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
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: About 3 tablespoons 1x
Description
This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is so delicious and made with simple pantry spices — perfect for tacos, fajitas, and more! If you are using this to season meat, we recommend 2 tablespoons taco seasoning per pound of meat.
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
Chili powder: A note for our international readers that this recipe uses American-style chili powder, which is actually a blend of mild chiles and spices. (It’s not 100% cayenne!)
Went to the pantry…No Taco Seasoning! I had dinner guests coming in a few hours! What to do, what to do? No time to run to the store! I found this recipe and decided to try it. All I can say is… WOW – Just WOW! Delicious! We ate till we popped! Was the perfect recipe for a nice get together with a few friends. Perfect mix of flavors. There wasn’t any left and I made 5 pounds of taco meat! I did not have garlic powder but I used minced garlic instead. Fresh Salsa to top it all off. Yum Yum Yum! Yep, placed in my favorites box! Thank you SOOO Much!
Thanks Charlotte, we’re happy you and your friends enjoyed this! :D
Have you ever experimented with adding coco powder into your taco seasoning? I noticed it listed as an ingredient in some premade taco seasoning and was intrigued. I’ve mostly just stuck to this basic recipie. I would think it would only be a little. Maybe a fourth of a teaspoon?
Hi Lisa! Hmmm we actually haven’t tried that, but should because it would probably be really good! We think it’s definitely worth experimenting with, and that 1/4 teaspoon is a great place to start. Let us know how it turns out!
Can you use cornstarch as a thickener for this recipe?
Hey Andrea! We’re not sure, since we haven’t tried that. We’d probably advise leaving it out, and just adding cornstarch or flour to thicken a particular recipe (just depends on what it is) – you shouldn’t need the thickener if you’re just using the seasoning for meat, for example, but for a soup or stew, sure. We hope this helps, and that you enjoy! :)
In a pinch, made this tonight. Recipe after adding all ingredients calls for 1 tsp for every 2 tsp of store bought mix. Figuring aprox 3 tsp per ounce we added 3 tsp to start. Mix seamed not quite there so we added a 4 th tsp. While not quite like packaged mix it was a good substitute and would do again.
Thanks Sandra, we’re glad you enjoyed it!
Hi!
I made an adapted version of this recipe and posted it on my blog..thanks for sharing! :)
https://www.bostongirlbakes.com/2015/08/21/homemade-taco-seasoning/
Awesome Heather, thanks for sharing with us!
I just made this for dinner and it could not have been more on point!! Thank you for sharing, it’s a keeper!
Thanks Meghan, that’s so sweet! We’re so happy you liked it!
POPPING TO NIGHT. SOUNDS REALLY GOOD THANK YOU
Awesome — enjoy!
This is an OUTSTANDING recipe for Taco Seasoning. I used it to make a homemade hamburger helper. The longer I live, the less I buy store bought box dinners, pre-packaged seasonings etc.
All I did was brown some ground Turkey, boil some whole wheat rigatoni, added two 1/2 inch slices of Velveeta and some milk along with this seasonings recipe (I did use the flour in mine) and BAM! My kids devoured it!!
One thing though, I left out the crushed red pepper because it would have been too spicy for my 5 year old, but I did sprinkle it on my serving…DELICIOUS!!!
Sorry I don’t have a picture to share. It’s all gone!
Thank you, Valizander! I’m happy to hear you and your family loved it. Sounds yummy! : )
How much do you use per lb. of hamburger, and how much water also per lb. of hamburger, to make regular taco meat?
I use about 2-3 tablespoons per pound of meat.
There should be instructions on how to use this stuff once you make it. :(