Taco Seasoning
Taco seasoning is classic seasoning with a kick of spice that blends well on any type of meat! It has so many uses, and homemade is WAY better than the packet. Trust me!
My favorite recipes that use taco seasoning include: Taco Soup, Turkey Taco Avocados, and Chicken Tacos!
We love tacos in our house. It is rare to have a week without a good ole taco on our table for dinner! Tacos are easy to make and seem to make everyone happy! Win-Win!
Blending all the flavors of seasonings together adds just the right amount of flavoring for your favorite dinner! This is an eazy-peazy recipe that you will be making over and over again.
I know I keep a jar in my pantry for all my favorite recipes that call for taco seasoning!
You can use this homemade taco seasoning mix with several different recipes. Here are a few for you to try:
Why make homemade taco seasoning
Why not?! Right?? It is so simple to make and takes less than 10 minutes! I love the flavors and freshness of homemade taco seasoning. But here are a few other reasons it is worth the effort:
- Customizable
It is so easy to switch out seasonings and make it your own. It adds so much flavor on your tacos, burritos, chicken or anything else that you enjoy with it!
2. Control What Goes In It
While I am a fan of buying seasoning mixes to cut down on time, if I can make a mix myself I try to. Like this Greek Seasoning Mix. Why? Because then there is no extra added junk. No colors. No fillers. No extra preservatives. You control what goes into it. This is worth the extra few minutes. This is really important if you need to control sodium intake, for example.
3. Fresh
The fact is, when you mix your own spice mixes, they just taste better. They are fresher, more flavorful, and way yummier.
What you need for homemade taco seasoning
- Chili powder- has a distinct flavor that is best mixed with other seasonings
- Garlic powder- You will want to stick to powder seasoning instead of dicing up garlic.
- Onion powder- even if you are not a fan of onions, this is great to keep in the mix.
- Red pepper flakes- crushed pepper flakes are best. Go spicy or keep it light.
- Oregano- dried oregano is best for this recipe.
- Chipotle powder- a little heat, and some depth of flavor for the taco seasoning
- Paprika- this adds so much flavor and that kick in your tacos.
- Ground cumin- a classic staple for all taco seasoning
- Coriander – similar in flavor to cumin, and another classic.
- Sea salt- this helps highlight the flavors of all the powered seasonings.
- Black pepper- For a little extra flavor.
How to store taco seasoning
Storing taco seasoning is simple! Even a ziplock bag will do the trick! But here are my top tips:
Airtight: You will want to store in an airtight container for best results and lasting flavor.
Away from light and heat: Heat and light can alter the flavor, so store in a cupboard and away from the stove which can alter the flavor. I also love storing in a humidity controlled drawer of the fridge.
I love these little jars for storing my spice mixes.
The Best Taco Seasoning Recipe
Guys, this taco seasoning mixture was a labor of love. Countless hours of measuring and tweaking and then cooking ground beef with the seasoning to make sure it had the right balance of flavors. And I can honestly say it is perfect!
Obviously, my tastebuds are likely different from yours, but if you want a solid recipe for taco seasoning that keeps well, and works on anything you can think of that might need taco seasoning (nachos, tacos, soups), this is it!
And it is so easy too!
- Mix together. In a small bowl mix together all of the ingredients. It is that Eazy-peazy!
- Use 1 Tablespoon for every 1 pound of meat.
How to use Homemade Taco Seasoning
This taco seasoning is great to use in moderation but also nice to add just the right amount that you need when cooking your meat.
In any recipe that calls for a packet of taco seasoning, simply sub in 1-2 Tablespoons of this taco seasoning mixture.
I usually start off with 1 tablespoon of homemade taco seasoning per pound of meat. Then I cook and taste, and add more if I need to. For example, this taco soup recipe needed a little extra for a super flavorful broth.
Using Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Chicken- Chicken Taco Lettuce Wraps or Chicken Nachos
- Beef- Griddle Beef Tacos
- Fish- Tilapia Fish Tacos (this goes great on the tilapia)
- Pork– Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Tacos (substitute the seasoning for this taco seasoning)
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp coriander
- 1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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