This taco seasoning is quick to make — ready in under 5 minutes — and tastes better and is healthier than the store-bought packets.
I’ve used this homemade taco seasoning with many fillings: chicken, beef, turkey, tofu crumbles, tempeh, black beans, and chickpeas. It delivers consistent, balanced flavor on all of them.
I usually triple the recipe and keep the mix in an airtight jar so it’s always on hand. I rarely buy the store packets anymore.
This DIY seasoning is all-natural and can be lower in sodium than many commercial mixes, making it a healthier choice.
How Much Equals a Store-Bought Packet?
Two tablespoons of this homemade taco seasoning is the equivalent of one store-bought packet.
How to Use the Seasoning
Use a heaping 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat or meat substitute. This ratio works well for lean meats (90% lean or higher) and for plant-based fillings. If your meat is fattier, you may not need to add broth, since it won’t dry out as quickly.
- In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Add ½ cup minced bell pepper and 1 small minced onion; cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add your meat or meat substitute and the taco seasoning; cook until browned and nearly done. With very lean meat, it may start to stick slightly to the pan.
- Stir in ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth and scrape the brown bits from the pan. Cook an additional 5 minutes to meld flavors and finish cooking.
- Serve and enjoy.
You can watch a similar cooking process in the Chiles Rellenos video.
Recipes That Use This Seasoning
This blend works well for tacos made with poultry, beef, or beans. Try it with these toppings and recipes:
- Healthy Mexican crema
- Creamy avocado sauce
- Authentic guacamole
- Salsa verde or salsa roja
Some recipes we’ve made using this seasoning:
- Baked Chiles Rellenos (with ground turkey)
- Crispy Baked Black Bean Tacos
- Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Meat
- Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
Instructions
-
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- This recipe yields a little over 6 tablespoons of seasoning.
- Two tablespoons equals one typical store-bought packet (so the batch is roughly three packets).
- Use 2 tablespoons of seasoning per 1 pound of taco meat.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories: 16 kcal
| Carbohydrates: 3 g
| Protein: 0.8 g
| Fat: 0.8 g
| Sodium: 825 mg
| Fiber: 1.5 g
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