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Home » Recipes » Sauce + Seasoning

Taco Seasoning

Apr 22, 2012 by Kaitlin · 28 Comments

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This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is a tasty blend of bold, rich flavor. Perfect for adding instant flavor to tacos, burritos, fajitas, soup, beans, vegetables, and more!

homemade taco seasoning in a small jar

Have a few minutes? Let's make some taco seasoning!

Store-bought seasoning packets are convenient but nothing beats the freshness and versatility of making your own spice blends right at home.

This quick & easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is a great way to save money and control the ingredients (because it has no additives, preservatives, or excess sodium).

Plus it's made with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. (And you can easily customize & adjust them to your own taste!)

Spices on a plate for homemade taco seasoning ingredients

Ingredients for Taco Seasoning

Scroll down to the recipe for full amounts, but these are the spices you'll need to grab from your pantry:

  • Chili powder: Most often I use "Simply Organic" brand chili powder. In my experience, most chili powders are mild to moderately spicy depending on how much cayenne pepper they contain. (I find this seasoning mixture is mild if using mild/medium chili powder.)
  • Ground cumin
  • Dried oregano: Be sure your dried spices are fresh (not expired and past their prime) for best flavor and results.
  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Smoked paprika
  • Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. You can add as much or as little as you prefer. For low-sodium or no sodium, simple reduce or leave it out.

Like it spicy? Add black pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes. Ground chipotle is also a great addition for some warm smokiness.

Small bowl of homemade taco spice blend

Preparing

Combine & shake: To make your taco seasoning, simply combine all the spices in a bowl or jar, then thoroughly shake or stir to mix it together. That's it!

Storing

Store it in a sealed container or glass mason jar at room temperature. I find it keeps for several months in an airtight container in the pantry. (I often make a larger batch by doubling, tripling, or quadrupling the recipe to save for later - super convenient!)

Homemade spice blend in a small jar with teaspoon

How to Make Taco Meat

This seasoning mix is great for making simple ground meat tacos. Since we're vegan, I use Beyond Meat's plant-based grounds (or something similar) which works great. The general recipe is:

  • 1 pound of vegan ground beef or meat crumbles
  • 2-3 Tbsp. taco seasoning
  • 1/3 cup water (more or less as desired)

Instructions: Simply brown your "meat" in a skillet first, then add the taco seasoning and water. (The water helps to combine and coat the crumbles evenly.) Then let it simmer for a few minutes until the water has absorbed.

Store-Bought Packets

A standard packet of taco seasoning mix usually contains 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning. This recipe makes about 3 tablespoons, so it's a great match and replacement for one store-bought taco seasoning packet.

Plate of three vegan tacos with chickpea-walnut taco filling

Recipes with Taco Seasoning

Use this seasoning in a wide variety of dishes for instant, bold flavor! A few ideas include:

  • Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles (pictured above)
  • Portobello Fajitas (pictured below)
  • Southwest Tofu Burrito
  • Vegan Taco Salad with Southwestern Dressing
  • Mexican Mac and Cheese
  • Chipotle Taco Hummus
  • Black Bean Lentil Taco Soup

It's also great for general use on veggies, potatoes, rice, casseroles, soups, and beyond!

Vegan portobello mushroom fajitas on a corn tortilla

For more inspiration, also browse all sauce & seasoning recipes or Mexican-inspired recipes.

homemade taco seasoning in a small jar

Taco Seasoning

A tasty spice blend with bold flavor. Perfect for adding instant flavor to tacos, burritos, fajitas, soup, beans, vegetables, and more.
4.91 from 22 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comment
Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes minutes
Author: Kaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Course: Seasoning
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Mexican-inspired, Vegan
Servings: 6 (1/2-tablespoon servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder*
  • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. smoked paprika (or regular)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt (more/less as desired)

Optional spicy additions:

  • 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, a dash of cayenne pepper, or a dash of ground chipotle

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Stir or shake until thoroughly combined.
  • Use immediately or store in an airtight container for later use. (It keeps for several months.)

Notes

*Chili powder: I use American-style mild chili powder.
Yield: Recipe makes about 3 tablespoons. (So double, triple, or quadruple as desired.)
Storing: If preparing for later, store seasoning blend in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. (I keep ours in a small, sealed mason jar in our pantry.)

Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)

Nutrition Facts
Taco Seasoning
Amount per Serving
Calories
10
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Potassium
 
56
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
2
g
1
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
572
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
17
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating:




  1. Jennifer says

    January 03, 2024 at 11:41 am

    5 stars
    I love having jars of homemade spice blends in my pantry, as they are far more cost effective than store-bought versions. Not to mention you can customize the flavour profile to suit your family. This is a wonderful taco seasoning blend that I’m happy to have as my go-to mix. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      January 03, 2024 at 5:56 pm

      Wonderful to hear it's your go-to mix, Jennifer. Hooray for homemade spice blends!

