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You will want to have a jar of this Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix in your pantry at all times. It is a staple in so many Mexican-inspired recipes and so much better than the store bought variety!
It has been well over 20 years since I mixed up my first batch of this Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix and since that time, I haven’t purchased one single packet or jar of pre-mixed taco seasoning from the store. Whenever I run low, I make a point to mix up a new batch. It is on constant rotation.
It is such a staple, in fact, that this is the second recipe that was posted to this blog almost 10 years ago. It inspired me to branch out to create other seasoning mixes that I love dearly, like my Kickin’ Cajun Seasoning Mix.
It is so worth it to make your own taco seasoning at home. The flavor is so much better than the premixed, store bought variety which I think tends to give off a somewhat artificial taste. A homemade blend is pure and simple and easy to customize to your liking. It is also less expensive to make your own instead of buying spice blends at the store.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix Ingredients
All of the spices in this seasoning mix are pantry staples in my kitchen so it’s easy to whip up a new batch at any given time.
- I prefer fine ground sea salt in most of my seasoning mixes. I buy a large container from Costco and always have it on hand. You can substitute regular table salt if you’d like. As written this recipe has FAR less sodium than store bought blends but feel free to reduce the amount called for if you are watching your sodium intake.
- Crushed red pepper adds a little zing. Add more or less depending on your taste.
The Difference Between Chili Powder and Chile Powder
You might be surprised to learn that their is a difference between chili powder and chile powder. There is a significant difference in flavor and heat between the two so be careful when shopping and be sure to pick up chili (with an “i”) powder for this recipe.
- Chili powder contains dried chili pepper and a variety of other ingredients. It is commonly used to season chili and other similar dishes. I keep a large container of chili powder in my pantry at all times (again, thanks Costco) and it is what is used in this recipe.
- Chile powder is made from dried ground chiles with few or no other additives and depending on the variety, it can be very spicy. If you were to use it in place of chili powder you could end up with an exceptionally spicy blend.
How to Store Spice Blends
So, you’ve mixed up a fresh batch of Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix and used some of it to create something delicious. Here are some tips on how to best store the rest.
- Keep spice blends in an airtight container in a cool, dark place like your pantry. Avoid any area that gets a lot of light, heat or moisture. Small mason jars or cute glass spice jars with labels are the best choice for storage. If you already have jars and just need labels there are lots of fun preprinted spice labels available. I love these chalkboard style labels.
- Spices can lose potency over time so use homemade spice blends within a few months for the best flavor.
How to Use Taco Seasoning Mix
For traditional ground meat tacos, use 1 to 2 tablespoons per pound of meat, to taste. I like to add a small amount of water and sometimes about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce for a saucier taco filling.
But, there is far more you can do with this versatile spice mix! My collection of recipes is always growing. Here are some of my favorites.
- Shredded Mexican Beef
- Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos
- Easy Ground Beef Tacos
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Chicken and Veggie Baked Tostadas
- Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
- Spanish Rice with Ground Beef
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Dip
This post was originally published on August 14, 2011. It has been updated with new text and images.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Mix well and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
- Give the jar a shake before measuring out the amount needed for your recipe.
Notes
- Be sure you use chili (with an “i”) powder and not chile (with an “e”) powder for a mild, all-purpose blend.
- I prefer fine ground sea salt in most of my seasoning mixes. You can substitute regular table salt if you’d like. Feel free to reduce the amount called for if you are watching your sodium intake.
- Crushed red pepper adds a little zing. Add more or less depending on your taste.
- Spices can lose potency over time so use homemade spice blends within a few months for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Adapted from Allrecipes
DKWilliams says
How much of this mix should one use when browning one pound of ground beef?
Valerie says
From the post above “For traditional ground meat tacos, use 1 to 2 tablespoons per pound of meat, to taste. I like to add a small amount of water and sometimes about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce for a saucier taco filling.”
lynn says
when you say 1/4 cup chili powder – does that mean all of the ingredients below combined, or do you add 1/4 cup of something else?
Valerie says
I’m not quite sure I understand your question, Lynn. The ingredients should all be combined in the amount listed. Yes, there is 1/4 cup chili powder plus all the other ingredients listed on the recipe card. Hope this helps 🙂
Judy Newman says
This seasoning is fabulous! So much more subtle than packaged stuff. I keep in refrig to use as needed. Mexican Stuffed Peppers are the best!!
Cat W says
Thanks for the homemade taco seasoning. Been looking for a while for the replacement for the packaged stuff.
Valerie says
Absolutely, Cat 🙂
Marissa says
this taco seasoning looks great…but my kids are young and can’t handle too much spices…on a scale to how hot would you say your sauce is?
Valerie says
Hi Marissa. I just mixed up a double batch of this seasoning today! It is not very spicy at all with 1/2 teaspoon but I’d probably scale it down and just use 1/4 teaspoon if I was feeding youngsters. You can always add more later if you think it needs it.
Brenda says
I can’t wait to try this homemade taco seasoning recipe mix. The package stuff calls for 1 cup of water plus seasoning mix. I imagine there must be some sort of thickening agent in the pkg? Or is the water just added for moisture? Do you add water to your ground beef mixture when making taco’s?
Valerie says
I do not add water but it would be fine to do so if you feel you need some added moisture. There could very possibly be a thickening agent in the packaged stuff.
Lori says
Approximately how much of the homemade taco seasoning do I use per pound for beef or chicken? It is probably a preference, but to start with for first time? All your recipes sound delicious, I am making my shopping list now. Thanks for making it so easy.
Valerie says
Start with about 2 tablespoons and see what you think. You can always add more as needed. Have a great weekend 🙂