Homemade Taco Seasoning

Have you ever made homemade taco seasoning? It’s really simple, tastes better and is better for you than the prepackaged seasoning, and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand already!

We eat a lot of tacos at my house. They’re quick and easy, kid friendly, and fun to customize. Years ago, I started making my own homemade taco seasoning, mainly because it seemed like I could never keep enough of those seasoning packets around. I’ve played around with the flavors and ratios since then, and now I think I have it about perfect!

My version is very simple. I use seasonings that I always have in my spice cabinet. And it’s very mild, because my family doesn’t like a lot of spice. Feel free to use my recipe as a base and change it up to fit your family’s preferences.

The seasonings in my homemade taco seasoning are salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder and cumin. You basically use just equal amounts of each ingredient. We go a little lighter on the cumin because it can be a little overpowering. And if you’re looking for more heat, you can add black or white pepper or cayenne pepper to your liking. I would start with a small amount and add more as needed.

This recipe makes about two tablespoons, which I have found is about what I need for one meal using 1.5 to 2 pounds of meat. You can easily triple this recipe by using tablespoons instead of teaspoons, as the recipe calls for. This would give you several meals’ worth of seasoning. Just store your extra seasoning in an empty spice jar or small storage container until you need it again.

You can use this homemade taco seasoning in whatever kind of tacos your family likes. It goes great with both chicken and beef. I also like to keep it on hand to use in other Mexican recipes, or to sprinkle on nachos or taco salad. Go ahead and mix up a big batch today! You’ll never need those little packets from the grocery store again!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Make this simple homemade taco seasoning to use in place of those seasoning packets from the grocery store. It's flavorful and customizable, and it doesn't have any of those ingredients that you can't pronounce!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Dinner, freezer meals, Grilling, Lunch, Main Course, meal prep

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin

Instructions

 

• Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Use immediately, or store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Notes

*For extra spice, add black or white pepper or cayenne pepper in 1/4 tsp increments to your desired heat level.

*This recipe makes enough taco seasoning for approximately 1.5 to 2 pounds of meat. You can easily triple this recipe using tablespoons instead of teaspoons to make a large quantity to keep on hand.  Store in an empty spice jar or small storage container.