Homemade Taco Seasoning is quick and easy to make at home. Skip the grocery store packet with this gluten-free, preservative-free, and salt-free mix. Perfect for your next taco or taco salad night, in soups or casseroles, or shake on top of roasting veggies for easy meal prep.
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I love an easy dinner and having items prepared and in your pantry can be a huge help. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, creating and refining recipes. Some nights I need a quick dinner, either so I can get off of my feet or because I've got to move onto other things, like editing photos or writing, or spending time with my family (and Netflix. And hockey games).
So, today I have another homemade seasoning mix because I LOVE them and need them in my life. I'll also share a few meal prep tips that I use that help me stay organized or help me get meals ready quickly.
Meal Prep Tips
- The tomato paste that I buy comes in large cans and you really only ever need one or two tablespoons per recipe so I freeze tomato paste in ice cube trays then move them to a freezer bag or container afterward.
- Freeze fresh ginger, then just grate it as you need it
- I keep many homemade seasonings on hand. Taco, Southwest Seasoning, Ranch, Italian, Greek, etc. When I need a quick dinner I can pull out one of these seasoning mixes and use it to help me. A couple of different uses for homemade seasonings:
- sprinkle on oil-covered chicken, potatoes or vegetables and roast them
- add ranch to plain Greek yogurt for a dip or salad dressing
- add Italian seasoning to tomato sauce for a quick pasta sauce
- add Italian seasoning to tomato paste for a quick pizza sauce
- add Greek seasoning to oil and red wine vinegar for a quick salad dressing
- sprinkle on top of buns or focaccia before baking
Why Homemade Seasoning Mixes are Better than Storebought Seasoning (in my opinion)
- no weird ingredients
- no salt
- no additives
- cheaper in the long run
So if I have my Homemade Taco Seasoning at hand (which I always do) and a tablespoon of tomato paste (which I always do) and some ground beef or turkey/chicken or even lightly mashed chickpeas for a vegetarian version, then it makes Taco Night or Taco Salad night so much easier.
What is taco seasoning made of?
- chili powder
- ground cumin + coriander
- smoked paprika - I love smoky paprika, but feel free to use regular paprika instead
- dried oregano leaves
- garlic and onion powder
- ground black pepper - I don't add salt to my seasoning mixes! I add it to each individual dish during cooking
- ground cayenne pepper - for a little heat
How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning
Just mix all the spices together and then store it in a jar with a lid! So simple! You can scale the seasoning mix up or down, just make surer to keep the ratios about the same.
I never add salt to my mixes as I prefer to season my dishes as I go. If I use cheese or a store-bought broth that isn't a no salt added version, then I won't need as much salt.
How to use this taco seasoning for taco meat
To use this mix for taco meat first brown the ground beef or ground turkey (or mashed chickpeas or lentils for a vegetarian night, read my taco salad post for a vegetarian taco salad).
Add some diced onion and garlic in with the meat and cook it all.
Next, add 2 tablespoons of this taco seasoning plus 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Now stir everything together and cook it for 30 seconds or so to get the spices really fragrant.
Once that is complete add 1 cup of water and cook until the water reduces away and the spices mingle with the meat mixture. Finally, to thicken the mixture, add one tablespoon of cornstarch to a one-cup measure and fill it almost all the way with cold water. Mix until there are no lumps and add to the meat mixture.
Cook until the mixture thickens and then turn the heat down to medium low and let simmer about 10 minutes or until you're ready to use it.
Cool and refrigerate any leftovers.
If you like this seasoning recipe, then you might like this other recipe:
Taco Salad with a Vegan/Vegetarian Option
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
chili powder - 1 tablespoon
ground cumin - 1 teaspoon
ground coriander - 1 teaspoon
smoked paprika - ½ teaspoon
dried oregano - ½ teaspoon
onion powder - ½ teaspoon
garlic powder - 1 teaspoon
ground black pepper - ¼ teaspoon
ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix everything together and store in a jar with a lid.
Notes
- No salt added. Add salt to your individual dishes.
- For tacos, I add 2 tablespoons of this mix plus 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to one pound of browned ground beef or turkey. Add a cup of water and simmer. To thicken add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with another cup of cold water and simmer until thickened.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.
Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.Originally posted 3-16-19. Updated 7-14-20 to provide additional information including how to use this mix and give nutritional values.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!