Make your own all purpose homemade taco seasoning and you’ll never go back to the icky processed store bought version again… Easy, less expensive, preservative-free and Whole30 approved! This is a great multipurpose taco seasoning mix that can be substituted 1:1 in any recipe.
I prefer to make my own homemade spice mixes whenever possible. I mean, why not? It takes just a few minutes to stir a few spices together, and the results are SO much better than anything I’ve ever purchased.
One spice mix that I make time and time again is homemade taco seasoning. Yeah, those little packets at the grocery store are relatively inexpensive, but have you ever really looked at the ingredients? Last time I checked, I found partially hydrogenated soybean oil, silicon dioxide, and ethoxyquin (what?! this is a pesticide!), to name just a few… Even the new organic packets I’ve seen recently have evaporated cane juice in them (i.e. sugar), which is totally unnecessary.
No, thank you! I prefer the satisfaction of mixing up my own homemade taco seasoning, knowing that I can control the quality of the ingredients — and the ingredients themselves. No icky additives allowed!
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Chances are you already have the necessary ingredients sitting in your spice cabinet. I prefer an all organic mix, but you can certainly use conventional spices, as well. In case you’re wondering, I order most of my organic spices from Amazon. The Simply Organic brand is my most trusted favorite, and the prices are much better than my local grocery stores, especially if it ships as an add-on item or is available with Subscribe & Save.
You’ll need to gather your chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and black pepper. From there it’s just a matter of measuring each ingredient out, whisking them together, and transferring the taco seasoning mix to a clean container for storage.
Incidentally, I love these little 200-gram flip-top jars for my spice mixtures, but they can be a bit pricey. I once scored an entire box of 12 for $8.99 plus shipping on eBay, though! Mason jars or Weck jars work great, as well.
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Make your own all purpose taco meat seasoning and you’ll never go back to the icky processed store bought version again… Easy, less expensive, preservative-free and Whole30 approved!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 3 tablespoons cumin
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk all of the ingredients together.
- Transfer to a clean container for storage. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months.
- Substitute this homemade taco seasoning spice mix 1:1 in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. I typically use about 2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup of water per pound of cooked and drained ground beef.
Notes
We like spicy meals here, but if you prefer a less spicy version, simply leave out the cayenne pepper. Try this taco seasoning in this easy and budget-friendly taco meat recipe!
Easy Weeknight Ground Beef Taco Recipe
Use about two tablespoons of the homemade taco seasoning, plus 1/4 cup of water, per pound of cooked and drained meat, or substitute it 1:1 in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. We use it in this easy weeknight taco meat recipe at least once a week!
I will warn you that my family loves spicy food, although I don’t feel like this taco seasoning packs a lot of heat. However, if you prefer an even milder flavor, you may want to omit the cayenne pepper to tone it down a bit. That’s the great thing about creating custom spice mixes — you control every aspect!
Do you make your own spice mixtures at home? What’s your favorite blend?
Updated from the archives — originally posted in October 2012
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linda says
June 28, 2018 at 8:22 pmThis was great! We just made it! Thanks! All organic!
Sue says
January 27, 2015 at 11:57 amI am going to try this for a church get together after the evening service with our missionary from Kenya, Africa. About 40 people.
Judy says
May 3, 2013 at 1:28 pmThanks for this recipe. I use taco seasonings in many recipes. Once I open the packet I try to use the rest of it up quickly. Now I don’t have to open a packet to use a little bit.
Your assistant is adorable!!!
Rick says
November 19, 2012 at 12:42 pmThanks for the recipe, I’ve always wanted to try to do it myself. Now I don’t have excuses anymore!
Nancy says
October 7, 2012 at 2:53 pmalways have a homemade version of this in my cabinet. so nice knowing what the ingredients are.
steph says
October 6, 2012 at 2:42 pmWhy the cornstarch? Also, add some ground coriander for a more complex flavor.
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
October 6, 2012 at 8:46 pmThe cornstarch keeps the mixture from getting clumpy, and it also helps create a saucier texture if you add a little water when mixing it with ground beef like the store bought packets do. Coriander sounds like a great addition though!
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
October 3, 2012 at 11:06 pmI love those little jars & what a bargain! Taco seasoning is something I never remember to buy and you are so right, making your own is so much better!
Elizabeth @Food Ramblings says
October 3, 2012 at 7:01 pmgreat post :) thanks!
Linda @ My Crafty Home Life says
October 1, 2012 at 10:34 pmLove this series…and what a great helper you have.
Johnann says
October 1, 2012 at 10:16 pmThis is a great recipe. I eat wheat free and it can be difficult to find many seasoning mixes without some silly addition of wheat.
Anna says
October 1, 2012 at 5:17 pmThanks for the recipe. I was thinking about making my own mix just this morning! It came at the perfect time.
Cassie says
October 1, 2012 at 4:10 pmI make my own too…it’s all about awareness. I couldn’t believe that crazy list of ingredients!
Paula - bell'alimento says
October 1, 2012 at 4:04 pmWe make this all the time. Love it!