Taco seasoning is one of the easiest things you can make. Obviously all you have to do is mix a bunch of seasonings together. Not only is it easy to make but I think it tastes better! By making it from scratch, many unnecessary and even harmful ingredients can be avoided as well. 

All the flavor, none of the garbage

Run of the mill taco seasoning at the store contains all sorts of extra ingredients that aren’t natural and we don’t need to be consuming. Maltodextrin, modified corn starch, MSG, anti-caking agents. Why consume these chemicals if we don’t have to?!

This recipe is super easy to throw together and you can choose the amount that will work for you. By making your own, you can control the quality!

How much taco seasoning should I make?

It depends how often you make tacos or Mexican style meat. I use this for shredded chicken, shredded beef, traditional ground meat tacos, and any other recipe that calls for taco seasoning.  

1 cup of this seasoning will season roughly 5 pounds of ground meat. 4 cups will season roughly 20 pounds of meat. I personally make 4 cups at a time so I only have to make it every 6-9 months. The measurements for 4 cups are in the recipe notes. 

Ingredients

This recipe doesn’t include any rare spices! If you’re already cooking from scratch, hopefully you already have most of these on hand. If not, they will be very easy to find! 

• Paprika – using smoked will give extra flavor
• Chili powder – choose mild, medium or hot, depending on your preference
• Oregano 
• Cornstarch – organic if possible!
• Salt – I love Redmond Real Salt, its high quality and has beneficial minerals! Code HAPPYHOME will save you 15% if you want to try it!
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Coriander
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper – optional if you want to add heat

The grocery store isn’t the best place for quality spices! You are paying extra for the glass bottle, label, etc. If you interested in purchasing quality spices, I highly recommend looking into Azure Standard. They offer high quality, often organic spices at a great price. Their online store is like if Whole Foods and Costco had a baby. The only catch is that you order once per month and pick it up from a local ‘drop’ site. If you are in an area where it’s hard to source quality food, this is a really great option! Here’s the link! 

How to make it

1. Gather – gather up your bulk spices and measure the appropriate amount. 
2. Combine – all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
3. Store – transfer the mix into an airtight container, I prefer to use a wide mouth jar. 
4. Label – record what’s in the jar and how much to use! 3 tablespoons per pound of meat.

How to use homemade taco seasoning

• Brown your meat as you normally would, drain the excess grease
• Add 3 tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning and 3/4c of water
• Allow to simmer until the liquid reduces

You can of course use this seasoning in whatever recipe calls for taco seasoning!

Want to add even more flavor?

This is a great people pleaser taco seasoning all on its own! If you want to turn up your flavor even more, you can add the following while your meat is simmering: 

• For a citrus twist – add a splash of lime juice
• For more spice – add a dash of cayenne pepper
• For more spice & smokey flavor – add 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce