Make Your Own Homemade Taco Seasoning

Learning How to make homemade taco seasoning is easy! Once you start with one spice blend or combination, you will love making your variety of herbs and seasoning combinations. Since we do Taco Tuesday almost weekly for our taco nights, we use a lot of taco seasoning packets, so it was natural to start with this one. The taco seasoning packets get expensive fast, and since taco seasoning is a simple spice, it’s not hard to make.

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While the packets are convenient, your seasoning can be frugal, especially using Winco spices from the bulk section. I started making this in 2014 and haven’t deviated much from it unless I am low on a specific spice! Thankfully we had Pinterest then, and I found the base recipe at Brittany’s Pantry. We don’t care for spicy, and this recipe is mild.

 Homemade Taco Seasoning Ingredients:

• Cumin
• Chili Powder 
• Paprika– We have also used smoked paprika as well to give a smoky flavor.
• Oregano
• Onion Powder
• Minced Onion
• Garlic Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Cayenne Pepper

To spice it up, you can increase the amount of chili powder and cayenne pepper to bring the spicy flavor up. You could add in red pepper flakes as well.

Badia Smoked Paprika 16 oz (1)McCormick Culinary Ground Cumin, 14 ozMcCormick Gourmet Collection Chili Powder 20 Oz

How To Make Your Own Taco Seasoning: 

Measure and pour all the seasonings into a container. I like to layer mine in, it’s fun to see how it comes together after shaking.  

Give the container a couple of good shakes to mix everything. 

Seal your container and store it in your spice cabinet. 

Taco Recipes To Use Taco Seasoning On: 

Like a taco seasoning packet, you will need to add water to the meat. You can use about 3 Tbsp of seasoning to about 1/2 cup of water per pound of ground beef or pound of meat. A cup of seasoning would need a couple of pounds of meat. You can always add more of this easy homemade taco seasoning recipe to any meat you are cooking and go off the smell for what you feel is the best flavor for your personal tastes! But it does make for the best taco meat when you use your own taco seasoning mix.

• Ground Beef Tacos- or as a seasoning on any ground meat
• Chicken Fajitas 
• Steak Fajitas
• Taco Soup 
• Taco Pasta 
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
• Taco Salads
• Taco Pizza
• Taco Twist Casserole
• Refried Bean Dip
• Blackstone Griddle Fajitas

Store Bought Taco Seasoning:

Sometimes I can pick up little packets of taco seasoning for cheap or convenience at local grocery stores. We have tried a lot of brands over the years, so if making your own isn’t something you want to do, these are great to grab. Taco packets are easier when the kids are the ones doing the cooking that night.  They don’t hurt to have on hand in your spice cupboard.

• Badia Taco Seasoning
• Winco Taco Seasoning
• Ortega Taco Seasoning
• McCormick Mild Taco Seasoning

How To Store Taco Seasoning:

Like any other spice or seasoning, you will want to store this in an airtight container in a dark spice cabinet or a dry place. I have also put them into a smaller spice jar to give as gifts with a recipe card attached so they can make it again.

A small mason jar will hold this spice mix, but a larger mason jar will work if you make a big batch, like a double or triple batch of the seasoning. You could use a Rubbermaid container or a canister as well. When I started making this, I upcycled a Parmesan cheese container that worked great.  Plus Etsy, which I love, has Amazing Spice Jars that you can buy and label to store the taco seasoning in as well.

NETANY 24 Pcs Spice Jars with Labels – 4 oz Glass Spice Jars with Bamboo LidsMason Jars Regular Mouth – 8 oz Clear Glass Jars with Silver Metal LidsBall Wide Mouth Mason Jars 64 oz [Set of 2] Half Gallon Mason Jars with Airtight

What spice blends have you made at home before? Have you made Homemade Taco Seasoning before?