Skip the expensive store-bought packets and create your flavorful taco seasoning blend in just minutes! This homemade version uses simple pantry spices you likely already own, costs a fraction of the price, and tastes infinitely better than McCormick, Old El Paso, or Ortega packets. Plus, you control exactly what goes into your seasoning, avoiding unnecessary fillers, preservatives, and excess sodium.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
Commercial taco seasonings often contain maltodextrin, corn starch, silicon dioxide, and other fillers that add bulk but not flavor. This homemade blend focuses purely on spices that deliver authentic, robust flavor. The combination of earthy cumin, smoky paprika, and warming chili powder creates the perfect balance of heat and depth, making tacos irresistible.
Why Make Taco Seasoning
It’s easy to do, and I bet you already have everything you need to make this taco seasoning in your pantry. So, don’t delay Taco Night because you do not have a packet of taco seasoning.
By making spice mixes at home, you save yourself from too much salt, preservatives, and hopefully, you can save a few dollars over time as well.
If you like your mix spicier, or even smokey, you have the option to customize your personal spice blend the way you enjoy it.
Ingredients
- Cayenne pepper – Brings controllable heat to the mix
- Chili powder – Provides the base flavor and signature taco seasoning taste
- Paprika – Adds smoky sweetness and beautiful color to the meat
- Ground cumin – Delivers earthy, nutty warmth essential to Mexican cuisine
- Dehydrated onion or onion powder – Contributes savory depth and texture to the blend
- Garlic powder – Enhances overall flavor with aromatic punch
- Dried oregano – Adds herbal brightness that balances the spices
Ingredient Notes
Use fresh spices for the best flavor. Check the expiration dates if you’ve had any of them in your pantry for a while. Spices lose flavor over time. Some can even go rancid.
You want to make the best taco meat seasoning for your ground beef, chicken, or fish tacos. Using fresh, quality spices helps to ensure vibrant flavors in the mix.
How to Make Taco Seasoning
- Measure the ingredients and place them in a bowl.
- Stir or whisk to thoroughly combine.
That’s it! DIY taco seasoning is so simple.
Frequently Asked Questions
The typical taco seasoning packet contains about 3 tablespoons to use with 1 pound of ground beef. I recommend the same amount for homemade mix.
It can last up to 6 months when stored in a cool, dry place. Be sure to label or mark the container so you know when it was made.
Store homemade taco seasoning in an airtight container. A spice jar or small mason jar works great for storage.
Recipes to Use Taco Seasoning
- Easy Taco Soup
- Ground Beef Tacos
- Taco Bowl Recipe
- Taco Casserole with Tortillas
- Taco Cornbread Casserole
- Taco Ring Recipe
- Taco Spaghetti Casserole
More DIY Recipes
- 2 Alarm Chili
- Chicken Taco Seasoning
- Cajun Spice Mix
- Homemade Bisquick
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa
- Steak Seasoning
- Vanilla Sugar
Check out my easy Mexican food recipes and the best DIY recipes here on CopyKat!
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons chili powder
- 5 tablespoons paprika
- 5 tablespoons cumin
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
- 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir or whisk to mix them together well.
- Use 3 tablespoons of mix with 3/4 cup of water to one pound of ground beef.
The recipe sounds great! I am putting it together today for use on our next taco nite, which can be any nite at my house! : )~ . I intend to tweak it just a bit, yes, even before tasting it. Cayenne, or any other hot pepper, is not kind to me and I will consider that ingredient “optional” in my recipe. As a rule, I like the chili powders from the Latino Foods section, so I know there will be no added salt as the products are just ground chilis. I, too, am a big fan of cumin and will probably add just a bit extra. THANK YOU! so much for this recipe.
Excellent! I have looked and looked for a low sodium recipe and this is it. Thank you.
My favorite taco seasoning mix by far ❤❤❤
I would LOVE a copykat recipe for a CHEESY taco seasoning, like the one Mccormick makes. It’s amazing, but not always in stock. Maybe I’ll throw in some powdered cheese and milk in this recipe and see if that’s close enough.
Thank you for your suggestion.
How will this work for ground turkey? Trying to find turkey alternatives to beef
I think this would work just fine.
Is this hot? Used another at home recipe and it was too spicy hot for my children.
Thanks!
Can you please let us know what the nutritional information is for the Taco Seasoning Mix—-especially—is there any sodium content in it? Thank you very much.
This recipe contains no salt.
There is no table salt added, but, it is not sodium free. When I searched for each ingredient, I was surprised, except for oregano, by the amount of sodium in each one with chili powder being the highest.
It’s 3/4 cup of water, not one. Otherwise good spices.
