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    Home » Real Food » DIY/Condiments/Sauces » Homemade Taco Seasoning

    Homemade Taco Seasoning

    By Kristen Chidsey | 34 Comments | Published January 11, 2022 | Updated January 22, 2022 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    It is time to save yourself money and make your own Taco Seasoning. Homemade Taco Seasoning is so incredibly simple to make! With this easy, cheaper healthier version of Taco Seasoning, you can say good-bye to the processed packets forever! 

    Homemade Taco Seasoning needs to be a staple in your kitchen! With a few common spices, you can quickly create a cheaper, healthier version of the store-bought packets of Taco Seasoning.

    From Taco Meat to Instant Pot Chicken Tacos to Taco Pizza, this homemade taco seasoning is perfect for all taco-related recipes!

    Jar of Homemade Taco Seasoning on wooden table next to teaspoon.

    Why Homemade Taco Seasoning is Best

    The #1 used spice blend at my house would have to be Taco Seasoning. From tacos to burritos to soups, taco seasoning adds just the right amount of flavor to endless recipes.

    But I don't use store-bought taco seasoning. Instead, I make my own homemade taco seasoning.

    I know that taco seasoning is easy to find and relatively inexpensive, but I still prefer my homemade blend to the store-bought packets for several reasons.

    • Homemade is more economical. I know I just said that the store-bought packets are cheap, but when you use taco seasoning several times per month, it still comes out to be less expensive to make your own.
    • Allergy-Friendly. This recipe for taco seasoning is free of the top 8 allergens--no need to carefully read labels to look for traces of gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, or nuts.
    • Quality Control. Most store-bought taco seasoning mixes are full of preservatives, MSG, and added sugars. Not to mention they are high in sodium. By making Taco Seasoning at home, you can skip all those additives AND you can customize your taco seasoning blend to suit your taste buds and dietary restrictions.
    • Easy. It is INCREDIBLY easy to make taco seasoning. Much easier than having to run out to the store to grab a packet when the craving for tacos strike.
    • Flavorful. The dried spices I use in this recipe for taco seasoning are the perfect ratio to replicate the store-bought seasoning--without being overly salty!

    Spices Needed for Taco Seasoning

    Spices for taco seasoning on wooden board labeled with text overlay.
    • Chili Powder: Use basic chili powder, not ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder for the best balance of flavor.
    • Cumin
    • Paprika: Use regular paprika. While smoked paprika adds a nice smokey finish, it may overwhelm the seasoning blend.
    • Onion Powder
    • Garlic Powder
    • Dried Oregano: Italian or Mexican dried oregano both work in this taco seasoning recipe.
    • Red Pepper Flakes: Add a bit of balanced heat to the taco seasoning without being overly spicy.
    • Black Pepper
    • Salt: Use kosher salt for best results.

    How to Make Taco Seasoning

    • In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together until everything is well distributed.
    • Transfer the mixture to an airtight container for storage.

    Storage Instructions

    Be sure to store taco seasoning in an airtight jar or container, like a ball jar, or small spice jar, so that it will not absorb flavors from other spices in your spice cabinet.

    It will last for up to 6 months when stored in an airtight container in the pantry. While certainly safe to consume after 6 months, the flavor will begin to lose potency.

    Recipe Modifications

    As stated earlier, by making your own Taco Seasoning, you can control the flavoring and adjust the seasonings to fit your taste buds.

    • Don't like garlic? Omit the garlic powder.
    • Can't handle the heat? Omit the red pepper flakes.
    • Like it spicier? Increase red pepper flakes from ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon.
    • Need Sodium-Free or Low Sodium Taco Seasoning? Omit the salt completely or cut in half. I promise this spice blend will still add great flavor to your recipes.

    How to Use Taco Seasoning

    This recipe for taco seasoning can be used in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. And while it is the perfect seasoning for traditional ground beef tacos and chicken tacos, think outside the box and use taco seasoning to give your recipes a Mexican spin.

    • In place of salt, use 1-2 teaspoons of taco seasoning to season homemade fries.
    • Mix 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning with 1 cup sour cream for a quick dressing for Taco Salad or Southwestern Chicken Salad.
    • Season sweet potato slices with taco seasoning and use and bake to use as the base for Sweet Potato Nachos.
    • Season Burgers by adding 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning to ground meat and form burgers with a Southwestern spin.
    • Add taco seasoning to Lentil Tacos, Cauliflower Tacos, or Black Bean Tacos for a meatless spin on taco night.
    • Make a creamy taco dip by adding taco seasoning to cream cheese and sour cream.
    • Add just the right flavor to Refried Beans, Rice and Beans, Bean Burritos, Chicken Chili, or Sweet Potato Burritos by using a homemade taco seasoning blend.

