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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!
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.
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🧡 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):
- 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.
Prior to 2025, I used Morton coarse kosher salt in my cooking. I switched over to Diamond Crystal kosher salt after having size inconsistencies over multiple packages of Morton.
In the photo above, you'll see the size that this particular salt has always been (left), what seems to be the "new" size (center), and Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, which is the other major brand that is used in most professional kitchens (right).
Why does salt crystal size matter? 🧂
When the crystal size is larger, salt doesn't dissolve as quickly as its smaller counterpart. This proved problematic when my husband made eggs for breakfast, and me and my son kept getting super salty bites. We realized it was because those larger salt crystals weren't dissolving or dispersing evenly.
You can also fit a larger quantity of salt in your measuring spoon when the grains are smaller. So you'll have a saltier ½ teaspoon of a finer-grained salt than a coarser one.
What this means is that you need to be aware that salt measurements can vary. If you follow a recipe and it's too salty using those measurements, it's possible that the recipe writer used a different size of salt than what you used.
There's no right or wrong brand to use, but be sure to get a hang of the characteristics of what you're using when you're cooking. Nobody wants to have overly salty food!
Because of the inconsistency in size, I'm switching to Diamond Crystal in my kitchen. It may take a little getting used to, but it's something that seems necessary to the consistency of my home cooking.
One further note - this article from Food 52 goes into more detail about the differences between these 2 brands of kosher salt (not the grain-size difference in one single that sparked my switch), and it's a great read!
✅ 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.
🌮 How to make taco meat using taco seasoning mix
To make tacos (per pound of ground meat or vegan ground meat substitute):
- 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).
- 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.
- 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:
🍴 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:
Doing some online shopping? Check out my Amazon shop page for recommendations!
Print📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Makes 12 tablespoons 1x
- Category: Spice Blends
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
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
- 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
- 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.
- Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place away from heat.
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
Angelica says
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!
Katy ~ says
This is sheer genius. I spend a fortune for the packets. You are totally awesome. Thanks for this.
Lydia Stewart says
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?
Sharon says
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.
Ashley says
It's super easy, too! I go through tons of this stuff 🙂
Paloma Mansour says
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.
Ashley says
Thank you so much, Paloma! I'm so glad it's been a hit for you!