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    Home » Recipes » Condiment, Sauce, and Spice Blend Recipes

    Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

    Modified: Apr 18, 2024 · Published: Apr 11, 2024 by Ashley

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    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review

    If you've ever wondered how to make taco seasoning, you're in luck! Homemade taco seasoning is a versatile pantry staple that can be used to add flavor in lots of different types of recipes. I've been making this recipe for many many years now, and my family absolutely loves it!

    Glass jar of homemade taco seasoning mix.

    Tacos make for such an easy meal. I buy taco seasoning mix from the store, and it works in a pinch. But those seasoning packets are easy to make in a big batch at home with ingredients that you already likely have in your pantry!

    We love using this homemade taco seasoning on ground meat (or vegan ground meat substitutes), in vegetarian tacos, chicken enchiladas, and our favorite layered taco dip.

    Jump to:
    • 🧡 Why we love this recipe
    • 📝 Ingredients
    • 🧂 A Note About Salt
    • ✅ How to make this recipe
    • 🌮 How to make taco meat using taco seasoning mix
    • 💡 Recipes that use homemade taco seasoning
    • 🍴 Variations
    • 🥡 Equipment and storage
    • 🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🧡 Why we love this recipe

    • It uses spices that we always have on hand in the pantry.
    • This spice blend stores beautifully in the pantry.
    • It's easily scalable - make as little or as much as you'd like to keep on hand.
    • Homemade spice mixes make great gifts!
    • Making your own taco seasoning mix saves on waste - no more single-use packets.

    📝 Ingredients

    Here's everything you need to make a batch of homemade taco seasoning (see recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full directions):

    Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning on a cutting board.
    • Chili powder
    • Ground cumin
    • Kosher salt
    • Ground black pepper
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    • Dried oregano
    • Ground sweet paprika
    • Cushed red pepper flakes

    🧂 A Note About Salt

    This recipe uses kosher salt which can be found in your grocery store located in the baking aisle.

    For my cooking, I use Morton coarse kosher salt. The other popular brand is Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    There's no right or wrong kosher salt to use, but the type you use can cause big differences in your recipe results.

    Due to the difference in flake size, Diamond Crystal and Morton need to be measured differently.

    Morton flakes are smaller, meaning more of that salt can fit in the same measure as Diamond Crystal.

    The general rule of thumb is that you should use 1.5 times the amount of Diamond Crystal as you would Morton.

    So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of Morton kosher salt, it should be changed to 1 ½ cups if you're using Diamond Crystal.

    You can read more about the differences in salt types in this post from Taste of Home.

    ✅ How to make this recipe

    There's nothing really to making this recipe - just pop all of the ingredients into a bowl mix to combine. I like putting it in a jar with a lid and shaking it all together.

    If you plan on giving this spice blend as a gift, I recommend layering the spices into a jar so it looks pretty.

    You can label the jar with a label maker if you'd like. It'd be nice to also include a little card with instructions for use.

    See recipe card below for full instructions.

    Pouring chili powder into a glass jar to make taco seasoning.
    Pouring crushed red pepper flakes into a glass jar to make taco seasoning.
    Glass jar labeled "taco seasoning".

    🌮 How to make taco meat using taco seasoning mix

    To make tacos (per pound of ground meat or vegan ground meat substitute):

    1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground protein and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat from the pan, if applicable. (I like using a baster to transfer the fat to a heat-safe bowl).
    2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning mix onto the meat and continue to cook for a minute or two, stirring to combine. Add ⅔ cup cold water and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and thickens, about 3 minutes longer.
    3. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings.

    💡 Recipes that use homemade taco seasoning

    Here are some of are my family's favorite recipes that utilize this taco seasoning mix:

    • Overhead view of prepared ingredients and 3 assembled Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Chimichurri.
      Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Chimichurri
    • Freshly baked tray of chicken enchiladas.
      The BEST Chicken Enchiladas
    • Scooping layered taco dip onto a tortilla chip.
      Layered Taco Dip with Refried Beans

    🍴 Variations

    Feel free to scale back on the red pepper flakes if you prefer a more mild taco seasoning mix. This particular recipe has a little heat, but it's absolutely a personal preference.

    I've actually gone back and edited the recipe to recommend starting with just 1 teaspoon since my original recommendation of 2 made it fairly spicy. So feel free to start low and add more if desired.

    Likewise, feel free to amp it up and add more if you like things more firey!