      Reply
  2. Kim says

    March 05, 2023 at 4:53 pm

    5 stars
    This is a keeper. Will add a bit more onion, garlic and chipotle next time. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 05, 2023 at 5:00 pm

      Great ideas, Kim! Love the chipotle for a little smoky heat. Thanks so much for sharing your kind feedback!

      Reply
  3. Jayne says

    October 30, 2021 at 2:51 pm

    5 stars
    I am so happy I saved this recipe! I am making another round. I also used as a steak marinade for fajitas!! Score. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      October 30, 2021 at 5:26 pm

      Glad you're enjoying it, Jayne! Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  4. Claire Wankiewicz says

    September 30, 2021 at 11:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is awesome! Not too hot, warms you in your tummy not your mouth. I've used this in other recipes too and it adds just the right lift in flavor. Love this recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      October 01, 2021 at 7:54 am

      Lovely to hear, Claire! I'm so glad you're finding various uses for it. Your kind feedback is appreciated - thank you!

      Reply
  5. Torrie says

    July 27, 2021 at 10:04 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this for tacos and it was great. Just added a bit more chili powder and 1 tablespoon tomato paste. Big hit with the boys.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 28, 2021 at 7:35 am

      Great additions, Torrie! Glad it was enjoyed!

      Reply
  6. Jeannette says

    July 15, 2021 at 1:58 pm

    5 stars
    This is great! Thank you. I made chicken fajitas. My daughter will like this because it isn’t very spicy. I intend on making the black bean soup soon. Thank you again!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 15, 2021 at 2:11 pm

      Fantastic, Jeannette! Hope you enjoy the soup as well. Thanks so much for your kind feedback!

      Reply
  7. Inga says

    July 13, 2021 at 3:27 pm

    4 stars
    Love this recipe thanks. I use it again and again.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 15, 2021 at 10:18 am

      Yay! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  8. Becky says

    July 05, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect combination of spices! I used cayenne powder instead of flakes. This will be my go-to taco seasoning now.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      July 05, 2021 at 4:35 pm

      Great to hear!

      Reply
    • Mandy says

      July 07, 2021 at 4:48 pm

      5 stars
      This was perfect. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Kaitlin says

        July 08, 2021 at 12:22 pm

        Great to hear, Mandy. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
  9. Kristin says

    May 04, 2021 at 3:28 pm

    Do you use the entire thing for 1 lb. of ground beef?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 04, 2021 at 3:46 pm

      Hi Kristin! Yep, typically 2-3 Tbsp. taco seasoning is used for 1 lb. meat. Simply add a little water if the mixture is too dry. (I've used it to season Beyond Meat ground beef before and it's fantastic.) But feel free to cater the seasoning amount to your own taste!

      Reply
  10. Rosa says

    April 14, 2021 at 2:25 pm

    Do I still have to add water to this? Store bought asks for water.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      May 03, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Hi Rosa! It depends on how you're using it and personal preference. If seasoning ground meat/meat substitutes, then you can add 2-3 Tbsp. water (or more) like the packets state to help better mix the seasoning if the mixture is dry. (In a recipe like my Chickpea-Walnut Taco Crumbles, I only use 1 Tbsp. water.)

      Reply
  11. Loraine says

    April 08, 2021 at 5:38 pm

    5 stars
    This turned out even better than any store bought taco seasoning. I will be using this as my go-to from now on for taco Tuesdays!! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 10, 2021 at 9:00 am

      Fantastic, Loraine! Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your kind review. Hope you continue to enjoy it on your Taco Tuesdays!

      Reply
  12. Michele says

    April 06, 2021 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great recipe! It tastes just like one you buy at the store. I will never buy a package mix again! Thanks for posting.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 06, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      So wonderful to hear, Michele! I appreciate you coming back to let me know - thank you!

      Reply
  13. Gayle says

    March 13, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    5 stars
    Love that it has oregano, but all I had was Italian seasoning! I used my pestle to make the onion powder from dried. Turned out great. It will be a regular in my spice arsenal. Especially for kids who can’t take peppery or hot flavors but like the savory kick this has. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 31, 2021 at 9:08 am

      Fantastic, Gayle! Love that you made this work with what you had. Thank you so much for the kind feedback - very appreciated!

      Reply

Hello, I'm Kaitlin!
I live in Montana and share vegan recipes that are easy and healthy. About Me →

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