    If you tried out this homemade version of taco seasoning I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

    Jar of Taco Seasoning

    Homemade Taco Seasoning

    This is an easy recipe for homemade taco seasoning made without preservatives, added gluten, dairy, corn, or sugars.
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 20 packets
    Calories: 6kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¼ cup chili powder
    • ⅓ cup salt
    • ½ cup cumin
    • ⅓ cup paprika
    • ¼ cup garlic powder
    • ¼ cup onion powder
    • ¼ cup black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
    • ½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Add the spices to a small mixing bowl or jar and mix to evenly combine.
    • Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and store in the pantry for up to 6 months.
    • For every 1 packet of taco seasoning, use 2 tablespoons of this homemade taco seasoning.

    Notes

    This recipe makes the equivalent of about 20 packets of store-bought taco seasoning packets.
    Low-Sodium Taco Seasoning: Cut the salt in half, or omit completely for a salt-free version of taco seasoning. 
    For 1 Packet of Taco Seasoning (Small Batch)
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon paprika
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon oregano
    • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

    Nutrition

    Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 280mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Randy Crum

      May 25, 2022 at 8:55 pm

      Great bulk taco seasoning recipe and terrific reasons why taco lovers should make it!!!!!

      Reply
    2. Terri

      May 10, 2022 at 8:49 pm

      5 stars
      This is delicious. Thank you for the small amount directions. I ended up making more and tossed it with some popcorn. Maybe I should have just made a bigger amount to start with after all. Lol

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 11, 2022 at 6:10 am

        Next time 🙂 I am happy you enjoyed it so much Teri!

        Reply
    3. August VanAlmkerk

      April 02, 2022 at 10:01 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Kristen!!

      This is my go to now for taco seasoning it's so amazing and tastes just like store bought. The only issue I ever had was it not sticking to the meat loo ike the packets do. I now add just a little corn starch to the meat the very end to make it thicker. It's not a precise measurement each time but it works perfectly!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 03, 2022 at 7:56 am

        Thanks for sharing your cornstarch trick and the fact you enjoy the taco seasoning! 🙂

        Reply
      • Beth

        June 26, 2022 at 5:01 pm

        5 stars
        Great recipe, love having a big batch on hand! I keep making more. Thank you for sharing.

        Reply
    4. Terry

      March 13, 2022 at 11:40 am

      I love this taco seasoning mix. However, if I try to adjust the recipe to fewer than 20 packets, it converts it to metric measurements. I have used your DIY chili seasoning and Homemade Ranch Seasoning recipes too and when I converted them to less than 20 packets, it converted them correctly. Is there a way to fix this for the Taco Seasoning Mix?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 13, 2022 at 1:53 pm

        Hi Terry! I have tested this recipe on several devices and am not having the issue of the ingredients changing to metric measurements. I submitted a help ticket though to see if it can be fixed for you! So sorry!

        Reply
    5. Micki

      January 16, 2022 at 9:10 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! I used this in a bean taco recipe - just the perfect spice level. Thanks so much for adding the small batch instructions!

      Reply
    6. Gina

      January 16, 2022 at 10:34 am

      5 stars
      Love the idea of making my own rather than buying the packets which tend to have additives and way too much salt - so easy because these are spices I definitely have on hand already!

      Reply
    7. Rosalie

      August 05, 2021 at 7:57 pm

      I add coriander (1 tsp.), dash of oregano and a dash of red pepper flakes. After draining the cooked beef, I saute, finely chopped, a half green pepper , a half jalapeño and half red or yellow onion in evoo, low and slow, and 5 cloves of garlic minced. Add back the beef and add 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce and 1/4 c. of water. (Add more water as needed.)

      For taco salads, crisp iceberg lettuce, fresh tomato, diced red onion. Toss. Dump hot taco meaton top of salad,, top with grated sharp cheddar cheese, toss; add black olives and crushed corn chips. Serve with dab of sour cream and avocado makes it divine! Muy bueno.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        August 06, 2021 at 7:50 am

        Sounds like a WONDERFUL dinner! So glad you enjoyed.

        Reply
    8. Megan Hill

      May 21, 2021 at 5:21 pm

      5 stars
      I used this recipe to season some chicken breasts in the instant pot with some diced tomatoes and chicken broth, it tasted delicious! Also, I added this seasoning to white rice with some chipotle paste...it was better than I expected. Going to be making this recipe in bulk! Thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 22, 2021 at 8:22 am

        Thanks for sharing Megan! Glad you will be stocking up on this taco seasoning--I always have it on hand!

        Reply
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