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This homemade taco seasoning is so easy to make and adds such a delicious Tex-Mex flavor to so many dishes!
A really delicious seasoning blend is the easiest way to jazz up a meal! Think about it: plain ole roasted veggies vs. veggies tossed in olive oil + spice blend and then roasted. The seasoned ones are the clear winner, right?! Though you can absolutely buy pre-made seasoning blends at the store, making your own not only allows you to control the ingredients but oftentimes saves you quite a few pennies too!
Taco Seasoning
This taco seasoning is bold and a really great, easy swap for store-bought taco seasoning. One thing that we really love about making our own taco seasoning (or ANY seasoning blend) is that we have complete and total control over what goes into it! Spice-lover? Add more spice! Not a fan of a certain taste/flavor? Leave it out!
DIY Taco Seasoning Ingredients
While all of the taco blend key players make an appearance in this recipe, we let the sneaky (sometimes found in packaged blends) ingredients sit this one out! You’ll need 1 tablespoon each of…
- Ancho Chili Powder
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Sea Salt
Do note that while there is sea salt included in this blend, it’s really just a starting place, so we still recommend adding more to taste as you’re cooking!
How To Make Taco Seasoning from scratch
Measure and mix, y’all! That’s it!
- Measure out the seasonings and place them in a bowl or jar (we used this small mason jar).
- Either stir the seasonings in a bowl or shake up the jar to mix everything!
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Taco Seasoning Frequently Asked Questions
Of course! The beauty of this taco seasoning recipe is that the same amount of each spice goes into the mixture. This makes scaling the recipe REALLY easy! If you go through taco seasoning quickly, and you’d like to make a large batch, feel free to do that. These larger jars are really great for big batches of seasoning, and if you’re going this route, we’d recommend doing a 1/4 cup of each spice.
Your homemade taco seasoning will last for 6 months in the spice cabinet/drawer or in the freezer for longer. We recommend avoiding storing in the freezer for everyday use though, as the frequent temperature change can cause condensation (leading to clumping!)
Store your seasoning in a jar (these are perfect!) either on the counter (for up to 6 months) or in the freezer to last for longer!
That’s a great question! From our research, 1 seasoning packet = 1 ounce of seasoning, and 1 ounce of seasoning = 2 tablespoons. So scrap the packet, and add 2 tablespoons of the homemade stuff instead!
If you look at the back of your store-bought taco seasoning packet, the ingredient list probably includes cornstarch, so you may be wondering why we’ve left it out of our recipe! If you scan down to the directions on that same taco seasoning packet, you’ll also see that you’re supposed to add water to your taco meat. We say that these two ingredients (water and cornstarch) totally cancel each other out when combined, so it’s best to skip both.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
Instructions
- Add the seasonings to a bowl or small mason jar.
- Either stir the seasonings in a bowl or shake up the jar to mix everything!
Julie says
If you were making 1 pound of taco meat, how much of this mix would you suggest adding to the meat without water?
Brandi Schilhab says
2 tablespoons of the seasoning blend is equal to a standard store-bought taco seasoning packet, Julie, so I’d start there! Once the meat is cooked, do a quick taste test and add more if needed!
Kerry Schleappe says
Just in time! I made tacos last night and ended up using another F+F recipe for BBQ rub, which my family loved, but I needed a taco seasoning blend and would rather not buy store bought. Sooo, thank you! My question is, is there a variation you could recommend when making chicken tacos? Thank you!
Brandi Schilhab says
Wahoo! I’d actually use the same exact blend for chicken tacos, Kerry!