Homemade Taco Seasoning

Learn how to make healthy, homemade taco seasoning quickly in your kitchen using basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Homemade Taco Seasoning 

Tacos (or some type of Mexican food) are on my menu every Tuesday.  They are a quick and easy supper that everyone in my family loves and I get to have a permanent day checked off on the list every week.  WIN! 

What happens when it is 5:00 and you dig through the cupboards searching for that little packet of seasoning only to discover there is none left?!  Or lets say you ‘do’ find a packet of seasoning.  Consequently, you turn it over to read the ingredients and find that you cannot pronounce half of them?!  Well, that my friend is simple – you make your own from scratch!

Why make homemade taco seasoning:

• It may seem easier to buy the packet at the store, but most of the time they contain an ingredient list that is hard to pronounce.  To clarify, ingredients like maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, natural flavors, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, sunflower and/or cottonseed oil, and ethoxyquin, just to name a few, do NOT have a place in my kitchen.
• It is so simple to add ingredients into a bowl and directly to your ground meat or chicken.
• This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to have extra on hand for your next taco flavored adventure.
• Do you need to control your salt intake?  Reduce the salt.  Do you dislike the taste of cumin (like my family)?  Omit it or add something else you like in its place.  You are in the drivers seat with full control of the wheel.

Other ways to use Taco Seasoning:

Tacos: Made with homemade tortillas, tacos with homemade seasoning are amazing.

Taco Salad: Make a taco salad with seasoned ground beef, avocado, lettuce, salsa, fermented jalapenos, and taco seasoning mixed with sour cream as your dressing.

Popcorn: Melt plenty of butter and a sprinkle of taco seasoning.

Nachos: Top tortilla chips with seasoned meat, shredded cheese, black olives, and onions.  Bake and then add salsa and combined taco seasoning mixed with sour cream.

Scrambled Eggs: Easily whip up a yummy breakfast of eggs topped with a sprinkle of taco seasoning.  

Pizza: Make a Mexican pizza with seasoned beef, chicken, or pork, cheese, salsa, fermented jalapenos, olives, peppers, onions, or whatever your favorite toppings may be.  

What you will need:

Spices: Chili Powder, Paprika, Garlic & Onion Powders, Oregano, Salt, Pepper, Cocoa, Cayenne, Cumin, Minced Dried Onions

Small bowl for mixing the spices together

A glass jar (if making extra for storage)

How to make Homemade Taco Seasoning:

1. Brown the ground meat that you are planning to add the seasoning to.
2. Add all of the spices to a bowl.
3. Mix them together.
4. Combine browned meat, spices, and filtered water.
5. Simmer a couple minutes and serve.

What type of spices should I buy to make seasoning at home:

• Always choose highest quality spices that do not contain any fillers or anticaking agents. 
• Choose organic whenever possible.
• Consider purchasing spices in bulk.  I like to purchase all of my spices from Azure Standard.  I love the quality and service I receive from them.  

I cook a LOT of meals from scratch.  Homemade meals do not come with a spice packet in the box or already mixed into the frozen meal.  Therefore I go through a LOT of spices and homemade seasoning mixes.  When I mix up this seasoning, I love to make a big batch that will last me a while.

More Recipes From Scratch You Will Love:

The Best Chicken Bone Broth In the Instant Pot

Easy Instant Pot Pinto Beans

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Cream Cheese Sweet Corn

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

Yield: about 1/8 cup

Learn how to make healthy, homemade taco seasoning quickly in your kitchen using basic ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

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Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Paprika
• 1 Teaspoon Minced Dried Onions
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Oregano
• Dash of Cayenne Pepper
• Optional - 1-1/2 Teaspoons Cumin

Instructions

1. Add all of the spices to a bowl and mix them together.
2. Combine roughly 1 pound browned meat, 2 Tablespoons (up to the full amount mixed) taco seasoning, and 1/4-1/2 cup filtered water to a pan.
3. Simmer a couple minutes and serve.

Notes

-Feel free to play around with ingredients. Eliminate or replace any to fit your taste.

-Double or Triple (or more) the recipe and keep a jar in your cupboard for easy cooking.

-Use high quality ingredients without fillers or anticaking agents for the healthiest results.