Are Jack In The Box Tacos Vegan?

As a vegan, you may find yourself craving the convenience of fast food but wondering if menu items like tacos are really meat and dairy-free. Jack in the Box’s famous tacos leaves many plant-based eaters with questions. In this post, we dive deep into the ingredients, closely evaluating the vegan status of each component in Jack in the Box tacos.

You’ll get the insider facts on exactly which parts of the tacos are off-limits and see how to customize your order for a satisfying vegan version. We’ll also provide healthier menu options beyond just tacos and hacks to make any menu item more vegan-friendly.

Quick Answer

Are Jack In The Box Tacos Vegan? No, Jack in the Box’s famous tacos are not vegan. The tacos contain real beef and dairy cheese, which are animal products that vegans avoid.

Ingredients in Jack in the Box Tacos

Tortillas

The signature tortillas used for Jack in the Box tacos are small, warm, flat corn tortillas. They measure around 4.5 inches across – the perfect size and shape for a handheld street taco. These petite tortillas are made from a simple mix of stone-ground yellow cornmeal, water, and trace ingredients.

Jack in the Box prepares them in-house every day at each location using proprietary pressing and cooking methods to achieve the ideal texture that is perfectly pliable yet sturdy enough to contain the fillings. The tortillas have a warm, fresh taste and lightly toasted flavor from being freshly cooked on the grill.

Meat

The taco meat filling at Jack in the Box is made from seasoned ground beef. They use 100% pure American beef chuck that is ground and cooked on-site every day at each restaurant. The ground beef crumbles are seasoned with a signature blend of spices and then grilled thoroughly to add great flavor.

The meat is chopped into small pieces that are perfect for topping the petite tortillas. Using high-quality ground chuck allows Jack in the Box to achieve the quintessential tasty taco meat texture.

Cheese and Lettuce

Jack in the Box tops each taco with a melty two-cheese blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar that is shredded in-house daily. The cheese adds a lovely creaminess and binds the ingredients together.

Crisp, chilled iceberg lettuce provides freshness and crunch to balance the other ingredients. The lettuce is chopped into small pieces so it doesn’t overwhelm the compact tacos.

Signature Sauce

No Jack in the Box taco would be complete without the chain’s signature taco sauce. This tangy, creamy sauce has hints of chili peppers, garlic, spices, and lime. It adds moisture and ties all the taco components together perfectly.

The legendary sauce recipe is unique to Jack in the Box and truly makes their tacos stand out from all others.

Evaluating The Vegan Status of Ingredients

Meat and Cheese

The two main ingredients in Jack in the Box tacos that would make them incompatible with a vegan diet are meat and cheese. As we covered earlier, the meat is 100% ground beef while the cheese is a blend of dairy-based Monterey Jack and cheddar. All animal products including beef and dairy are strictly off-limits for vegans.

There are no meat or dairy alternatives used in the traditional Jack in the Box tacos. The chain uses real beef and real dairy cheese, sourced from cows.

These animal-derived ingredients immediately disqualify the tacos from being considered vegan-friendly. For strict vegans abstaining fully from animal products, the presence of beef and cheese would make Jack in the Box tacos non-vegan.

Other Ingredients

When evaluating the rest of the ingredients in Jack in the Box tacos, the tortillas, lettuce, and signature sauce do fit into a vegan diet. The tortillas contain no animal products, only being made from cornmeal, water, and some seasonings.

Lettuce is always vegan, providing freshness. While the exact sauce recipe is proprietary, it appears to be vegan – containing a mix of flavors like chili peppers, garlic, lime, and spices but no dairy or other animal ingredients.

So the tortilla, lettuce, and sauce pose no issues for a vegan diet. However, the meat and cheese still remain dealbreakers for labeling the tacos as truly vegan overall.

Local Variations

It’s worth noting that ingredients may vary slightly in Jack in the Box tacos depending on location. Certain regions may have differences in supply chains that could alter the recipe.

Vegan eaters should still check the specific ingredients list at their local store before consuming the tacos, just to confirm the presence of beef and cheese. But in general, the classic recipe used across all stores contains meat and dairy.

Additional Vegan Options on Menu

Salads

While the tacos may not be vegan due to the beef and cheese, Jack in the Box does offer some salad options that can fit into a vegan diet. Their Southwest Chicken Salad can be made vegan by asking for no chicken and choosing the fat-free Catalina dressing.

This dressing contains no dairy or other animal products. The side Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad also makes a great vegan choice when ordered without chicken and with the Catalina dressing. Both provide greens, beans, corn, and other fresh veggies minus animal ingredients.

Veggie Burgers

For a vegan sandwich option, Jack in the Box has a few different veggie burgers to choose from. Their BBQ Veggie Burger is topped with veggies like lettuce, tomato, and onion with a smoky vegan BBQ sauce and served on a whole wheat bun.

No meat or cheese here. Another good choice is the Ultimate Cheeseburger, which can be made vegan by subbing in a BBQ veggie patty and removing the cheese. This allows vegans to enjoy the classic burger taste.