I added MSG to this mix. We use a lot of it at home in lieu of salt because it contains 1/3 less sodium. A healthy alternative for the majority of folks that have no medical issues with MSG.
A lot of people don’t like to use MSG. I know it makes things taste a lot better though.
I have found, as you must have, that if something is repeated enough times, it then becomes gospel but with no basis. I saw it on the internet, so it must be true kind of thing. That is what has happened to MSG over these many years. For whatever reason MSG became an underground, not to be spoken of in mixed company item. There are a small majority of people that do get headaches from it. I have never met them but I do know that they are out there. Their complaint is genuine and they never order take-out from China Garden etc. It is a food enhancer of which there are few equals and it is healthier than using straight salt. Maybe some of your many followers will respond to their reasons for not using MSG, other than medical reasons. I would be very interested in the other side of the coin on this issue. We love MSG and use it almost daily.
MSG, or monosodium glutamate is a natural product originally extracted from seaweed. Its primary component is glutamate, sodium (salt) was added as a preservative shortly after its discovery in the early 20th century in Japan. Today it is made from yeast. Glutamate is a taste often called Umami and is found mostly in meat. Today package ingredients call it Yeast Extract or Autolyzed Yeast Extract so they don’t have to use MSG in their packaging. It’s not some chemical mixture from a secret lab with mad scientists. I think this “Ingredients you can pronounce” trend is damaging the food industry, although I agree manufacturers have gone overboard with some of the stuff they put in food.
Thank you, Stephanie, for another great recipe!
I love making my own taco seasoning because of controlling the salt.
I like to triple the recipe and store it in the freezer. Very convenient when I make tacos, taco soup, etc.
Keep up the good work!!
Oh, that’s smart to make so much of it at once! I never thought about keeping it in the freezer.
Thanks so much! I just made this and it was fabulous. It will save money and it’s healthier too. I hate buying processed mixes. Yummy and convenient. Didn’t have the ceyanne pepper but threw in some hot sauce and it was great. Thanks again!
Thank you Lisa. This is one of my favorite ways to make taco seasoning, its quick, easy, and chances are you already have what you need in the pantry.
I’m so happy to have joined this group I love making Taco meat and using taco mix in my dips with sour cream my family goes nuts over it. So with that being said, I have purchased dozens and dozens of taco packages. This will save money.
Thank you
Grace A. Romo
I love that it is salt free!!!
Thanks for your comment. I know a lot of us are watching our salt intake.
Me too! I think that is one of the biggest benefits of making your own taco seasoning mix. No salt.
It is not salt-free. Personally, I’d leave out the chili powder. That ingredient has 131mg of sodium. But, it isn’t fair to judge if I have not tried it yet and I haven’t. If one is really watching their salt intake closely though, it is worth a try to leave that one ingredient out.
Great point that some chili powder may have salt in it, I don’t think that all do. I buy mine from Penzey’s. Here is their ingredient list. https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/regular-chili-powder/c-24/p-55/pd-s
Great videos! I will be making these for dinner tonight, No more packets for us thanks for the ratios on ingridients.
Why is it refrigerated? The spices don’t need refrigeration do they?
I have no idea why I said that 😉 I’ll try to edit that out of my vocal if possible.
I have been wanting the recipe but have been to lazy to look it up! 🙂 THANK YOU!
Glad to help out!
Thanks for the recipe, because I am allergic to MSG, there are very few packaged items I can use so I always appreciate someone sharing recipies for MSG free, the label has to actually say NO MSG.
That is one of the things I like most about making mixes from scratch it is easy to edit out ingredients you don’t want to put in. I can understand how you feel about MSG.
Thanks for this! These are spices I have in my pantry and I can’t believe I haven’t made my own blend!
-Ms B
Thanks for this! I like it because we are a low sodium family and do as much as I can, homemade. Check out the sodium levels in that prepackaged stuff!
This looks great, however “expensive” isn’t probaby the words I would use to describe taco seasoning mix.. You can get it for like. 60 cents to free with coupons and deals. I would like to try my own however.. thanks for the ideas!
-Sylvia
Maybe the word should have used is to be frugal, make your own. I really, really, hate to buy a mix, when I have everything on hand. I don’t always have coupons, and I like the way I can flavor up my own seasoning mix, I love cumin, so I always double up on the cumin. I have a tiny spice cabinet, and any additional package or bottle is about 3 too many in that cabinet 😉 – Stephanie
Thanks, that’s a very interesting idea, I honestly never thought of trying to make my own. I always just buy the packets. I look forward to tweaking it for more and less spice.
And that taco seasoning mix recipe is THE BEST! I’ve wondered for so many years about the spices and the ratios and this recipe answers the question 100%