Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (2024)

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This easy homemade Taco seasoning is the perfect way to spice up your chicken or beef when making tacos. The best thing about this taco seasoning recipe is that it is so simple to make, and you probably have all the ingredients needed on hand already!

No need to run to the store because you want to make tacos and realized you are out of seasoning! Just make this

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (1)

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

While I love using this homemade Taco seasoning for my tacos, especially this taco seasoning recipe can be used on steak and chicken put on the grill as well! This easy taco seasoning recipe is also perfect for when you are making Taco Pockets!

Making homemade taco seasoning is just too easy and will only take a few minutes to throw together.

Why Make your Own Taco Seasoning

Making DIY Taco Seasoning at home is the perfect way to control the ingredients going into your taco seasoning and it will save you money!

Taco Seasoning packets that you but at the store are filled with additives, and while it tastes amazing, this homemade taco seasoning tastes even better!

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (2)

How to Customize Taco Seasoning

Homemade taco seasoning is easily customizable!You can play with the amounts of spices you like to find the perfect one for your family! This is the mix my family enjoys, if you want to make yourtaco seasoning recipe mild cut back on the amount of cayenne. If you would like spicier taco meat seasoning then add morecayenne powder or some red pepper flakes.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (3)

What is in Taco Seasoning?

Chili powder makes up the largest portion of this homemade taco seasoning. Chili powder is what gives your taco seasoning the taco seasoning flavor you love.

Cumin, Paprika and Oregano are then next large portions of spices you will use when making homemade taco seasoning.

Garlic Powder and Onion Powder are the next two spices that make up a big portion of this tasty taco seasoning!

You will also needcayenne pepper (optional), salt and b. I also add cornstarch into my diy taco seasoning but you can skip that if you do not want to use it. You will still have an amazing taco seasoning with out it.

If you are wanting to add more spice, then you will also want to add inred pepper flakes!

How to Use Homemade Taco Seasoning

When you are making your chicken tacos or beef tacos you are going to want to use this easy taco seasoning just like you would store-bought taco seasoning.

Cook one pound of ground beef, ground turkey or chicken.When I am making tacos I like to cook mine with 1/2 diced onion.

Once cooked add 3 level tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix and 1/2 cup of water to 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey or chicken that has been cooked.

Stir well and let simmer a bit for the spices to rehydrate and the water to evaporate.

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What to make with Homemade Taco Seasoning

There are lots of things that you can make with homemade taco seasoning! Be sure to check out some of our favorites!

  • Crockpot Beef Taco Meat
  • Crockpot Chicken Tacos
  • Layered Taco Dip
  • Taco Cups
  • 7 Layer dip
  • Easy Taco Dip

When we have taco night we of course make our homemade taco seasoning but we also complete the meal with some other amazing recipes that you should totally try out!

  • Mexican Style Rice
  • Fresh Tomato Salsa
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Homemade Guacamole

How to Use Homemade with Recipes calling for Seasoning

When changing out homemade Taco Seasoning for store-bought taco seasoning you will use 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning for every package of store-bought taco seasoning a recipe calls for.

How to Make Taco Seasoning

**Make it low carb and keto friendly by leaving out the cornstarch!

Add all of the taco seasoning ingredients into a bowl and whisk them together. Then pour seasoning into an airtight container to store.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (5)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Created by Lauren

4.50 from 8 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Servings 3

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

This easy homemade Taco seasoning is the perfect way to spice up your chicken or beef when making tacos.

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Homemade Taco seasoning will keep in an airtight container for 6 months.

Calories: 95kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1739mg | Potassium: 482mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 5705IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 7mg

homemade Taco seasoning

Dinner, seasoning, taco

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (6)

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ABOUT LAUREN

Hey There! I am Lauren, a short mom (4 foot 10 to be exact!) who has a passion for helping others and always has a cup of coffee in hand. With amazing recipes to help the home cook become a home chef, along with fun family travel, fun crafts and More! Grab a cup of coffee and join me! Read more...

Created by Stephanie

With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America in baking and pastry arts, a love for tasty food and amazing photography skills Stephanie brings the amazing recipe ideas we come up with to life. Stephanie loves crafting, all things Disney and traveling whenever possible.

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Blossom Smith says

    This recipe is phenomenal! I threw all of my other chicken taco recipes away because this is now the gold standard. I made this for a party and people were begging for the recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

  2. Riya Patel says

    Hello, Homemake taco seasoning iN last longer can be us???

    Reply

    • Stephanie says

      I’m not sure what you mean sorry.

  3. Laura says

    I LOVE your taco seasoning recipe!! Thank you for enhancing my life with this share! I will be trying your other recipes!

    Reply

  4. Sharon Frederickson says

    We want to make pancakes on Keto, do we have to use a specific Keto flour and where do you purchase it?

    Reply

  5. Jean says

    I LOVE your taco seasoning recipe!! I will be trying your other recipes!

