Tijuana Flats Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, Tijuana Flats cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 82 menu items we analyzed, it averages 12.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does Tijuana Flats fry in? The full answer
Eating at Tijuana Flats soon? Build your order in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
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Safest Orders at Tijuana Flats
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: Street Taco + Bottled Water, 3.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Street Taco | 3.0g |
| Salad | 4.0g |
| Salad (Chicken) | 5.0g |
| Veggie Bean Tacos | 5.0g |
| Uno Enchilada | 5.0g |
Build your Tijuana Flats order
Pick your meal, sides, sauces and drink in the app and see your seed oil total before you order. It logs to your day in one tap. Free on iPhone and Android.
Build my orderWhat to Avoid at Tijuana Flats
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Cheesy Steak Flautas | 52.3g |
| Bangin Chicken Salad | 43.3g |
| Cookie Dough Flautas | 37.8g |
| Bangin Chicken Quesadilla | 36.3g |
| Bangin Chicken Burrito | 35.7g |
Every Tijuana Flats item, ranked
All 82 items we have for Tijuana Flats, safest first. Values are estimated grams of seed-oil PUFA per item.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Fountain Drink | 0.0g |
| Mexican Coke | 0.0g |
| Jarritos Bottled Soda | 0.0g |
| Salsa | 0.0g |
| Black Beans (Small) | 0.0g |
| Black Beans (Large) | 0.0g |
| Refried Beans (Small) | 0.0g |
| Refried Beans (Large) | 0.0g |
| Pico De Gallo (Small) | 0.0g |
| Pico De Gallo (Large) | 0.0g |
| Corn Salsa (Small) | 0.0g |
| Apple Juice | 0.0g |
| Sour Cream | 0.1g |
| Corn Salsa (Large) | 0.2g |
| Cilantro Lime Rice (Small) | 0.3g |
| Mexican Rice (Small) | 0.6g |
| Cilantro Lime Rice (Large) | 0.6g |
| Mexican Rice (Large) | 0.8g |
| Horchata | 1.0g |
| Guacamole | 2.0g |
| Guacamole Side (Small) | 2.0g |
| Queso | 2.9g |
| Queso Side (Small) | 2.9g |
| Street Taco | 3.0g |
| Guacamole Side (Large) | 3.9g |
| Salad | 4.0g |
| Kids Taco | 4.0g |
| Kids Bowl | 4.0g |
| Queso Side (Large) | 4.2g |
| Kids Burrito | 4.7g |
| Salad (Chicken) | 5.0g |
| Veggie Bean Tacos | 5.0g |
| Uno Enchilada | 5.0g |
| Quesadilla | 5.8g |
| Bowl | 6.0g |
| Low-Carb Bowl | 6.0g |
| Kids Quesadilla | 6.0g |
| Dos Tacos | 7.0g |
| Steak Tacos | 7.0g |
| Tijuana Trio | 8.0g |
| Double Stack Tacos | 8.0g |
| Burrito | 8.0g |
| Dos Enchiladas | 8.0g |
| Tostadas | 8.0g |
| Chocolate Chip Cookies | 8.0g |
| Street Taco Trio | 9.0g |
| Garlic Lime Shrimp Tacos | 9.0g |
| Fish Street Tacos | 10.0g |
| Smothered Burrito | 10.0g |
| Quesadilla (Chicken) | 10.1g |
| Crispy Chicken Tacos | 11.0g |
| Bangin Chicken Tostadas | 11.0g |
| Flautas | 12.0g |
| Chimichanga | 13.0g |
| Garlic Lime Shrimp Bowl | 17.4g |
| Kids Chicken Nuggets | 17.8g |
| Nachos | 18.1g |
| Chips & Guacamole | 19.0g |
| Veggie Bowl | 19.8g |
| Nachos (Chicken) | 20.2g |
| Veggie Burrito | 20.8g |
| Blackened Chicken Bowl | 21.4g |
| Chips & Salsa | 21.6g |
| Bowl (Chicken) | 22.1g |
| Steak Bowl | 22.3g |
| Blackened Chicken Burrito | 22.4g |
| Burrito (Ground Beef) | 23.0g |
| Burrito (Chicken) | 23.1g |
| Burrito (Steak) | 23.3g |
| Churro Fries | 23.5g |
| Chips & Queso | 26.1g |
| Chicken Chimichanga | 27.0g |
| Atom Bombs | 29.8g |
| Beefy Queso | 30.2g |
| Bangin Chicken Bowl | 31.0g |
| Bangin Chicken Tacos | 33.4g |
| Mexican Pizza | 35.6g |
| Bangin Chicken Burrito | 35.7g |
| Bangin Chicken Quesadilla | 36.3g |
| Cookie Dough Flautas | 37.8g |
| Bangin Chicken Salad | 43.3g |
| Cheesy Steak Flautas | 52.3g |
Frequently asked
Does Tijuana Flats use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, Tijuana Flats cooks with: soybean and canola oil. Across the 82 menu items we analyzed, it averages 12.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of F (Extreme Risk).
What oil does Tijuana Flats cook with?
Our research indicates: Soybean oil in the fryer and canola oil in the rice, per the chain's own per-ingredient nutrition data (api.tijuanaflats.com menuitems/ingredients, components dated to April 2026), which prints polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat: chips, fried tortillas, chicken tenders, the fried salad bowl and hard taco shells run about 50% poly / 20% mono (soybean), the rice about 20% poly / 60% mono (canola). The chain publishes no ingredient statements. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does Tijuana Flats use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates Tijuana Flats cooks with soybean and canola oil, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is Tijuana Flats seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates Tijuana Flats 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 Tijuana Flats?
Street Taco is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at Tijuana Flats, at an estimated 3.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at Tijuana Flats?
Cheesy Steak Flautas is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at Tijuana Flats, at an estimated 52.3g 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 Tijuana Flats 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.