French Fries

One menu item that is reliably vegan at any Jack in the Box location is the standard french fries. Jack in the Box states their fries are cooked in 100% vegan vegetable oil and only contain potatoes, plant-based oils, and salt.

So french fry lovers can enjoy this staple meat-free and dairy-free. Dipping sauces may contain milk or eggs though, so ask about ingredients.

Hacks for Vegan Customization

Removing Cheese and Meat

One of the easiest ways to modify items at Jack in the Box to make them vegan is to order burgers, tacos, and other menu items without cheese or meat. For example, asking for a cheeseburger prepared “veggie-style” omitting the beef patty and cheese will remove the non-vegan ingredients.

The same goes for the tacos – ordering them with just the veggies and tortillas but no beef or cheese filling will give you a basic vegan taco shell to add your own fillings. Don’t be afraid to ask for orders to be customized by leaving off meat, dairy, and other animal ingredients.

Sauce Substitutions

If an item normally comes with a non-vegan sauce, request it on the side or ask for a different vegan-friendly sauce instead. For instance, the Catalina dressing and BBQ sauce at Jack in the Box are vegan, while some creamy dressings and mayo-based spreads aren’t.

Ask to swap ranch for Catalina on a salad, or mayo for ketchup or mustard on a veggie burger. They should be happy to accommodate sauce substitutions to cater to vegan diners.

Bun Options

When ordering a veggie burger or sandwich, choosing a vegan-friendly bun and bread can help keep the item animal product-free. Some good bun options are the plain whole wheat bun or sesame seed bun. Meanwhile, the sourdough and brioche buns likely contain milk and eggs.

Always check with the server if unsure about bun ingredients. Asking for a sandwich wrapped in lettuce leaves is another creative vegan alternative to standard bread buns.

Nutritional Information for Vegans

Burgers

When ordering a veggie burger instead of a meat-based burger at Jack in the Box, you’ll notice some differences in nutritional profiles. A vegan BBQ burger patty packs about 70 calories versus the 280 calories in a Double Cheeseburger beef patty. You’ll also get 3g of fiber and 8g of protein from the veggie patty rather than 0 fiber and 20g of protein from beef.

So calorie, fiber, and protein contents change with plant-based patties. However, sodium can still be high at over 1000mg for a veggie burger with a bun and vegan topping sauce, compared to a meat burger.

Tacos

Modifying the tacos to be vegan by removing the meat and cheese drops the calories from 170 in a standard taco down to about 60 calories for a veggie taco. You’ll also slash the fat grams substantially without the beef and lose the protein from meat, going from 8g down to around 2g protein with just the tortilla and veggies.

Overall, empty taco shells can save calories but lack protein. Adding beans, rice or vegan crumbles boosts nutrition.

Salads and Sides

Salad greens on their own are extremely low calorie, high fiber, and packed with vitamins. A side Southwest Avocado Salad has only 170 calories when made vegan. Pair it with the 60-calorie veggie taco for a filling 230-calorie vegan meal full of nutrition.

The standard french fries offer 290 calories and 3g protein for vegans needing plant-based calories. While not as healthy as salads, fries can be part of a balanced vegan plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jack in the Box tacos made of?

One of the main ingredients in these tacos is soy – but this doesn’t mean they are completely vegan. Fillings can range from beef to chicken and dairy products like cheese.

Their website doesn’t actually state a full list of ingredients, which may lead some people to assume that the soy ingredient makes their tacos vegan. The meat fillings are actually a protein paste made from soy, but does contain meat flavorings. 

Other common ingredients include fish, eggs, milk, and wheat – some of which definitely aren’t vegan. 

Before you search the ingredients and nutritional list online, remember that Jack in the Box tacos are sold as a pair but listed on their website as a single taco. Both tacos together have 344 calories, 18 grams of fat, 2 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein. 

What is vegan at Jack in the Box?

So, we’ve established that the tacos are not vegan. Unfortunately, Jack in the Box doesn’t have many vegan options, either. However, if you aren’t a strict vegan, there are some loopholes. Your new best friends will be side snacks! 

Vegan side snacks include french fries, curly fries, and hash browns to name a few. Most hot and dipping sauces are vegan too, as long as they don’t contain buttermilk or honey if you’re strict. Some of the salads are also vegan, though this doesn’t mean they are necessarily healthy. Make sure to avoid ranch and other dressings, and make your server aware of your requirements. 

Are Jack in the Box tacos made of tuna?

Okay, so the texture of the tacos can often feel like tuna. The meat-filled tacos are made from a meat paste, which provides the same texture as tuna or cat food (not to put you off your tacos). This is what makes the tacos so loved or so hated. As the meat fillings aren’t made of 100% meat, this paste can often be mistaken for tuna.

The paste is made of soy flour and grits as well as some vegetable proteins and pieces of the chosen meat. However, it’s not easy to prove this, as Jack in the Box’s official ingredients list only lists the allergen ingredients.