Taco Seasoning
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I’ve been making this taco seasoning recipe for years and have perfected it. Use this easy homemade taco seasoning for all your Mexican recipes! Pro Tip: Triple or quadruple the batch and store it in your pantry.
“Simply the best. It’s been over two years since I first tried this taco seasoning recipe. No more store-bought taco seasoning for me!” -Edna
This house LOVES Mexican food, and I now use my special seasoning blend in all of it. My 2-year-old will scarf down a whole bowl of spicy Mexican Soup without any protest. We make a Taco Bar at least once every few weeks. More recently, we’ve been using this spice blend to make Taquitos for the freezer.
How to Make Taco Seasoning
If you’re ready to get down to business,this 30 second video shows you how quickly and easily Taco Seasoning comes together.
Why Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix
Like me, you may like the convenience of the little store-bought packets. But let’s talk about two reasons why I’ve been completely converted over to making my own.
Do You Know What’s in Your Packet?
Over the years, I’ve grown increasingly aware of what is actually in pre-packaged foods. I realized that my little bundles of taco-joy were filled with some questionable ingredients. Check out the ingredients in the packet that I used to buy:
- Maltodextrin – hidden sugar
- salt
- chili pepper
- onion powder
- spice
- monosodium glutamate – also known as MSG and can cause headaches among other things
- corn starch – thickener
- yellow corn flour – thickener
- partially hydrogenated soybean oil – one of the most unhealthy oils out there
- silicon dioxide – anti-caking agent
- natural flavor – no idea what this is
- ethoxyquin – preservative
Store-Bought Packets Add Up
I also hated that I was paying $1-$2 for a single serving. I used taco seasoning so much that I finally realized it’d be worth it to make my own batch and triple it for future use.
Turns out I had every ingredient I needed in order to make a big batch of this yummy taco seasoning mix! Isn’t it pretty?!
What Ingredients Do I Need?
You’ll need the following ingredients in order to make your own taco seasoning…
Just keep your pantry stocked with these cheap herbs and spices all year round so you can whip up your favorite Mexican dishes anytime.
What Quantity Does This Recipe Make?
This Taco Seasoning mix makes about 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup), but I almost always double or triple it and store my mix in a mason jar in my pantry.
How Much Do I Use Per Pound of Meat?
We typically use 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of ground meat. Add more if you like the flavor, less if you have sensitive palates. You can always season the meat with more salt at the end, if you’d like, as well.
Here’s how I use the taco seasoning recipe to make ground beef for tacos.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute 1 cup diced onion, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3-4 cloves of garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 2 pounds lean ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it browns. Drain off excess grease.
- Sprinkle 4-6 tablespoons of taco spice mixture over the meat and stir until coated. Add in 1 cup of chicken/beef/vegetable broth OR water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture has reduced some, about 5 minutes.
How Many Tablespoons Are in a Packet of Taco Seasoning?
If you’ve been used to using one packet of taco seasoning per 1 pound of meat, then you might have this question. There’s typically 3 tablespoons (sometimes 4 tablespoons depending in the brand) in a store-bought packet of taco seasoning.
So that means, you’ll want to use about 3 tablespoons of our homemade taco seasoning in place of a packet.
How Long Does Taco Seasoning Last?
According to Food Network, “Ground spices…typically don’t last past 6 months. The best freshness test for ground spices is to give them a whiff — if they smell like nothing, then it’s time to say goodbye.”
I will say this though…my homemade taco seasoning seems to pass the “whiff” test and stay flavorful for longer than 6 months. Use your own discretion after the 6 month mark.
Recipes That Use Homemade Taco Seasoning
We have SO many delicious Mexican recipes. In fact we have an entire post featuring our favorites!
25+ Amazing Mexican Recipes
The ultimate collection of tasty and easy Mexican recipes that will satisfy your cravings without a trip to the restaurant!
Or try some of these popular recipes…
- Totally Tasty Taco Bar
- Cheesy Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Mexican Soup
- 7 Layer Taco Dip
- Easy Taco Salad with Southwest Ranch Dressing
- Anything Goes Tortilla Soup
- Shredded Beef Tacos
Can You Freeze Taco Seasoning?
Though it’s best to keep spices in a dry cabinet (source), you can store larger backup supplies in the fridge or freezer to elongate their life.
If you choose to make a large batch of Taco Seasoning, you can for sure store it in the freezer! I’d recommend tripling or quadrupling the batch and storing it in a large mason jar.
After making thousands of freezer meals over the years, we know that air is the enemy of freezer food. Keep that in mind when selecting the jar size.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Taco Seasoning Mix
Homemade taco seasoning mix. Skip the additives and artificial ingredients and whip up a big batch of this FABULOUS natural taco seasoning mix. I’ll never go back to buying those expensive little packets again!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- a pinch of red pepper flakes (or more if you like things spicy)
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon sugar
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Instructions
To Make the Seasoning:
- Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
- Double or even triple this recipe to have on hand for all of your favorite Mexican meals!
To Use the Seasoning on Ground Meat: Use 2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning plus 1/2 cup broth or water per pound of browned meat. Taste and season with more of the mixture or more salt, as needed.
(See Notes below for more details about making delicious taco meat.)
Notes/Tips
Here’s how we like to make Taco Meat:
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute 1 cup diced onion, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in 3-4 cloves of garlic and cook for 30 to 60 seconds more.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 2 pounds lean ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until no longer pink, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon as it browns. Drain off excess grease.
- Sprinkle 4-6 tablespoons of taco spice mixture over the meat and stir until coated. Add in 1 cup of chicken/beef/vegetable broth OR water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture has reduced some, about 5 minutes.
This is going to be my son’s gift to his teachers this year. Along with a tag that says “Season’s Spicy Greetings” and the recipe attached.
★★★★★
Love it Morgan! Thanks for sharing!
I was looking for an alternative for a packet of seasoning I have to buy every time we have tacos. I had all these ingredients at home, and it was super simple to make. I used it to make chicken for tacos in the crockpot. 🤩
★★★★★
Love to hear that Theresa! I’ve actually found some cute spice jars and gifted the seasoning to my girlfriends over the years. 🙂
Yum! This seasoning has just the right amount of heat. I love using it in your Instant Pot Creamy Mexican Chicken recipe and in other dishes. Many thanks!
★★★★★