g |
Every Abuelo's item, ranked
All 137 items we have for Abuelo's, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| El Jefe Margarita | 0.0g |
| The Original Margarita | 0.0g |
| Raspberry Hibiscus Margarita | 0.0g |
| Skinny Margarita | 0.0g |
| Paloma Tradicional | 0.0g |
| Blackberry Mint Mojito | 0.0g |
| Spanish Sangria Roja | 0.0g |
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Salsa Especial | 0.0g |
| Salsa Tropical Tomatilla | 0.0g |
| Salsa Roja | 0.0g |
| La Grandeza Margarita (Frozen, Regular) | 0.0g |
| La Grandeza Margarita (Frozen, Grande) | 0.0g |
| La Grandeza Margarita (Rocks, Grande) | 0.0g |
| Flavored Lemonade (Mango) | 0.0g |
| La Grandeza Margarita (Rocks, Regular) | 0.0g |
| Sangria Swirl (Grande) | 0.0g |
| Flavored Lemonade (Strawberry) | 0.0g |
| Sangria Swirl (Regular) | 0.0g |
| Hand-Shaken Fruit Margarita (Mango) | 0.0g |
| Sprite | 0.0g |
| Iced Tea (Unsweet) | 0.0g |
| Hand-Shaken Fruit Margarita (Prickly Pear) | 0.0g |
| Dasani Water | 0.0g |
| Diet Coke | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola Zero Sugar | 0.0g |
| Diet Dr Pepper | 0.0g |
| Iced Tea (Sweet) | 0.0g |
| Hand-Shaken Fruit Margarita (Dragon Fruit) | 0.0g |
| Coca-Cola | 0.0g |
| Hand-Shaken Fruit Margarita (Strawberry) | 0.0g |
| Fuze Raspberry Iced Tea | 0.0g |
| Platinum Hand-Shaken Margarita | 0.0g |
| Dr Pepper | 0.0g |
| Charro Beans | 0.5g |
| Cilantro Lime Rice | 0.6g |
| Black Beans | 1.0g |
| Papas con Chile | 1.2g |
| Kids Grilled Chicken Breast | 1.2g |
| Espinaca | 1.5g |
| Guacamole (Small) | 1.9g |
| Tres Leches Cake | 2.0g |
| Mexican Rice | 2.0g |
| Kids Cheese Quesadilla | 2.0g |
| Traditional Flan | 2.1g |
| Beef Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Steak Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Vegetable Fajitas | 2.2g |
| Fajita Salad (Shrimp) | 2.3g |
| Fajita Salad (Chicken) | 2.4g |
| Chile con Queso | 2.5g |
| Enchiladas (Chicken) | 2.5g |
| Chicken Fajitas | 2.6g |
| Fajita Salad (Steak) | 2.8g |
| Kids Chicken Taco | 3.0g |
| Kids Tamale | 3.0g |
| Kids Beef Taco (Soft) | 3.0g |
| Ancho Flat Iron Tacos | 3.0g |
| Pollo Banderilla | 3.0g |
| Pork Abrigada with Sweet Potato Mash | 3.0g |
| Enchiladas (Cheese) | 3.2g |
| Kids Cheese Enchilada | 3.2g |
| Guacamole (Large) | 3.6g |
| Kids Beef Taco (Crispy) | 3.9g |
| Fajita Trio | 4.0g |
| Dulce de Leche Cheesecake | 4.5g |
| Refried Beans | 4.6g |
| Tortilla Soup (Cup) | 4.7g |
| Empanadas (Southwest Chicken) | 4.7g |
| Pork Tenderloin Abrigada | 5.0g |
| Kids Bean and Cheese Burrito | 5.1g |
| Enchilada Platter - Spinach | 6.0g |
| Pork Raja Inferno | 6.0g |
| Vegetable Medley | 6.4g |
| Queso Diablo | 6.9g |
| Chips | 7.0g |
| Enchilada Platter - Cheese | 7.0g |
| Enchilada Platter - Chicken | 7.0g |
| Enchilada Platter - Avocado | 7.0g |
| Enchilada Platter - Jack Cheese | 7.0g |
| Yucatan Barbeque Shrimp Fajitas | 7.0g |
| Fajita Combos | 7.0g |
| Lunch Enchilada Plate | 7.0g |
| Lunch Quesadilla | 7.0g |
| Pechuga con Calabaza | 7.9g |
| Enchilada Platter - Beef | 8.0g |
| Flat Iron Chimichurri | 8.0g |
| Empanadas (Beef) | 8.7g |
| Pescado Parrilla - Tilapia | 8.8g |
| Puebla Azteca | 9.0g |
