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Whipping up your own batch of Taco Tuesday magic with this Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix is a breeze! You’ll be tempted to declare it a Taco Fiesta every day of the week. Not only is it a healthier alternative to store-bought options, but it’s less expensive, and the flavor? Oh, it’s on a whole new level without any of those sneaky cheap fillers!
ByDrenda-Michell Brennan
I feel like I’ve made something more difficult than it should be for way too long! There was a time when I would have shelved taco night when I realized I didn’t have a taco seasoning packet in the pantry. No more! I’ve found that making homemade taco seasoning is super simple, inexpensive, a healthier option, and it tastes so much better than store-bought!
There are so many recipes that could use some of this homemade seasoning like our potato tacos and vegan taco meat filling.
This taco seasoning recipe is:
- Mild
- Inexpensive
- Plant-based
- Gluten-free
- Simple
- No fillers or GMOs
- Tailor the flavor to suit your tastes and dietary preferences
What is in taco seasoning?
This recipe uses traditional taco seasoning ingredients and for those of you who enjoy a little ‘taco-lime’ twist, we’ve added a Tajin seasoning spice that we think takes it to the next level and triggers a tastebud FIESTA! Tajin can be found in most grocery stores or online.
This DIY taco seasoning mix is a blend of simple, warm, savory spices that you probably already have in the cabinet. Store-bought taco seasoning varieties are convenient, but they’re an unnecessary expense and if you read the nutrition label, you’ll see that corn starch, flour fillers, and oil are common ingredients in prepackaged taco seasoning mixes.
Ingredients in our DIY taco seasoning
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Paprika (preferably smoked ground paprika)
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Tajin
- Oregano
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
How to use taco seasoning
Of course, a taco seasoning recipe is made for tacos, but it’s also a delicious addition to nachos, soups, stews, casseroles, beans, dips, popcorn, and it also works great on Mexican corn on the cob, and so much more!
How much taco seasoning is in a store-bought packet?
Use this mix as a substitute for any recipe that calls for one packet of taco seasoning. Most commercial brand packets contain about 1 ounce or 3 tablespoons of product. That means you’ll want to use about the same amount of this homemade taco seasoning as a substitution.
Pro-Tips
Fresh Spices: Spices give food flavor and aroma. They don’t necessarily go bad, but they do lose their potency over time. To tell if your spices are fresh, just open them up and give them a sniff. If they don’t have much aroma, they won’t have much flavor, and it’s time to replace them.
Customize: Making taco mix at home also gives you the flexibility of being able to adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes and dietary needs. If you don’t care for chili-lime seasoning, omit the Tajin; and if you like it when it bites back, add more cayenne pepper!
Storage: This is a great recipe to double or triple to keep it on hand. Homemade taco seasoning should be sealed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry, dark place like a cabinet or pantry. It will maintain its freshness for about six months depending on the freshness of the spices you use.
How to make taco seasoning mix
Gather all spice ingredients. Mix chili powder, cumin, sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Tajin, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl until combined. Store in an airtight container.
More homemade seasonings to try
- Salt-Free Savory Spice Blend
- Furikake Japanese Rice Seasoning
- Easy Umami Sauce
Want more Mexican-inspired recipes?
- Mexican Corn on the Cob
- 21 Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Stuffed Peppers
- Vegan Nacho Cheese
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
This post may contain affiliate links.Read my full disclosure here.
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
5 from 3 votes
Easy Taco Seasoning Mix
Whipping up your own batch of Taco Tuesday magic withHomemade Taco SeasoningMixis a breeze! You’ll be tempted to declare it Taco Fiesta every day of the week. Not only is it a healthier alternative to store-bought options, but it’s less expensive.
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Print Pin Rate Save
Servings: 3 servings
IngredientsUS Customary – Metric
US Customary – Metric
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika preferably smoked ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Tajin
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
Gather all spice ingredients.
Mix chili powder, cumin, sea salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Tajin, and cayenne pepper together in a small bowl until combined well.
Store in an airtight container.
Video
Notes
Pro-Tips
Fresh Spices:Spices give food flavor and aroma. They don’t necessarilygo bad, but they do lose their potency over time. To tell if your spices are fresh, just open them up and give them a sniff. If they don’t have much aroma, they won’t have much flavor, and it’s time to replace them.
Customize:Making taco mix at home also gives you the flexibility of being able to adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes and dietary needs. If you don’t care for chili-lime seasoning, omit the Tajin; and if you like it when it bites back, add more cayenne pepper!
Storage:This is a great recipe to double or triple to keep it on hand. Homemade taco seasoning should be sealed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry, dark place like a cabinet or pantry. It will maintain its freshness for about six months depending on the freshness of the spices you use.
Substituting: Use this mix as a substitute for any recipe that calls for one packet of taco seasoning. Most commercial brand packets contain about 1 ounce or 3tablespoons of product. That means you’ll want to use about the same amount of this homemade taco seasoning as a substitution.
Nutrition
Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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About the Chef
Drenda-Michell Brennanlived in Japan in the 1990s and learned many traditional Asian cooking methods. She is the mother of 3 Japanese-American grown children and grandmother (HuneyGram) to 8 grandchildren. She also happens to be the sister ofTerri Edwards, of EatPlant-Based. Read more about her story in this article,From Veggie Hater to Plant-Based.
