Homemade taco seasoning is so flavorful and easy to make, you’ll want to add it to every meal. The combination of heat and spice enhances the taste and aroma of your favorite meats, beans, and veggies. The best part? You probably have everything you need right in your pantry.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Seasoning Recipe
Taco seasoning is a staple ingredient for many Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. It adds a burst of flavor and spice to your meat, beans, or veggies. But did you know that you can make your own taco seasoning at home with just a few simple ingredients? Here are some reasons why you’ll love homemade taco seasoning:
- It’s Fun: The kids in our family LOVED helping us mix together all the different spices. If you have a little one at home, try letting them stir the ingredients together. You could also dump it all in a big bag and let them shake it up. They’ll have a blast either way! It’s always fun to make those special memories in the kitchen.
- Easy to Make: All you need to do is mix together the spices in a small bowl or jar and store it in an airtight container. It only takes 5 minutes and can be used right away or kept for up to 6 months. So don’t worry if you forgot to pick up pre-made packet at the store!
- Customizable: The best part of making your own spice mixes is that you control the ingredients. Feel free to make it more or less spicy and adjust the level of salt. And in our experience, homemade taco seasoning is way more flavorful than store-bought.
- Great Gift Idea: Personalized gifts mean a lot to those who receive them. Dress up a batch of DIY taco seasoning with a pretty glass jar and colorful label. Your friends will love it!
What You’ll Need
There are 9 common spices that go into our taco seasoning recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact amounts.
- Chili Powder: For that extra Southwest heat.
- Ground Cumin: Lots of warm flavor.
- Garlic Powder: Balances out the flavors while providing great aroma.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Necessary in any good seasoning blend for that perfect taste.
- Paprika: Gives so much color and slight smokey taste.
- Dried Oregano: Provides both spicy and sweet flavoring.
- Onion Powder: Another subtle aromatic fixture.
- Crusted Red Pepper Flakes: Bring on the spice, baby!
How to Make Taco Seasoning
- Mix: Mix together all of the spices in a bowl or shake them up in a ziplock bag. Any way goes as long as the spices get well blended. The end result should be a nice amber colored seasoning that smells like taco heaven!
Tips For the Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
We always like to share a few of our best practices even with a recipe as simple as this one. Here are some tips from our kitchen to yours.
- Texture: Your taco seasoning will have a bit of texture to it from the addition of the crushed red pepper flakes. If you want it to be completely smooth like the store bought version, you can puree it in a blender.
- Taste It: Taste the seasoning to ensure it’s spicy enough and salty enough to your liking. Sometimes it’s hard to tell until you have cooked with it, so feel free to adjust it later if needed.
- Low Sodium: Feel free to use less salt in your taco seasoning if you’re trying to reduce your overall salt intake.
What to Use It On
We love using this DIY taco seasoning on vegetables, chicken, ground beef, and so much more! One of our favorites is mixing it with butter and putting it on corn for a festive spin. This recipe adds so much mouth-watering flavor to your dish, you’ll find yourself reaching for it whenever you’re in the kitchen!
If you’re looking for some great recipes to try it out on right away, be sure to check out our air fryer avocado tacos, the best taco meat, and taco pasta.
How to Store Taco Seasoning
One of the best things about homemade taco seasoning is that you can make it in advance and store it for later use. This way, you always have some ready when you need it. Any spice mix will hold up well in your pantry, but it’ll stay fresher and retain flavor better in the fridge.
- Refrigerate: Transfer the taco seasoning to an airtight container or a ziplock bag and refrigerate for up to 3 months. This will help preserve the freshness and flavor of the spices.
- Freeze: Transfer the taco seasoning to a freezer-safe container or a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 6 months. This will extend the shelf life of the spices and prevent them from clumping together. You can use the frozen taco seasoning directly without thawing.
Try These Other Homemade Spice Mixes
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or regular
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container, out of direct sunlight, for up to 6 months.
Hi Jessica – I want to use your recipe for homemade taco seasoning for your Crockpot Mexican Chicken. Do I use the entire homemade taco seasoning recipe for the Crockpot Mexican Chicken? Thanks
Hi Denise! This taco seasoning recipe will yield about 1/3 cup seasoning mix, enough to use a few times. You will use 2 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning in place of the 1 oz taco seasoning packet in the Crockpot Mexican Chicken!
How much water do u add to 2 tablespoons to a pound of beef
Hi Debbie! I am confused by your question. To make taco seasoning we do not add any water. Thanks!
This reminds me that I need to refresh my taco seasoning! Homemade is always better!!
How much do you recommend using for every pound of meat
Hi Craig! It really depends on your taste buds and what type of meat. A decent rule of thumb is to use about 2 tablespoons per 1 pound of meat. You can always add more seasoning, but can’t take any away!