    Reply

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I use if I don't have enough taco seasoning? ›

Packet Taco Seasoning replacement: if you only want to make enough taco seasoning to replace 1 packet, use the following amounts:
  1. 1 tablespoon chili powder.
  2. ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
  3. ¼ teaspoon onion powder.
  4. Pinch of cayenne pepper.
  5. ¼ teaspoon dried oregano.
  6. ½ teaspoon paprika.
  7. 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin.
  8. 1 teaspoon salt.
Mar 16, 2021

How much taco seasoning for 1 lb of meat? ›

To use: Use about 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning for every 1 pound of meat. Use more or less depending on your preference. Brown meat and drain the fat. Add your taco seasoning along with about 1/2 cup of water.

What is taco seasoning made of? ›

Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder. This top-rated recipe is made with chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.

How to improve homemade tacos? ›

Salsa and guacamole are great, but look to mix it up with fresh radish, chicharrones, or pickled onion. A fresh, warm tortilla is made better by a crunchy counterpart.” One of Romero's favorite toppings is a morita pepper and peanut salsa, which lends a spicy, smoky, crunchy lift to any taco.

What can I substitute for paprika in taco seasoning? ›

Our favorite smoky substitutions are:
  • Chipotle chili powder (For smoked sweet paprikas)
  • Cayenne pepper powder (For hot/sharp paprikas)
  • Ancho pepper powder (For sweet paprikas)
  • Guajillo Pepper powder (For hot/sharp paprikas)
  • Chili powder (For hot/sharp paprikas)

How to make really fine taco meat? ›

Boiling ground beef is the best way to cook it so that it comes out in small, fine crumbles. Trust me, this is the secret to all those amazing tacos and pasta sauces at your favorite restaurant! It's also a healthier option, because the boiling process helps separate the fat from the meat, and it comes out quite lean.

How many tacos will 2 lbs of meat make? ›

Each taco shell or small soft taco-size tortilla fits about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup of meat. If you add diced onions, you could stretch a pound of ground beef to make about a dozen tacos. With just the meat and spices, you can make about 8 tacos from a pound of meat.

How much taco seasoning for 4 lbs of meat? ›

Plan for about 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of meat. To season ground meat tacos, first sauté the meat until it loses its pinkish color. Then sprinkle with taco seasoning and stir to combine.

How many packets of taco seasoning per pound? ›

Each packet comes with enough powder to use with 1 lb of steak, ground beef and more.

What's the difference between Mexican seasoning and taco seasoning? ›

Mexican seasoning typically consists of a blend of traditional herbs and spices while taco seasoning is a specific blend of spices that may not be used as much in traditional Mexican dishes.

What gives the taco taste? ›

Mexican Tacos: For authentic Mexican flavor, use a blend of spices that includes cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and/or onion powder. These spices will give your tacos a warm, earthy flavor and just a touch of heat.

What are the ingredients in McCormick taco seasoning? ›

SPICES (INCLUDING CHILI PEPPER, PAPRIKA, OREGANO), ONION, SALT, POTATO STARCH, SUGAR, GARLIC & NATURAL FLAVOR.

What is the most important ingredient in tacos? ›

Lime is probably the most essential of authentic Mexican taco toppings. A squeeze of lime adds a dash of acid that brings out the other flavors in a taco beautifully. Onions, cilantro, pico de gallo, sliced radishes or cucumbers, avocado, and chili peppers are also standard toppings for authentic tacos.

What makes the best tacos? ›

  • Tortilla. This is the essential defining ingredient in a taco. ...
  • Meat. Thin round beef steak, or as we would call it bisteck, most likely. ...
  • No cheese or white cheese. Most tacos have no cheese or just a sprinkle of white ground cheese - queso panela or cotija. ...
  • Hot salsa. ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Lime. ...
  • Cilantro and Onions. ...
  • Enjoy.
Oct 31, 2012

What makes tacos so good? ›

The key to a great taco is a homemade tortilla. Once you've mastered the art of making tortillas, tacos will be a breeze. A freshly made tortilla tastes so much better than a store-bought one, and it's really not that hard to make. You can add more taste to it my using le beurre bordier singapore butter.

How do you season without seasoning? ›

Acids act a little like salt in that they help bring out the natural brightness of foods and work to meld flavors together. Try making a quick salad dressing with lemon juice and zest or red wine vinegar with a smidge of oil—or toss veggies and grains with citrus or vinegar to brighten them up.

How do you spice up bland taco meat? ›

Ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and dried oregano: Pretty straight-forward. Paprika: I prefer to use smoked paprika, but you could also use standard or sweet paprika if you prefer. Salt and black pepper: I used fine sea salt and finely-ground black pepper for this recipe.

Can you replace taco seasoning with chili seasoning? ›

It would be a different tasting but fair exchange. Chili seasoning is usually salt, chili powder or flakes, cumin, perhaps dried cilantro, parsley and onion powder. Taco seasoning is not as spicy as chili seasoning so you'll need to perk it up to your taste.

How much water do I add to Old El Paso taco seasoning? ›

Ingredient List
  1. 1 box (12 count) Old El Paso™ taco shells.
  2. 1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef.
  3. 2/3 cup (150 mL) water.
  4. 1 package (24 g) Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix.

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