Homemade Taco Seasoning
This easy homemade taco seasoning mix can be made in just five minutes. Keep it in the pantry for quick taco nights!
When I was a kid, McDonald’s never fazed me. I could take or leave a Happy Meal, no big deal. What I really craved was tacos. Point me in the direction of a Taco Bell and I was the happiest of campers.
Looking back on it, I don’t really understand it. No one in my immediate family has ever been a big fan of Mexican food, and kids can be tremendously picky (I, for one, was notorious for never eating a morsel of anything green and clung to my peanut butter and jelly like there was no tomorrow). So where I picked up this love for tacos is beyond me. But if I found myself at the mall with my mom and the food court presented itself, I marched straight to Taco Bell. If I was given the opportunity to choose what my mom cooked for dinner on any given night, you guessed it. Tacos.
Needless to say, back in the day taco kits were certainly the way to go for taco nights at home – shells, seasoning mix and sometimes sauce all in one box. Super easy. Heck, even up until a few years ago I wouldn’t have thought to make tacos any other way, and surely wouldn’t have thought to make my own taco seasoning! However, over time, I’ve become keenly aware of the things that I eat and where they come from. Prepackaged seasoning mixes are full of salt and preservatives, artificial flavors and colors. For example, look at this ingredient list from a popular brand of taco seasoning:
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Um, no thank you. Making my own homemade taco seasoning and knowing exactly what’s in it makes me feel much better. Whipping up your own taco seasoning mix takes less than 5 minutes and you can keep it in your pantry for the next time a taco craving hits. Use it in place of the packet to make taco beef or chicken, and easily substitute it in any recipe that calls for a taco seasoning mix (like my mom’s famous taco dip!).
So there you have it – an incredibly easy and super flavorful homemade taco seasoning that you can feel good about!
One year ago: Copycat Chipotle Chicken Recipe
Two years ago: My Favorite Guacamole Recipe
Five years ago: Mint Julep Jello Shots
Seven years ago: Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread
Eight years ago: Three Cheese Beer Bread
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (0.03 g) + 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1¾ teaspoon (1.75 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 1¾ teaspoon (1.75 teaspoon) onion powder
- 1¾ teaspoon (1.75 teaspoon) dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Store in an airtight container or glass jar at room temperature for up to 1 year.
- To Make Taco Meat: Brown 1 pound of meat (ground beef or chicken) over medium heat until cooked through. Drain. Return to the stove over medium-high heat and add ⅔ cup of water and 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix. Simmer, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid has evaporated.
Notes
- This amount of seasoning mix will be enough for about 8 pounds of meat.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on May 5, 2010.
On my list of things to do for my day off tomorrow was “make taco seasoning”. I will be using your recipe now. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been using your version of taco seasoning for a while now and it’s the bomb. I’ll never buy the packaged stuff again. Coincidentally, we had it tonight. All three of my kids love it too. Thank you for sharing!
Question: can I use all purpose flour instead of corn starch? And why did you need the corn starch in there to begin with?
Hi Minnie, I would not recommend using flour. The cornstarch acts as a thickener when combined with the water.
Hi, I’ve also been making the original recipe for quite a while and was disappointed to see that it’s not longer available. I liked the flavor and the simplicity of the ingredients. Do you still have the recipe? I wish I had written it down!
I mixed this up tonight because I was out (have been making it for about a year now so one might think I would have it committed to memory!) & it sure seems salty. I have been adding 1 tbsp salt to my mix all along though. Are the other ingredients in the same quantity as before? Looks like the updated version added salt, cornstarch, & oregano. But did anything else change? Maybe I normally really double or triple the mix & use 1 tbsp salt to that?! Although I didn’t make any notes on my pin to that nature! I don’t know! The whole updated pictures & recipe has just thrown me! I would greatly appreciate the original recipe! Love it! Obviously if I’ve been making it for this long! Thanks!
Hi Shannon, I’m so sorry, but yes, I completely updated the recipe. Occasionally I do this with old recipes when I develop a revised version that I believe is significantly better than the original. That was definitely the case here. The quantities have definitely changed and there was never salt in it before, which was part of the reason for needing an update. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I think this is definitely a better version of a homemade taco mix!
Daily subscriber for a couple years now and saw the 09/04/14 entry for the Spicy Beef Queso Dip where you hyper-linked to this recipe here. THANK YOU!! This is soooo delicious and has just the right amount of kick to it!
Just the right blend of spices, but next time I’ll add some salt when cooking the meat.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. Trying to make healthier choices for myself and family which include less salt and processed junk. No complaints crom the family for dinner and NO ONE asked for extra salt!! This recipe rrockkkss!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I love to make taco salad, with taco meat served over shredded lettuce, with chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, and sour cream, and chips on the side. For the taco meat, I use tomato sauce instead of water to make it more moist, and your homemade seasoning mix will make it even better!
This is great, just because taco seasoning usually has ridiculous amounts of sodium. and this cuts that out completely! Thanks for the healthy alternative!
Sorry, please disregard my last comment. Next time I’ll read the entire recipe before asking a question! :-)
I very anxious to try this recipe, but I have a question first. How much of this seasoning mix would I use per pound of meat? Thanks for the great recipes!
I was the same way as a kid. I always wanted tacos, and it was “my turn” to cook once a week and of course, it was always tacos! I like this version better than the one I currently follow, which has arrowroot powder in it..I of course don’t have that on hand! But I make it with a touch of brown sugar…you should try it, its delicious!
I just tried your taco seasoning mix….it is terrible! You might be able to open a bakery, your mocha cupcakes were great….but if I would you I wouldn’t open a “Taco Truck”.
I using better taste homemade taco seasoning mix better then buy from store it taste different it add too much gulten , sugar, salt , other . not good
it better made it my own spices free gulten, sugar, salt and other
than ks
I, too, am obsessed with Mexican food…my mother swears I must have been Mexican in a former life! Tacos, taco salad, burritos, etc. are all quick & easy dinner options at our house, and I’m glad to have come across your recipe, even if I am a year late seeing it. Thanks for re-posting!
Thank you so much! I never buy packaged taco mix anymore. This is great on its own but sometimes I add chipotle powder to it for an extra kick. Thanks again!
Love the addition of chipotle powder!
I finally made it! It was delicious! Thank you.
I also shared it with my mom who is Gluten Free! Since most store bought seasonings have Gluten in them!
Excellent recipe and a keeper!!!! I will never buy taco seasoning at the store again. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for an alternative to the packaged junk. I plan on making a huge batch of this ASAP.
I do the same thing! It is so easy to make it homemade!
Shamrocks and Shenanigans
We just had tacos the other night. What a great mix recipe. I’ll have to use it the next time we have Taco Tuesday!
I am making this tonight! Can’t wait!
I am so excited to use this! I HATE buying storebought products with ingredients I can’t pronnounce – always better when you make it yourself anyway :) Can’t wait to test it out!
great post and great points! there’s no need for those processed bags of chemicals when so many fabulous spices are available.
Thanks for sharing. I’m looking forward to trying this out
Love this! I, too, have become more and more aware of what is in my food and have started making my own homemade versions of many of the convenience items that I used to purchase and cook with when I was first married. Love your version of taco seasoning. I will definitely be giving it a try! I am a taco fanatic!
I love making my own seasonings – and heaven knows we eat enough tacos around our house. It’s just such an easy meal to throw together!
Thanks so much for posting this! I love love love tacos, but salt, especially in the warmer months, is my enemy.
Oh, perfect! I am so with you about buying taco seasoning with ingredients I cannot pronounce – looks wonderful!