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    Home » Vegetarian

    Better Than Old el Paso Taco Seasoning Recipe

    Published: Mar 16, 2023 » Modified: Mar 16, 2023 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 1 Comment

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    Make tonight taco night with this super easy homemade taco seasoning mix! It uses the perfect blend of spices (with no preservatives) and a fresh batch will last in the cupboard for months!

    Small white bowl filled with homemade taco seasoning and a spoon.
    Table of Contents show
    Taco Seasoning Ingredients
    How to Make Taco seasoning
    Tips
    What is taco seasoning made of?
    What can I use if I don't have taco seasoning?
    How much taco seasoning should you use per pound of ground beef?
    Use Taco Seasoning With
    Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
    Easy Taco Recipes
    The Best Taco Seasoning

    Taco Seasoning Ingredients

    Feel free to add more or less of each of these ingredients to suit your family's taste.

    • Chili Powder
    • Cumin
    • Paprika
    • Dried Oregano
    • Garlic Powder
    • Onion Powder
    • Kosher salt (or sea salt)
    • Fresh cracked pepper
    A white plate with small piles of spices on it to make homemade taco seasoning.

    How to Make Taco seasoning

    Add all ingredients to a bowl or large mason jar. Shake or stir until well combined. Store in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to 3 months. 

    Mason jar filled with easy taco seasoning.

    Use it to make my easy taco meat recipe!

    Large white pan filled with homemade taco meat and a spoon.

    Tips

    • This recipe makes enough for 3 batches of my homemade taco meat recipe. 3 tablespoons of this taco seasoning will replace a 1 oz packet of Old el Paso taco seasoning from the store.
    • Double or triple this seasoning and keep it in the pantry for taco Tuesday! One of my favorite things about spice blends like this one is that they are so easy to make and they can be stored for months. Feel free to double or triple this recipe so you've got a nice surplus in the pantry. I like to have some on hand for whenever we are craving classic tacos, 20-minute crisp chicken tacos, walking taco casserole, cheesy taco pasta, copycat Taco Bell crunchwrap supreme, creamy chicken enchiladas, or burritos made with leftover chicken fajitas.

    What is taco seasoning made of?

    Taco seasoning is made from a mix of spices and herbs. In this easy homemade taco seasoning recipe we use chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

    What can I use if I don't have taco seasoning?

    Make your own! It's super easy and you most likely already have the ingredients on hand. Scour your spice rack or cabinet and then make a double batch so you've always got some waiting in the pantry for an impromptu taco night! Be sure to use it with my super easy taco meat recipe.

    How much taco seasoning should you use per pound of ground beef?

    For every 1 pound of ground beef, I typically add about 3 tablespoons or more to taste. If you're looking for a really delicious taco night classic, check out my favorite taco filling to make the most flavorful tacos.

    Small white bowl filled with homemade taco seasoning.

    Use Taco Seasoning With

    There are endless options when it comes to using this homemade taco seasoning. Here are some of our family's favorites:

    • walking taco casserole
    • smoked cream cheese
    • cheesy Doritos casserole
    • baked mini chicken tacos
    • cheesy taco pasta
    • slow cooker shredded chicken tacos
    • baked fish tacos with slaw
    • homemade crunchwrap supreme
    • instant pot taco soup
    • blackened salmon tacos

    Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing

    • Make-Ahead: Simply mix the spices together as directed and then store in an airtight container or wide-mouth mason jar.
    • Storage: Store in a cool, dry place (like a cupboard, pantry, or spice drawer) for up to 3 months.
    • Freezing: Believe it or not, you can freeze this spice blend! Though it's not really necessary (it will last a long time in the pantry), you can put it in a freezer-safe container and place it in the freezer for up to 6 months. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge or leave it out on the counter for a few hours.

    Easy Taco Recipes

    • 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
    • 20 Minute Baked Fish Tacos with Slaw
    • Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme - Copycat Recipe
    • 10 Minute Homemade Cheesy Gordita Crunch

    Questions?
    Leave a comment below!
    Liked the recipe?
    Leave a comment below!
    Made this dish?
    Leave a comment and star rating below!

    Print

    The Best Taco Seasoning

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    Ditch the store-bought Old el Paso taco seasoning for this super easy homemade taco seasoning mix! It uses the perfect blend of spices (with no preservatives) and a fresh batch will last in the cupboard for months!

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 9 tablespoons of seasoning 1x
    • Category: Tacos
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: Mexican
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 ½ tablespoons cumin
    • 1 ½ tablespoons paprika
    • 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
    • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
    • 1 tablespoon onion powder
    • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Combine ingredients in a wide mouth mason jar. 
    2. Shake until well combined and store in the cupboard for up to 3 months. 
    3. Use the seasoning to make my easy taco meat recipe!

    Equipment

    Image of wide mouth mason jar

    wide mouth mason jar

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    • This recipe makes enough for 3 batches of my homemade taco meat recipe. 3 tablespoons of this taco seasoning will replace a 1 oz packet of Old el Paso taco seasoning from the store.
    • Double or triple this seasoning and keep it in the pantry! One of my favorite things about spice blends like this one is that they are so easy to make and they can be stored for months. Feel free to double or triple this recipe so you've got a nice surplus in the pantry. I like to have some on hand for whenever we are craving 20-minute crisp chicken tacos, walking taco casserole, cheesy taco pasta, or my copycat Taco Bell crunchwrap supreme.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 14
    • Sugar: 0.3 g
    • Sodium: 342 mg
    • Fat: 0.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 2.7 g
    • Fiber: 1.1 g
    • Protein: 0.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: homemade taco seasoning, DIY taco seasoning, ground beef seasoning, beef taco teasoning

    « The Best Taco Meat Recipe
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Luke

      March 16, 2023 at 8:09 pm

      This is way better than the packet of storebought I usually get. I like to double the batch so I've got taco seasoning on hand for the next couple months.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

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