El Taco Tote Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, El Taco Tote cooks with: canola and soybean oil. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does El Taco Tote fry in? The full answer
Eating at El Taco Tote soon? Build your order in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
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Safest Orders at El Taco Tote
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: Sirloin Taco + Iced Tea, 3.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Sirloin Taco | 3.0g |
| Carne Asada (Bistek) Taco | 3.0g |
| Adobado Taco | 4.0g |
| Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Barbacoa Taco | 4.0g |
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Build my orderWhat to Avoid at El Taco Tote
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Panchos Supreme Nachos - Sirloin | 13.0g |
| Super Quesadilla | 12.0g |
| Panchos Supreme Nachos - Chicken | 12.0g |
| Panchos (loaded fries/chips) | 11.0g |
| Sirloin Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 11.0g |
Every El Taco Tote item, ranked
All 88 items we have for El Taco Tote, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Aguas Frescas | 0.0g |
| Salsa Roja | 0.0g |
| Salsa Jalapeño | 0.0g |
| Salsa Cambray | 0.0g |
| Pico de Gallo | 0.0g |
| Salsa Tatemada | 0.0g |
| Flan | 1.0g |
| Rice | 1.0g |
| Baked Potato | 1.0g |
| Small Guacamole | 1.0g |
| Charro Beans | 2.0g |
| Refried Beans | 2.0g |
| Mexican Rice | 2.0g |
| Guacamole | 2.0g |
| Nacho Cheese Side | 2.0g |
| Sirloin Taco | 3.0g |
| Carne Asada (Bistek) Taco | 3.0g |
| Cheesecake | 3.0g |
| Kids Cheese Quesadilla | 3.0g |
| Adobado Taco | 4.0g |
| Chicken Taco | 4.0g |
| Barbacoa Taco | 4.0g |
| Empanada | 4.0g |
| Bistek Taco | 4.0g |
| Chicken Adobado Taco | 4.0g |
| Pork Adobado Taco | 4.0g |
| Arrachera Taco | 4.0g |
| Al Pastor Taco | 4.0g |
| Beef Fajita Taco | 4.0g |
| Chicken Fajita Taco | 4.0g |
| Kids Meat Taco | 4.0g |
| Breakfast Taco - Potato & Egg | 4.0g |
| Pirata Taco (cheese-topped) | 5.0g |
| Cheese Quesadilla | 5.0g |
| Top Sirloin Taco | 5.0g |
| Pirata Taco | 5.0g |
| Barbacoa Quesadilla | 5.0g |
| Adobado Quesadilla | 5.0g |
| Papota - Chicken | 5.0g |
| Papota - Barbacoa | 5.0g |
| Papota - Adobado | 5.0g |
| Breakfast Taco - Chorizo & Egg | 5.0g |
| Breakfast Taco - Bacon & Egg | 5.0g |
| Chicken Quesadilla | 6.0g |
| Papota (loaded baked potato) | 6.0g |
| Bistek Quesadilla | 6.0g |
| Red Enchiladas (cheese) | 6.0g |
| Papota - Bistek | 6.0g |
| Papota - Fish | 6.0g |
| Shrimp Taco | 7.0g |
| Sirloin Quesadilla | 7.0g |
| Green Enchiladas | 7.0g |
| Fries | 7.0g |
| Burrotote - Chicken | 7.0g |
| Burrotote - Barbacoa | 7.0g |
| Burrotote - Adobado | 7.0g |
| Green Enchiladas (chicken) | 7.0g |
| Papota - Sirloin | 7.0g |
| Papota - Shrimp | 7.0g |
| Fish Taco | 8.0g |
| Red Enchiladas | 8.0g |
| Burrotote - Bistek | 8.0g |
| Carne Asada Street Plate | 8.0g |
| Fish Quesadilla | 9.0g |
| Shrimp Quesadilla | 9.0g |
| Chicken Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 9.0g |
| Barbacoa Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 9.0g |
| Adobado Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 9.0g |
| Burrotote - Sirloin | 9.0g |
| Super Quesadilla - Chicken | 9.0g |
| Traditional Taco Plate - Al Pastor | 9.0g |
| Brocheta Plate | 9.0g |
| Bistek Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 10.0g |
| Fish Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 10.0g |
| Super Quesadilla - Bistek | 10.0g |
| Super Quesadilla - Fish | 10.0g |
| Traditional Taco Plate - Carne Asada | 10.0g |
| Traditional Taco Plate - Tripitas | 10.0g |
| Kids Chicken Nuggets | 10.0g |
| Panchos (loaded fries/chips) | 11.0g |
| Sirloin Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 11.0g |
| Shrimp Pack (2 tacos + potato + drink) | 11.0g |
| Super Quesadilla - Sirloin | 11.0g |
| Super Quesadilla - Shrimp | 11.0g |
| Super Quesadilla | 12.0g |
| Panchos Supreme Nachos - Chicken | 12.0g |
| Panchos Supreme Nachos - Sirloin | 13.0g |
Frequently asked
Does El Taco Tote use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, El Taco Tote cooks with: canola and soybean oil. Across the 88 menu items we analyzed, it averages 5.8g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of B (Medium Risk).
What oil does El Taco Tote cook with?
Our research indicates: Lard for griddle cooking, refried/charro beans, and quesadilla tortillas (confirmed by multiple reviewer reports and okgourmet.com listing lard as cooking oil); canola/soybean blend presumed for deep-frying fish, shrimp, and fries (standard commercial fryer practice; no direct confirmation found). Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does El Taco Tote use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates El Taco Tote cooks with canola and soybean oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is El Taco Tote seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates El Taco Tote cooks with canola and soybean oil, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at El Taco Tote?
Sirloin Taco is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Taco Tote, at an estimated 3.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at El Taco Tote?
Panchos Supreme Nachos - Sirloin is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at El Taco Tote, at an estimated 13.0g 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 El Taco Tote 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.