Taco Seasoning (Better Than Store-Bought)

Taco Seasoning

Taco seasoning is super easy, fresh and inexpensive. Did you know store bought packets may contain dairy, cornstarch, preservatives and sugar? Skip the fillers and make taco seasoning at home. It’s also the best way to ensure it’s gluten-free.

You can use this homemade seasoning on so many recipes including taco salad, shrimp tacos, taco soup and more!

Store-Bought Seasoning – What’s Really In It?

Years ago when I started reading the labels on the back of food products I remember being shocked the vast majority of the time. Especially on items that were seemingly so simple. You’d never assume there was anything except what you thought should be inside. Oh, but there was. Case in point: taco seasoning.

If you flip a store bought packet of taco seasoning over and read the backside you’ll find unnecessary ingredients ranging from whey (dairy) to cornstarch, potato starch, caramel color, natural colors, sugar and various preservatives. Yep, that’s what’s in that little old packet. A heck of a lot of filler.

The good news is that it’s incredibly easy to make your own taco seasoning at home and once you do, you’ll never need to buy those overly priced packets again.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe Video

While it’s easy to make this homemade seasoning, it’s always helpful to watch a quick tutorial video. Give it a watch below!

Taco Seasoning Ingredients

My seasoning mix is made from a handful of fresh spices, including:

• chili powder
• cumin
• garlic powder
• paprika (or smoked paprika)
• organo
• salt and pepper

You could also add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a little spice kick. Making taco seasoning at home allows you to tweak the flavor profile to your preference.

How to Make Taco Seasoning

Just stir all of the spices together in a small bowl. The recipe I’ve listed below equates to approximately 2 tablespoons, which is the perfect amount for one pound of ground beef. But I usually quadruple this recipe and then store in these glass spice jars (make sure to grab the 6-ounce size).

If you’ve watched my YouTube videos, you know that these spice jars match my Simply Organic spice jars perfectly. Then, I use an extra fine tip water-based paint pen to write a label.

As a SoCal girl I love my Mexican food and from the recipes on this website you’ve probably gathered I’m quite the connoisseur. In fact, this taco seasoning mix is the same one that I’ve used on my Taco Stuffed Zucchini Boats and Taco Soup recipes.

For More Healthy Mexican Recipes

And if you’re whipping up fajitas, make sure to check out my fajita seasoning recipe!

Taco Seasoning (Better Than Store-Bought)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika (or smoked paprika)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, optional

Instructions

• Mix all the spices together in a bowl. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.

Lisa’s Tips

• You can easily double, triple or quadruple this recipe to make a larger batch. Then, in the future just use two tablespoons of your taco seasoning mix per one pound of ground beef.
• I don’t add any onion powder to this mix because I typically add freshly diced onions to ground beef recipes. But feel free to add that spice as well, if you’d like.
• To see inside my own spice drawer, don’t forget to watch my spice drawer organization video.
• For another delicious homemade seasoning, check out my brisket dry rub.

Nutrition

Recipe originally posted Aug 2017, but updated to include new information.