| Steak and Enchiladas | 9.0g |
| Kids Cheese Nachos | 9.1g |
| Kids Chicken Nuggets | 9.3g |
| Lunch Tilapia Veracruz | 9.6g |
| Empanada Lunch (Southwest Chicken) | 9.6g |
| Kids French Fries | 10.2g |
| Grande Burrito (Shredded Chicken) | 10.3g |
| Pescado Parrilla - Mahi | 10.4g |
| Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp | 10.5g |
| Abuelo's Dip Sampler | 11.0g |
| Green Chile Pork Chimichanga | 12.0g |
| Fajita Tacos (Chicken) | 12.2g |
| Fajita Tacos (Steak) | 12.6g |
| Soup and Reynosa Salad (Shredded Chicken) | 12.7g |
| Pescado Parrilla - Australian Sea Bass | 13.3g |
| Lunch Durango Burrito | 13.3g |
| Quesadilla al Horno (Chicken) | 13.8g |
| Durango Burrito | 14.0g |
| Los Mejores de la Casa | 14.0g |
| Tortilla Soup (Bowl) | 14.0g |
| Quesadilla al Horno (Steak) | 14.2g |
| Soup and Reynosa Salad (Ground Beef) | 15.0g |
| Alambre Lunch | 15.2g |
| Empanada Lunch (Beef) | 15.5g |
| Laredo | 16.1g |
| Reynosa Salad (Shredded Chicken) | 16.4g |
| Grande Burrito (Ground Beef) | 16.7g |
| Green Chile Quesadilla | 17.6g |
| Chile Rellenos (with Chile con Queso) | 17.9g |
| Juarez | 18.7g |
| Mexican Stack Lunch | 20.2g |
| Reynosa Salad (Ground Beef) | 20.2g |
| Chile Rellenos (with Ranchera Sauce) | 20.4g |
| Mi Abuelo's Manjar | 21.9g |
| Fresca Bowl (Pork) | 28.3g |
| Lunch Chicken Tampiquena | 30.5g |
| Fresca Bowl (Steak) | 30.6g |
| The Grande | 31.7g |
| Grilled Chicken Salad | 32.4g |
| Fresca Bowl (Chicken) | 33.1g |
| Fajita Chimichanga | 35.4g |
| Nachos Grande (Fajita Chicken) | 37.3g |
| Nachos Grande (Shredded Chicken) | 38.4g |
| Nachos Grande (Fajita Steak) | 39.2g |
| Nachos Grande (Refried Beans) | 40.3g |
| Chicken Tampiquena | 42.3g |
| Nachos Grande (Ground Beef) | 42.3g |
Frequently asked
Does Abuelo's use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Abuelo's cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 137 menu items we analyzed, it averages 8.6g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of D (Very High Risk).
What oil does Abuelo's cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean/canola blend (deep frying); dairy fat (queso, cheese); avocado (guacamole); minimal grilling oil (fajitas). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Abuelo's use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Abuelo's cooks with soybean and canola oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Abuelo's seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Abuelo's cooks with soybean and canola oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at Abuelo's?
Steak Fajitas is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Abuelo's, at an estimated 2.2g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Abuelo's?
Chicken Tampiquena is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Abuelo's, at an estimated 42.3g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. New to the topic? Start with what seed oils are and the complete list, or read the evidence on why people avoid them.
Compare other chains
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See where Abuelo's lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.