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    Home > Mexican Southwest Recipes > Tacos > Homemade Taco Seasoning for Ground Beef and Beyond

    Homemade Taco Seasoning for Ground Beef and Beyond

    Published: Apr 3, 2017 · Modified: Jul 30, 2022 by Lea Ann Brown · This post may contain affiliate links

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    Homemade Taco Seasoning

    Homemade Taco Seasoning for ground beef. Easy to make. Easy to store in the pantry. And with a perfect blend of spices, this DIY version is much more flavorful than store bought. Use this homemade taco seasoning mix for beef, chicken, rice, and even soups. Let’s take a look.

    Homemade Taco Seasoning with smoked paprika

    How To Make Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

    Getting ready to make Mexican recipe and don’t have a packet of taco seasoning? Make you own, and better yet, keep a stash of this taco seasoning in the pantry – you’ll be glad you did.

    Making homemade taco seasoning mix is such a breeze. Almost as easy as standing in front of the Mexican seasoning section at the store and trying to figure out which brand to buy, or which brand offers the best flavor.

    Skip that and make your own stash for the pantry. It will last about a year if stored correctly.

    And speaking of the pantry, you probably already have all the ingredients you need to make this recipe.

    Just mix all of the ingredients together and store in an air-tight container = done!

    You’ll find the full recipe below, but I want to address some of the key ingredients that will make a difference in the flavor.

    • One of the secrets that makes this a great homemade taco seasoning mix is Mexican Oregano. Mexican oregano has a stronger flavor that Mediterranean Oregano, which is more readily available for purchase. It has a more earthy flavor which is better suited for Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines.
    • A good quality Hot Smoked Paprika.  Ever since I discovered smoked paprika a few years ago, I’ve gone crazy using it. And sprinkling some in taco seasoning is no exception. If you don’t have a good quality spice shop available to you, Simply Organic brand is a good choice. If you want less heat, use regular smoked paprika.
    • And of course, my favorite ingredient, New Mexico Red Chile Powder.  What’s so special about chile powder from New Mexico? It reliably delivers medium heat with earthy fruity undertones. That one you may not have on your shelf, so just substitute cayenne pepper or Ancho Chile Powder. I’d advise against Chipotle Chile powder due to it’s smoky flavor. The smoked paprika is already taking care of that.

    Is there gluten in taco seasoning? Possibly in the packets you buy in the store, but this is a gluten free taco seasoning mix recipe. Store in a Mason Jar or a good sealing baggie.

    How Long Does Taco Seasoning Last?

    Here’s the good news. If stored in an air-tight container, I prefer a glass mason jar over a baggie, it will last 6 months to a year. Just store it in a dark dry place. Your pantry cabinet is perfect.

    How to use homemade taco seasoning

    Substitute this homemade taco seasoning for a packet from the store for any Mexican recipe. How much taco seasoning is in a packet? Usually about 2 – 3 tablespoons, depending on the brand.

    Use about 3 tablespoons instead of a store purchased packet.

    Homemade taco seasoning brings a whole new level of earthy depth to any Mexican dish. And just look at that bold color.

    When using homemade taco seasoning for 1 lb. ground beef, just add 3 tablespoons of seasoning and 1 cup of water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

    But don’t stop with beef. Use this taco seasoning for ground chicken tacos, ground pork tacos, or use it as a rub for roasted chicken, or even seafood.

    Homemade Taco Seasoning For Ground Beef

    I hope you give this simple Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating. Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes.

    And if you make this taco seasoning, please let me know how you used it, I’m always looking for new ideas.

    Use this taco seasoning mix to make:

    • Taco Soup Recipe
    • Ground Beef Mexican Casserole
    • Roasted Green Chili Chicken Tacos

    And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, don’t miss my Mexican Southwestern Category. You’ll find plenty of great recipes including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili Colorado.

    Homemade Taco Seasoning with smoked paprika

    Homemade Taco Seasoning For Ground Beef

    Easy to make, homemade taco seasoning is so much better than those store bought packets.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Mexican
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 3
    Calories: 34kcal
    Author: Lea Ann Brown

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds freshly toasted and ground, or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1/4 teaspoon onion power
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Put all the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month. 
    • To use, break up 1 pound of ground beef in a wide skillet over medium heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, sprinkle on 2-3 tablespoon of this taco seasoning and add 1 cup water. Continue stirring. As moisture cooks out of the meat and simmers, it will be thickened by the cornstarch.

    Notes

    When using homemade taco seasoning for 1 lb. ground beef, just add 3 tablespoons of seasoning and 1 cup of water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1642mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2074IU | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @lannisam or tag #CookingOnTheRanch!

    Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix … It’s Whats for Tacos

    More Taco Recipes and Ideas

    • Mexican Beef Machaca Recipe
    • Simple Grilled Chicken Thigh Tacos
    • Easy Dutch Oven Tri Tip Tacos
    • Pressure Cooker Carnitas, Pork Tacos

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jolanda penistan says

      April 28, 2019 at 11:13 am

      Thanks so much for your extremely fast response! I’m thinking of freezing this in small increments in waxed paper packets. Will that increase it’s shelf life? Thanks for sharing your amazing recipes!

      Reply
      • Lea Ann Brown says

        May 02, 2019 at 12:06 pm

        Absolutely. I’m keeping some of my chile powder in the freezer for just that reason.

        Reply
    2. Larry says

      April 08, 2017 at 11:21 am

      Hard to beat those homemade seasonings

      Reply

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    I'm Lea Ann, A Culinary School Grad bringing you Wild West Colorado inspired recipes. You'll find lots of Southwestern, and Mexican food recipes, and some favorites from Culinary School along with pro cooking tips. If you're an adventurous home cook looking to spice up your meal plans, you'll find plenty of inspiration and reliable, approachable, easy to follow recipes.

    More about me →

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