Homemade Taco Seasoning

Always have taco seasoning on hand with this homemade blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and dried oregano.

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About Homemade Taco Seasoning

So, how many times have you started to whip up a recipe and discovered you forgot a small (yet crucial) ingredient? And, more often than not, is that missing ingredient a spice?

I know how you feel. We’ve all been there.

And if you’ve come to this page, I’ll bet your current missing ingredient is taco seasoning.

Those little packets just have a way of eluding us, don’t they?

But don’t worry; this page has exactly what you need. Taco seasoning is easy to make at home and takes only eight simple ingredients that you probably already have in your cabinets.

What’s in taco seasoning?

For this particular recipe, you’ll need the following spices on hand:

• Chili powder – Taco seasoning wouldn’t be taco seasoning without a little heat.
• Ground cumin – A potent little spice, it helps give this seasoning its kick.
• Smoked paprika – This can also be replaced with paprika, but you’ll be missing the depth that the “smoked” in smoked paprika brings.
• Garlic powder – Because garlic. Garlic makes everything better. It brightens and enhances the flavor of this seasoning.
• Onion powder – Like the garlic powder, this helps balance the flavor and complement the foods it’ll be used with.
• Salt & black pepper
• Dried oregano – Another spice for balancing the flavor. Dried oregano has a more pronounced leafy texture, and if you’d prefer a smoother consistency for your taco seasoning, you can process the finished mix in a food processor for a few pulses until it’s more finely ground.

How much taco seasoning is in a packet?

Many recipes will call for “one packet” of taco seasoning, but that can be problematic if you’re in the habit of making your own custom spice blends (like this recipe).

But fear not! The math on this one is easy.

A standard taco packet holds about 1.25 ounces, which equals about 2.5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. You can safely use this amount of your homemade taco seasoning for any recipe that calls for one packet.

What recipes can you make with taco seasoning?

Once you’ve mastered this delicious spice blend, you’ll need plenty of recipes to try it with. A few of my favorites include:

• Tacos! Try it with shredded beef tacos, chicken tacos, pork tacos, or shrimp tacos.
• Enchiladas
• Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Taco Pasta Salad
• 7 Layer Dip
• Taco Soup
• One Pan Cheesy Taco Skillet
• Chicken Taco Chili
• Mexican Spaghetti
• Fully Loaded Nachos
• Chicken Taco Soup
• Southwest Shepherd’s Pie
• Chicken and Black Bean Tacos
• Taco Stuffed Shells

How long can spices be kept?

It doesn’t take long to accumulate a cabinet full of spices, but like all foods, they do have a “best by” date. When determining how long to keep (or whether to use) a spice, these are the general rules of thumb:

• Whole spices (not ground) can stay fresh for four years.
• Ground spices stay fresh for two to three years.
• Dried herbs can be used for one to three years.

This particular taco seasoning recipe has a combination of ground spices and dried herbs, so it should remain fresh for one to three years.

More useful spice recipes

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How to make taco seasoning at home

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a small bowl, add together chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.

Step 2 – Mix it all up.

Step 3 – Use and enjoy!