Homemade Taco Seasoning - this seasoning is the perfect blend of spices to amp up tacos or any Mexican & Tex-Mex style dishes you love. It is quick, inexpensive and made with staple ingredients you likely have on hand. You can customize it to make it your own by going spicier or even leaving the salt out entirely.
The Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
So whether you've decided you wanted to make your own taco seasoning because you don't like what the store bought taco seasoning is made of or you ran out of the store-bought stuff and want to make your own taco seasoning from scratch, you've come to the right place. I'm biased of course, but think this is the best taco seasoning out there, homemade or store bought! Once you give this recipe a try and realize how inexpensive and easy it is to make, you may find yourself reaching to make this instead of buying the packets at the store.
In less than 5 minutes, you'll have a taco seasoning that packs a ton of flavor that is perfect for tacos, burritos, chicken, beef, shrimp, and more!
Homemade Taco Seasoning Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in taco seasoning are seasonings people keep on hand in the pantry. You can also buy most of these in bulk at club stores like Sam's and Costco. I find that it results in a pretty big cost savings by doing that and making my own vs buying the packets.
- Cumin - I'm a self admitted big cumin fan for any Mexican style dish. I go heavy on the cumin, but find that it adds such a great flavor.
- Salt - I opt for kosher salt in mine, but use your favorite salt here. You could even use pink Himalayan salt if that's your favorite.
- Garlic Powder - I really like the California Garlic Powder sold at Costco under the Kirkland's brand because of it's taste, but any good garlic powder works great.
- Onion Powder - Even if you like onion flavor, don't get heavy handed here. Use the measured amount and if you'd like more after you've tried the finished product you can add more. Adding too much can over power the other seasonings.
- Paprika - I use standard paprika in mine, but if you want a smokey taste you could always use smoked paprika instead.
- Chili Powder - I keep my chili powder ratio low in this recipe because I use this taco seasoning in a lot of dishes for a range of tastes. If you want a spicier mix, feel free to bump this measurement up.
- Oregano - It's a classic in Mexican cooking and it wouldn't be complete without it!
How to make Homemade Taco Seasoning
(full recipe instructions with measurements and printable card are at the end of this post)
- Add all ingredients to a bowl or mason jar and wisk (or shake) to fully combine. That's it!
How do I store Homemade Taco Seasoning?
I store mine in a mason jar in my pantry. You'll want to store it the same way you would other spices, in a cool, dry place.
Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting for Homemade Taco Seasoning
How long is homemade taco seasoning good for when stored properly? If you store properly, it will keep for up to 1 year. Honestly, mine rarely lasts more than 2 weeks in our house with how frequently we use it. I make it about 1-2 times a month.
Can I make it in bulk? Absolutely. Just multiply the amounts to as many as you want.
Do I need to add water to my homemade taco seasoning when making ground beef tacos? You can. This is entirely up to you. I find that a splash of water or broth is perfect. No more than ¼ cup for 1lb of meat.
How much taco seasoning is equal to a packet of store-bought? I use 2 tablespoons per 1lb of meat.
Recipes you could use homemade taco seasoning with:
- Taco Pie
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Tex-Mix Chicken & Rice Casserole
- Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a bowl or mason jar and wisk (or shake) to fully combine. That's it!
Notes
- Use 2 tbsp per 1lb of meat
- If you want a spicier mix, add more chili powder or even some cayenne
- You can go salt free by omitting the salt entirely.
- WW Points (all plans): 0 points
Cristina Schackman
I called Kara one night because I tragically ran out of taco seasoning and didn't know what to do. Once again, she saved dinner! My kids like this so much more than the store bought seasoning so now I just make giant batches of it instead of buying the little packets at the store.
Cindy Goelling
Just made this seasoning and used it on my ground turkey. It was absolutely perfect! Will definitely make a bigger batch next time.
kara
Thank you, Cindy! I'm so glad you liked it!