Homemade Taco Seasoning allows you to season dishes exactly the way you like making it perfect for people on special diets or those who like to control intensity!
Have you ever read the back of those seasoning packets? If you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t be eating it and with the preservatives, in many of them, you wonder how fresh can they really be? Homemade Taco Seasoning tastes better and you have exactly what you want at any given time.
It’s no secret that my mother didn’t enjoy cooking. That being said, I thought she made the best tacos, chili, and cheeseburger macaroni recipes. A lot of her recipes was printed on the back of a packet or a box but we were good eaters and didn’t care. She inherited my grandmother’s spice rack and I just always figured it was something every kitchen had on the wall and never used.
I got one of those spice racks after getting married and kept spices that I didn’t use or even like for years too. Waste not and all of that I guess. But my OC got the better of me and I had to get organized. As a result, I surveyed my foodie friends and asked for their suggestions and you can see the results in this post. Now I only buy what I use and make a lot of my own seasoning blends for these reasons:
- no preservatives
- intensity control
- flavor and freshness
- no waste
- availability
- salt control
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano dried
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne ground (1/2 for more heat)
- 1/2 tsp paprika ground
- 1 tsp salt kosher
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in an airtight container such as a spice jar
Notes
Nutrition
This taco seasoning was a lot of experimenting. John likes a lot of heat. I like more of a subtle heat. Taco seasoning isn’t just for tacos either and making homemade taco seasoning means I have it on hand for when I need it. What is the most popular seasoning mix in your kitchen? Leave me a comment below with your answer.
Here are a couple more of my homemade seasonings that are always in my cabinet.
Blackened Seasoning Blend Recipe
Julie’s Spice Rub Recipe
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Liz @ spades, spatulas, and spoons says
I’ve pinned this one, such a useful mix. So many of the commercial ones have MSG, sugar and too much salt. Thanks.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much Liz! I think I’m sensitive to MSG and try not to use any products that use it.
frugal hausfrau says
I love making my spice blends, but I’m checking out your very own house seasoning, next! I think my favorite blends are the Mexican style ones.
Mollie
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Mollie! It makes it easy to have on your hand when you can blend your own!
Petra says
There is something so satisfying to make your own spice blends isn’t it? I have never tried a taco seasoning and it sounds delicious! 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Petra! I think we all have our go-to combinations that we use a lot and I just decided to pre-blend them and use this one a lot.
Mimi says
Such a great idea, especially if you use this kind of seasoning a lot! I remember the first time I bought a package of taco seasoning, as per my husband’s suggestion, I’m guessing, and I thought, “Heck, I can make this myself!” I don’t like either garlic or onion powder, personally, but I use enough actual onions and garlic to sink a ship whenever I cook!
Julie Menghini says
I’m inclined to agree with you Mimi! I use a lot of onion and garlic too. What can’t be improved by them right?
Jeff says
I’ve always admired homemade spice mixes from afar, thinking that I just don’t have the time and energy to delve into them. I’m lucky to have a couple spice shops nearby. However, if I were to do it – and now I’m thinking that’s likely – a taco mix would be just the thing. They’re all so different and, although I know what I like when I taste it, I’m not sure what that exact mix would be. I think it would be fun to try it, and tweak it around until I love it. Thanks for teeing this up for me!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Jeff! I did a lot of experimenting with this one and use it a lot. I love having it on hand so when I want to make a Mexican dish I don’t have to add a bunch of individual spices. I love going into spice shops and my spice cupboard is living proof!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
This is a great item to have prepared in advanced for when you decide on tacos for dinner!! I’ve stopped buying the store-bought packages of taco seasoning, so I’m excited to try your version!
Julie Menghini says
Thank you, Katherine! We love Mexican dishes and this is a great lend to keep on hand for us.
Judith Graber says
Good timing Julie as my brother was just asking me about recipes. He gets a lot of tortillas and other ingredients free from a local Mexican restaurant (he lives on the big island of Hawaii) and wants to make his own seasonings. I have to watch my salt so I am always checking labels on not just seasonings but all food! I should take a bigger interest in making my own so I can be in more in control 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Judi! I really think that the commercial spice blends use so much salt because it’s cheap. Good spices really cut down on the need for salt. I’d love to have a relative living in Hawaii! Do you go often?
Judith Graber says
Mike was in the Peace Corps and met his Hawaiian wife and stayed there. I don’t fly any more – Gene and I traveled so much together that now I am content to stay at home or drive where I need to go.
Julie Menghini says
It’s a beautiful place but I think I might miss the seasons.
Elaine @ foodbod says
I LOVE making spice blends, as much because I enjoy it, but also, as you say, because I can then control what goes into them. Commercial spices blends are always so salty, I literally can’t use them. I’ll be saving your recipe to add to my list 🙂
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Elaine! So sweet of you to stop by too!
Sonal says
Lovely recipe Julie!! Sharing it on my social media.
Julie Menghini says
Thank you so much, Sonal! Are you still developing your spice blends?