Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning
Today in Frugal Homemade: Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning! I looked at multiple | examples of taco | seasoning | recipes | online before scratching this up. They're all very, very similar, so I just tweaked the proportions slightly for our own family's tastes. Here's a basic easy homemade taco seasoning mix, which you can then play with to change up proportions or flavors as desired -- mine will likely be slightly different every time, now that I have the basics down.
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½-1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Combine all spices. Brown your ground beef for tacos, drain, then add homemade taco seasoning and about ¾ cup of water. Stir, bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes.
Note: You might also add in ¼-1/2 tsp onion powder -- I somehow didn't have any in the house, so just skipped it. You can also brown the beef with a little fresh onion instead. 🙂
This is equivalent to about one packet of taco seasoning
I used my easy homemade taco seasoning mix to flavor about 1.5 lbs of ground beef. For comparison purposes above, here is the ingredient information from a store-bought taco seasoning packet I had in the house. My family didn't notice the difference at all (I thought it was sooo much better, and better for you!), and homemade taco seasoning took me about one minute to mix up. You could also play with the proportions for your own family's tastes -- make it spicier or less spicy, reduce the sodium, add some chipotle chili powder (ooh! next time), substitute sweet paprika, whatever you'd like.
Make it, or buy it?
If you're as busy as I am, a major factor in whether to make something from scratch (or semi-scratch) or to buy it prepackaged is the time and effort required. I'm not going to be churning my own butter or making my own sausage anytime soon, but small steps are good: Jazzing up plain yogurt? Check. Homemade seasoned salt? Always, now -- so good! Salad dressing from scratch? Yup, I do that too.
This homemade taco seasoning mix is now firmly in the easy, cheaper, and better, so just do it category. What prepackaged convenience foods or mixes do you always make from scratch?
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix printable recipe
Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½-1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all spices.
- Brown your ground beef for tacos, drain, then add homemade taco seasoning and about ¾ cup of water.
- Stir, bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes.
- Note: You might also add in ¼-1/2 teaspoon onion powder -- I somehow didn't have any in the house, so just skipped it. You can also brown the beef with a little fresh onion instead. 🙂
More Make it or Buy It Ideas
If you’re looking for more “make it or buy it” ideas, read more here:
Anything else you’d like to see covered in these categories? Comment here!
Its great made it ,have trouble finding smoked paprika ,none at Fresh Tyme
I've gotten it at Whole Foods -- you can also try Penzey's or Amazon: http://amzn.to/1XNf2Wa
There are so many recipes I can't make because prepackaged generally means "contains allergens". I just made my first batch of homemade ranch dressing mix for crockpot recipes and this is going to be next. Thanks for saving me having to research it myself.
Hope it helps! You have a corn allergy in your house, right? This one will be a really easy substitution for the packaged mixes with corn starch and/or corn flour.
Yep. Modified a bit as the boys don't like heat. Used ground turkey and put it on Hawaiian buns with some Monterey Jack cheese. Yum!
Awesome. 🙂
I've been doing this for a few years. It tastes great and it doesn't have all of the junk in the prepackaged ones.
I have made similar taco seasoning recipes, but they have made more than one batch. It is convenient if you have an empty spice bottle to put it in, because then you won't have to make it as often. I think I will try your recipe because the smoked paprika sounds good in it (and I happen to have it on hand). If I like it, I will increase the amounts to make several batches at once to store. Looks like this recipe would make about 2 1/2 Tbsp per batch. Thanks!
I like doing this and also making homemade pancake mix. I had lost my link for the recipe, so I'll try yours next time.
I finally got around to making this home made mix (which I have been wanting to try and recreate a packet type mix so thank you for doing it for me!) and it was really good! I made it with 3 lbs. of ground turkey and thought maybe it would be a little bland since I didn't double your recipe but I did use 2 onions diced in there as well and super awesome!
PS. I got my smoked paprika at Super Target.
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I've been making my own taco seasoning for years! If you like a little thicker consistency add some corn starch to your mix. I think I add a teaspoon or two.
Thank you, what I was looking for because I actually have a bulk bottle, not a pkg
This is delicious. It's my go-to taco seasoning powder for one pound ground meat. I make it without salt due to doctor's orders. I've even made a separate shaker of it to sprinkle on baked potatoes (both white and sweet), steamed vegetables, rice, etc. Thank you.
So glad you're enjoying it! I like the homemade seasonings for this reason, too -- it's so easy to modify them for your own needs or tastes.