This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is so delicious and made with simple pantry spices — perfect for tacos, fajitas, and more!
So Much Better Than Store-Bought!
There’s no going back once you make your own taco seasoning. ♡
This quick and easy blend only takes a few minutes to mix together with everyday spices you already have on hand — no additives, no fillers, and no mystery ingredients included. It’s perfectly balanced with all of the zesty taco seasonings we all love. And it works with everything from classic ground beef tacos and fajita chicken to roasted veggies, shrimp, soups and more.
I highly recommend making a double or triple batch so that you can have extra seasoning to keep on hand. Because once you taste how fresh and vibrant homemade taco seasoning can be, you’ll nix the store-bought packets for good!
Taco Seasoning Tips
A few quick tips to help this homemade taco seasoning recipe turn out perfectly every time:
- Use fresh spices: Dull or old spices will make the blend taste flat. If your chili powder or cumin is more than a year old, it’s worth replacing.
- Use American-style chili powder: If you live outside of the United States, be sure to use the mild, blended chili powder common in U.S. grocery stores (which already includes spices like paprika, oregano, and garlic), not pure ground chili peppers like cayenne. Otherwise, the mix will be far spicier than intended!
- Adjust the heat/smokiness: Feel free to double the crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick, or omit then for a milder seasoning. You can also add in 1/2 teaspoon chipotle seasoning for a smokier taco seasoning.
- Shake before using: The spices naturally settle over time. Give your jar a quick shake to redistribute everything before sprinkling.
- Batch it up: This recipe easily doubles or triples. Mix a large batch and store it in an airtight jar to save time later.
- Label and date it: Homemade seasoning stays fresh for up to a year, but it’s best used within six months for maximum flavor.
Ways To Use Taco Seasoning:
This zesty spice blend is good for so much more than just taco night! Here are some of our favorite ways to put homemade taco seasoning to use:
- Classic Tacos: Brown ground beef, turkey, or chicken, stir in a few tablespoons of seasoning and a splash of water, and simmer for a few minutes until saucy.
- Fajitas: Sprinkle over chicken or steak strips with bell peppers and onions before sautéing for bold, smoky flavor.
- Roasted Veggies: Toss sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or chickpeas with olive oil and seasoning before roasting.
- Soups and Stews: Add a tablespoon or two to chili, tortilla soup, or taco soup for extra depth and warmth.
- Seafood: Use as a dry rub for shrimp, salmon, or tilapia — it adds a quick, flavorful kick.
- Eggs: Stir into scrambled eggs, breakfast burritos, or frittatas for a Tex-Mex twist.
- Snacks: Sprinkle over popcorn, fries, or roasted nuts for a fun savory snack.
- Dips: Mix with sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cream cheese for an easy taco dip or chip topping.
FAQ
Use about 2 tablespoons for every 1 pound of ground beef, chicken, or turkey. Adjust to taste depending on how strong you like the flavor.
Absolutely! Just skip the salt in the mix and season your dish to taste while cooking.
Yes! This blend is naturally gluten-free. But as always, double-check your ingredients to be sure that they are certified gf.
Yes! One batch of this recipe equals roughly the same amount as a standard 1-ounce store packet (about 2–3 tablespoons). Just use it exactly the same way you would the packet mix.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder*
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Combine ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a small jar and stir (or shake) until evenly combined.
- Store. Use immediately or cover and store for up to 1 year.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
How much of this mixture do you use per 1 pound of meat?
Love it!
This was great! I did’t have onion powder so I substituted the same amount of onion salt.
I added about 1 TBSP (plus alittle more to taste) to a pound of browned hamberger along with
3 oz of tomato paste and 1/2 cup of water. Worked great for Taco meat!
I never thought I’d make this and SO glad I did – I LOVE it. I use it in a lot of things, especially over easy eggs. It’s fabulous
This is such a good blend! I had all the ingredients on hand so it was very easy to mix together. I used it on some yellowtail for fish tacos for our Cinco de Mayo fiesta. Even a non-fish eater thought it was quite tasty on the fish. Next I will try it on some chicken for the meat eaters in the house.
Made tonight for quarantine Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday!
It’s delicious! Thanks for a great recipe
Hi Ali – what could us international folk use instead of chili powder? Or should we just leave it out?
Chili powder has most same ingredients as taco seasoning. At home we dry poblanos and cubanelles peppers sometimes throw one habanero or hot pepper in the process. Grind to powder. Then add in onion powder garlic powder cumin powder and some coriander seed powder…..and a little dried oregano and grind all together to a powder. Then use this as chili powder. You can smoke and then dry Chili’s to make a pure base chili powder…then add in those other ingredients to make an American chili powder to use in the listed taco recipe. Look up home made chili powder u.s. you will find the same ingredients as a taco mix which sometimes add a touch of sugar and a touch of flour and cornstarch to create a store bought taco packet.
The taco seasoning was very easy to make and much healthier than what I usually get at the store. One comment: I used it to make shrimp tacos and there wasn’t much left over as the taco recipe specified 2-3 Tablespoons of seasoning for 1 pound of shrimp! Was that a typo? Seemed like 2-3 tsps.might have been better. I ended up using 1-1/2 tablespoons and my shrimp were covered with gobs of seasoning. Something seems wrong…? Generally I’ve been loving your recipes. They are easy and very clear. This one mystified me!
I was just thinking about making veggie tacos for dinner tonight, but realized I had no taco seasoning. Then I started reading my emails and this recipe appeared. What perfect timing! And I have all the ingredients. Thank you. Stay safe during this pandemic. I’m glad you are now able to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather in Barcelona.
How much of the seasoning did you use for 1 lb of hamburger?