Tired of bland store-bought taco seasoning packets? With just a few common spices and 5 minutes, you can make your own taco seasoning that will bring an explosion of flavor to taco night. This homemade recipe is about to become your new pantry staple.
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Taco Seasoning From Scratch
Taco Seasoning is a basic staple in our house. You might be surprised at how easy it is to make your own taco mix from scratch, but why would you want to?
There are so many good reasons to make your own homemade seasonings and mixes! The ability to know exactly what’s in them, to avoid MSG, preservatives, and fillers, to customize your own flavor combinations or adjust ingredients for allergies, to enhance flavors, and to save money.
–Learn how to make more homemade staples with these 7 Pantry Staples to Start Making
Whatever your reason, you will enjoy this taco seasoning from scratch recipe. It’s easy to follow and great to have on hand to enjoy with everything, from tacos to dips.
Ingredients in Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Here’s what you need to make this delicious taco seasoning mix.
Minced onion, chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes (can be omitted for less spice), dried oregano, marjoram, salt (the amount of salt can be adjusted as needed), black pepper, cornstarch, minced garlic, ground cumin.
What to do:
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and store in an airtight container. Make sure to blend well so you don’t have any large clumps of any one spice. Use two tablespoons of mix per pound of beef, chicken, or anything else!
You can also use this to flavor your favorite meats like ground turkey and ground beef, taco salad, beans, or other Mexican-inspired dishes!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
I use this recipe and I love it. My daughter that moved out a year ago asked me to make some and I jumped right on it.
Dana, Little House Living reader
I also use in chili to Season the meat. Just love it. Taste better that those expensive pkgs in the store.
I buy all my spices at Smart and Final. Great Christmas gifts to give in canning jars.
Easy Substitutes in DIY Taco Seasoning
No minced onion? Use onion powder.
No minced garlic? Use garlic powder.
No red pepper flakes? Leave them out or use a little cayenne pepper.
No cornstarch? Use tapioca starch or potato starch or arrowroot powder instead.
Where to Buy Spices in Bulk
There are many different places to find spices in bulk, including your local Costco or Sam’s Club stores.
I personally get my spices in bulk from Azure Standard. Most of the spices are organic, and you can see the country of origin on the product listing.
Need to print this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe? Grab it below:
Recipe for Taco Seasoning
How to make your own simple and fruygal taco seasoning at home.
CourseMain Course
CuisineMexican
KeywordRecipe for Taco Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 recipes
Calories 35 kcal
Creator Merissa
Ingredients
- 1/4cupminced onion
- 2Tablespoonschili powder
- 2teaspoonspaprika
- 2teaspoonscrushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2teaspoonsdried oregano
- 1/2teaspoonmarjoram
- 1Tablespoonsalt
- 1/4teaspoonpepper
- 2Tablespoonscornstarch
- 1Tablespoonminced garlic
- 1teaspoonground cumin
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
Use 2 tablespoons of mix per pound of beef, chicken, or anything else!
This recipe makes enough to use 6 times (when using 2 tablespoons per pound of beef).
Nutrition Facts
Recipe for Taco Seasoning
Amount Per Serving
Calories 35Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
Sodium 1220mg53%
Potassium 139mg4%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 1332IU27%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 34mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
How to Store Taco Seasoning
This recipe for taco seasoning makes the equivalent of 6 store-bought taco seasoning packets. You can store it in spice jars or simply put it into small mason jars. Just seal it with a plastic lidandlabel it.
When packaged in a pretty container, this homemade seasoning makes a great homemade gift too! Give as a gift with a few cans of black beans, some tortillas, a jar of salsa, and you’ve got a cute little gift basket.
I love your taco seasoning!!
Life With The Crust Off, Little House Living reader
I like to buy spices in bulk to save money when making homemade mixes. I do a lot of my bulk shopping at Azure Standard. Azure is a bulk buying coop, you can learn more about it in this Beginners Guide to Azure Standard.
More Homemade Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Homemade Taco Sauce
- 7 Layer Taco Dip Recipe
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
- Fajita Seasoning
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Cream Cheese Taco Dip
- Taco Dip Recipe with Ground Beef
- Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing Recipe
Common Questions About Making Your Own Taco Seasoning
How important is cumin to taco seasoning?
Cumin gives your homemade taco seasoning that distinct “taco flavor”. That being said, I have left it out if I don’t have it on hand and it’s turned out just fine.
Is Chili Mix the same as Taco Mix?
No, they both contain different seasonings and spices so they can be used for different dishes.
Have you made Homemade Taco Seasoning yet? What’s your favorite recipe to use it in?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about andliving the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from theContact Page.
This Recipe for Taco Seasoning was originally published on Little House Living in September 2012. It has been updated as of October 2023.
