Make Your Own Baja Blast Inspired Drink With 3 Super Simple Ingredients

Arguably one of the quintessential parts of the Taco Bell experience is washing down those spicy tacos, burritos, and other fan-fave menu items with an icy, refreshing, shockingly teal Baja Blast. The Taco Bell-specific electric blue concoction is a longtime staple on the menu that's unique to the fast-casual chain, so you can't get it just anywhere when the craving hits. But of course, the internet has done what it does best for us foodies, and offered us plenty of DIY dupe recipes, using some very simple and attainable ingredients you or certainly the grocery store has on hand. 

Sprite, Powerade, and Mountain Dew are the holy trifecta of mixers needed to make your own Baja Blast at home. The not-found-in-nature blue color from the Powerade is of course essential, while adding a bit of electrolyte goodness and the crispy carbonation comes from the mix of Sprite and Mountain Dew — two lemony lime sodas that while not typically mixed, both bring unique flavor and acidity. And for max accuracy, the Mountain Dew is absolutely essential — it's what the chain uses (it's even right in the name of the drink as on the menu), and what acts as the base of the drink. It also adds the "blast" portion, with a hefty dose of caffeine. Just be sure to go for the OG, not the diet type, for max flavor.

If you don't have a Taco Bell nearby or would just rather make the drink on demand in your own home, the three basic ingredients of Powerade, lemon lime soda, and Mountain Dew will give you get a satisfying and refreshing dupe. A dupe — but not an exact match, as Taco Bell doesn't specifically name these three ingredients on the nutrition label. The brand only discloses a vague assortment of ingredients like carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, and caffeine — likely its own proprietary blend and recipe — not specifically Powerade or Sprite. 

Online aficionados of the drink all have their own specifications for the perfect blend, with some saying the best version is a 50-50 blend of Mountain Dew and Powerade, leaving out Sprite altogether, and others saying at least a 25% Sprite component is crucial. Most agree, plenty of soda is a requirement to capture the same level of carbonation as the official version. Of course, since you're in the driver's seat when making your own, you can tweak to your liking. So, if you want variations on the OG flavors, like more tanginess, a different flavor of Powerade, or prefer to swap out Sprite for a trendy prebiotic lemon lime soda, go for it. There's really only one way to master your own perfect mix and ratio though, so gather your ingredients and get to mixing.