Taco Seasoning

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Taco Tuesday is cause for celebration here at Preppy Kitchen. Whether I’m whipping up quesabirria tacos with consomme, speedy Instant Pot chicken tacos, or Baja-style fish tacos, my family is always happy when we tuck something tasty into a tortilla. (Just don’t let me forget the margaritas for the adults!!)

While I love all the traditional Mexican taco fillings, there’s something particularly comforting about Tex-Mex-style ground beef with taco spice mix. It’s delightful for making copycat Taco Bell soft or hard shell beef tacos, scattering over a bed of greens for taco salad, or making a sheet pan full of homemade nachos dolloped with sour cream.

But, rather than using pre-made seasoning packets, which include maltodextrin, silicon dioxide, sugar, and other ingredients that some of the big brands use?

Trust me: learning how to make homemade taco seasoning for ground beef or ground turkey is a snap, and it’ll quickly liberate you from the world of artificial nonsense so you can feed your family nothing but the best.

What You Need To Make This Recipe

Ingredients needed to make taco seasoning.

Chili Powder — This popular spice blend is generally made with a mix of mild chiles and warming spices like cumin. Note that different brands will have different blends, so feel free to experiment until you find your favorite!

Ground Cumin — It’s hard to imagine taco spices without thinking of the warm, pungent aroma of cumin. If you only have whole cumin seeds, try giving them a quick toast in a dry pan until they’re fragrant (about 45-60 seconds), then grind them using a mortar and pestle or clean coffee grinder.

Garlic Powder — For adding mild garlic sweetness to your seasoning mix without any sticky fingers or fussy papery skins. Feel free to use either plain or California-style (with parsley added).

Onion Powder — For adding sweet allium goodness with no tears to speak of! If you only have dried onion flakes, you can sub those in. Or, go the extra mile and blend them to a fine powder for the best flavor distribution.

Dried Oregano — If possible, reach for Mexican oregano. Unlike “true” Mediterranean oregano (which is part of the mint family), Mexican oregano is part of the verbena family and boasts more citrusy undertones. If you’re fresh out, marjoram is the closest substitution. If not, Greek or Italian oregano will do the trick.

Paprika — Mild, sweet paprika is the perfect option if you prefer mild taco seasoning. Hot paprika has a good amount of fire, which is perfect for all you spice lovers out there. You can also use smoked paprika, which has a smoky undertone reminiscent of chipotles.

Salt — Opt for fine sea salt for the best flavor. If you’re using coarsely ground kosher salt, you may want to consult a conversion chart to get the seasoning just right!

Black Pepper — Freshly cracked pepper will give you better flavor and texture than the pre-ground powder.

How To Make Taco Seasoning

Set of two photos showing dried seasoning spooned into a bowl.

1. Measure the chili powder into a a small bowl.

2. Add the cumin and garlic powder.

Set of two photos showing dried oregano and salt added to a bowl.

3. Next, add the oregano and paprika.

4. Season the spice mixture with salt.

Set of two photos showing spices whisked together and added to a jar with a tiny funnel.

5. Whisk together until well combined.

6. Transfer the seasoning mix to an airtight container and store in your pantry. Store in an airtight container or glass jar in a cool dark place like a spice drawer, cabinet, or pantry. Best if used within 3 months.

Overhead view of a spoon scooping out taco seasoning from a jar.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

Some store-bought taco seasoning packets come with an added thickener to create a more luscious sauce. If you’d like to recreate that, add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to your homemade seasoning mix. Can’t do corn? Swap in potato starch instead.
For a spicy DIY taco seasoning mix, you can either use spicy paprika ~OR~ add 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or ground chipotle chiles.
If you’d like to make a salt-free seasoning for tacos, simply omit the salt. When it comes time to make the taco meat, consider adding a few rasps of lime or lemon zest, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, or a pinch of citric acid. Acid is always a great alternative to salt!
Love tacos as much as we do? Make a big batch of this taco meat seasoning and keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place like the spice cabinet. It should stay fresh for 6 months to a year!

A small plate filled with taco seasoning with some taco ingredients in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is in a seasoning packet?

In normal-sized packets, you can expect about 1 ounce or 3 tablespoons of taco spices per bag. Some larger packets will hold closer to ¼ cup, or 4 tablespoons.

How much to use per pound of meat?

I’d recommend starting with about 3 tablespoons per pound of ground beef or turkey. Remember: you can always add more, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the pan!

What should I use if I don’t have seasoning?

Why, this homemade mild taco seasoning recipe, of course! Once you know what is in taco seasoning in terms of spices, you can easily make your own homemade version without adding any of the weird stuff.

Is this gluten-free?

I can’t speak for store-bought brands or for all recipes, but this recipe for gluten-free taco seasoning is totally celiac-friendly.

What’s the difference between fajita seasoning vs taco seasoning?

While the two are quite similar in terms of ingredients, the biggest difference is in proportions. Fajita seasoning relies more heavily on cumin and tends to be less spicy, whereas seasoning for tacos is typically spicier and relies more on oregano and chili powder.

That said, feel free to use this basic taco seasoning recipe as an all-purpose Mexican seasoning for everything from fajitas to chili, then balance it out with an added sprinkle of any extra spices you like!