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This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is all natural and full of flavor! It takes just minutes to mix up using spices you might already have on hand.

Taco seasoning
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Why we love this recipe

Think the magic of tacos is made by that good old premade taco seasoning packet? Think again! Try this homemade taco seasoning! It tastes incredible and is all natural: none of the additives that are in the store bought seasoning mix.

Another benefit of homemade seasoning: you can control the salt! Many times pre-packaged taco seasoning has a large amount of salt, but here you can customize it your liking. Alex and I have been making taco seasoning for years, and along with tacos we love it for taco salad and in scrambled eggs! Here’s our master recipe.

How to make taco seasoning

This easy taco seasoning recipe takes only a few minutes to assemble! All you’ll have do is mix together these spices (which you might already have on hand):

  • Chili powder
  • Ground cumin
  • Paprika
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Dried oregano
  • Salt and black pepper
Easy homemade taco seasoning mix

Tip: it’s a great way to use up spices

This taco seasoning mix is a great way to use up spices before they get to old. The shelf life of most spices is 8 months to 1 year (see this graphic), after which they start to lose their flavor and potency. If you have some odds and ends to use up, try making this seasoning mix.

How long to store homemade taco seasoning

You can store your homemade taco seasoning mix in an airtight container for 6 months to 1 year. Of course, the fresher the better! And it might not last long after you give it a taste. This easy taco seasoning recipe is the star ingredient in our Lentil Tacos, which is a favorite with our friends and family. They’re always begging us to “make those Lentil Tacos!”

how to make taco seasoning

Ways to use taco seasoning

There are so many ways to use this taco seasoning mix, and it doesn’t just have to be with taco meat! Here are a few ideas recipes where you can use it:

  1. Tacos: Add big flavor to all taco recipes, like Lentil Tacos or Taco Salad.
  2. Mac and cheese: Stir in a bit to mac and cheese to give an exciting new flavor.
  3. Scrambled eggs: Adding it to scrambled eggs or a tofu scramble makes it a whole new dish.
  4. Refried beans: Add a sprinkle to refried beans or refried black beans.
  5. Hash browns: Sprinkle onto hash browns or sweet potato hash browns for a Tex Mex flair.
  6. Rice: Throw it into rice or Instant pot rice with some butter or olive oil for flavored rice.
  7. Quinoa: Add it to a pot of quinoa or Instant Pot quinoa.
  8. Quesadillas: Sprinkle it into a quesadilla.
  9. Broccoli: Add to roasted broccoli or grilled broccoli to add a pop of flavor.
  10. Sweet potatoes: Sprinkle onto roasted sweet potatoes or loaded sweet potatoes.

Dietary notes

This taco seasoning recipe is vegetarian, gluten free, vegan, plant based, dairy free, naturally sweet, refined sugar free, low carb, and keto.

Frequently asked questions

How much taco seasoning should I use per pound of meat?

A general guideline is to use about 2-3 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of meat. However, you can adjust the amount based on your taste preferences.

What can I use taco seasoning for besides tacos?

Taco seasoning is incredibly versatile! Use it to flavor ground beef for taco salad, add it to chili or soup, sprinkle it on roasted vegetables, or even use it as a rub for grilled chicken or fish.

How long does taco seasoning last?

Homemade taco seasoning can last for up to 1 year if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Store-bought taco seasoning packets typically have a longer shelf life, but check the expiration date on the package for specific details.

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Taco Seasoning

Taco seasoning
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This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is all natural and full of flavor! It takes just minutes to whip up using spices you might already have on hand.

  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 tablespoons 1x
  • Category: Pantry
  • Method: Mixed
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ tablespoon paprika
  • ½ tablespoon dried oregano
  • ½ tablespoon garlic powder
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Transfer to an airtight container or jar. Store for 6 months to 1 year in a cool, dry place.

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More seasoning blends

Making DIY seasoning mixes at home is so easy! They taste incredible—much better than storebought—and are fun gifts, too. Try all our seasoning blends (listed by style):

Last updated: April 2020

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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19 Comments

  1. Mary Caldwell says:

    What amount of taco spice mixture per pound of meat?💃🏻
    Many thanks
    Mary

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning for a pound of meat. Then salt to taste.

  2. Micaela says:

    Looks delicious, but what do you mix it with? It only says to mix all the spices together. The store packages usually have you add water, which I think is what makes the sauce. Should I be adding water when I am ready to cook? How much?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      Hi! It just depends on the recipe. We generally don’t add any water when adding to recipes.

  3. Cathy says:

    How much seasoning do you put in for 1 lb of ground beef?






  4. Kristen says:

    I have made the lentil tacos with the homemade taco seasoning mix. I absolutely love the idea of ditching the prepackaged powder! Just wondering… if I am using the homemade seasoning with ground turkey or beef, would I add water and simmer like the old packaged stuff? What would you suggest? Thanks for any recommendation.

    1. Sonja says:

      Great question, Kristin! I think you could just mix the powder wtih the ground meat. You also could saute some diced onions / garlic beforehand and then add the meat and powder. Let us know if you give it a try!

  5. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says:

    Sounds great! I will be saving this and making some soon!

  6. Christine says:

    Great recipe. It’s a keeper.

    1. Missy Adams says:

      How much seasoning do I use for 1 pound of meat. (Taco & Fajita)

      1. Alex Overhiser says:

        Use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning for a pound of meat. Then salt to taste.

  7. Chrissie says:

    Great idea! Now I’m full of ideas on how to tweak this into our own blend.

  8. Claire says:

    Wow, have just stumbled across your site from Thursday Night Smackdown. Will definitely be making this and trying it with the lentil tacos. I am very much in accordance with your ethos of limiting my intake of pre-prepared foods, both because I am suspicious of all the odd ingredients used to extend “freshness” or enhance flavour, and also because onion and its relatives make me ill, and is present in most pre-prepared savoury foods.

    A couple of questions, though – 1. What is Kosher salt (other than being Kosher) and what makes it different from any other type of salt. I have never seen it for sale in Australia.

    2. What are red pepper flakes? Again, never seen them for sale here – could I substitute paprika? Or a tiny pinch of chilli flakes?

    Thanks

    Claire

    1. Alex says:

      Hi! I’m glad you found our site.

      1. Kosher salt seems to be hard to find in Australia (judging from some quick internet research). It is flaky and larger than normal table salt and is not iodized. It dissolves better and doesn’t have any undesirable flavor that you may get from iodized table salt. Maybe you can find something like a crushed or flaked sea salt? Kosher salt is not crunchy and as large as normal (American) sea salt.

      Here’s a close-up picture of some: http://morganmoore.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c51ba53ef011571636ee3970c-800wi

      2. It appears that chili flakes are your version of our red pepper flakes – it’s always a good idea to add to taste, depending on your heat threshold!

      Enjoy the tacos!

    2. John says:

      Hello, red pepper flakes are most of the time on a spice jar called crushed red pepper. They add heat to any recipe. I wouldn’t substitute them with paprika as this will not do the same thing. you could substitute red pepper flakes with cayenne pepper but be careful how much you use, it can get hotter for you.

      1. Claire says:

        Thanks guys, very informative. I will also look up a specialist spice supplier here and see if they stock these products.

  9. Tanya says:

    Thanks so much for sharing this! I hardly ever make taco meat without the seasoning packet. That’ll change now. :)

  10. Zarah says:

    I officially HEART you for posting this! Thank you!! :D

  11. Simone says:

    O I never thought to make my own spice mix either but great idea!!

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