    🥡 Equipment and storage

    Once your taco seasoning is mixed, you can pour it into your storage container(s) of choice.

    You may need to use a small metal funnel to help guide some of the spices into the jars. I found it helpful for the more finely ground ingredients depending on the with of your jar's opening.

    Store your homemade seasoning blend in an airtight container (like a tightly closed spice jar) in a cool, dry place.

    When choosing a storage location for your spices, it's best to keep them away from heat sources. That's why storing them next to your oven isn't recommended.

    It's preferable to keep them in a dark place, or at least away from direct sunlight, to retain maximum flavor.

    This blend will keep for several months, stored properly in your pantry or cabinet.

    🍽️ Still hungry? You may also like...

    Looking for more homemade spice blends? Try these:

    • Glass jar filled with layers of spices.
      Homemade Grill Seasoning: The BEST Spice Blend for Meat & Veggies
    • Holding a spice jar with layers of ingredients for homemade fajita seasoning Penzeys copycat recipe.
      The Best Homemade Fajita Seasoning Recipe - Penzeys Copycat Spice Mix
    • Bowl of dry brine seasoning mix with a spoon lifting some out.
      Dry Brine Seasoning Blend for Turkey and Chicken
    • Vanilla Sugar
      Vanilla Sugar

    Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!

    Print

    📖 Recipe

    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    Glass jar of homemade taco seasoning mix.

    Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
    • Author: Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen - Ashley Covelli (Adapted from Allrecipes)
    • Prep Time: 5 Minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: Makes 12 tablespoons 1x
    • Category: Spice Blends
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: Mexican
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    If you've ever wondered how to make taco seasoning, you're in luck! Homemade taco seasoning is a versatile pantry staple that can be used to add flavor in lots of different types of recipes. I've been making this recipe for many many years now, and my family absolutely loves it!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ¼ cup chili powder
    • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
    • 2 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
    • 2 ½ teaspoons onion powder
    • 2 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
    • 2 ½ teaspoons ground sweet paprika
    • 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes *

    Instructions

    1. Add chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion podwder, dried oregano, sweet paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes to a jar. Close the lid and shake well to combine. Alternately, you can stir or whisk everything together in a bowl and then transfer your storage container(s) of choice.
    2. Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place away from heat.

    Equipment

    Image of chili powder

    chili powder

    Buy Now →
    Image of ground black pepper

    ground black pepper

    Buy Now →
    Image of ground cumin

    ground cumin

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    Image of label maker

    label maker

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    Image of small metal funnel

    small metal funnel

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    Image of spice jars

    spice jars

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    Notes

    *For the red pepper flakes, use less or more depending on your heat preference. You can also feel free to omit completely.

    See notes in my post above for how to make taco meat with this seasoning mix.

    Recipe adapted from Allrecipes - Bill Echols.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
    • Calories: 39
    • Sugar: 0.6 g
    • Sodium: 780.5 mg
    • Fat: 1.4 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 7.6 g
    • Fiber: 3.6 g
    • Protein: 1.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @bigflavors on Instagram and hashtag it #cookbigflavors

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angelica

      March 27, 2010 at 8:16 am

      Awesome, I can't believe it's never crossed my mind to actually make my own taco seasoning mix. But from now on I'll be making my own, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Katy ~

      March 27, 2010 at 9:17 am

      This is sheer genius. I spend a fortune for the packets. You are totally awesome. Thanks for this.

      Reply
    3. Lydia Stewart

      March 31, 2010 at 11:35 pm

      How cool that you make your own taco seasoning- then you know what goes into it. Have you found that it is more cost effective?

      Reply
    4. Sharon

      December 06, 2012 at 8:02 am

      That's a great idea. Also not only is it better for you. It seems in the long run more cost effective. They are cute and a great gift idea.

      Reply
    5. Ashley

      December 08, 2012 at 1:34 pm

      It's super easy, too! I go through tons of this stuff 🙂

      Reply
    6. Paloma Mansour

      October 18, 2023 at 1:41 pm

      The only taco seasoning I keep in my house! Never loved the store bought stuff, and would get annoyed just throwing stuff in the pan, even as a culinary professional. This spice blend makes it easy AND TASTY.

      Reply
      • Ashley

        October 18, 2023 at 3:13 pm

        Thank you so much, Paloma! I'm so glad it's been a hit for you!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Ashley and I’ve been writing about food & recipes here at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen since 2006. I want to help you (yes, you!) gain confidence in the kitchen so you are excited to cook at home for yourself and your loved ones.

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