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Making your own homemade taco seasoning is so simple and inexpensive! You likely already have most of the ingredients in your pantry and can whip up a batch in just minutes, then enjoy it for months.
Homemade Taco Seasoning
My family loves tacos. It’s not a stretch to say we celebrate Taco Tuesday weekly, and usually enjoy some sort of Mexican dish at least once other time during the week. Making awesome tacos is both more delicious and easier than ever now, thanks to this homemade taco seasoning recipe! I like to whip up a batch and use it in absolutely everything I can. Tacos, casseroles, dips, soups, veggies, fajitas…you name it. It’s hands-down my favorite spice blend.
Save Money by Making Your Own Taco Seasoning
I know it might not seem like the taco seasoning packets you buy in stores are very expensive, but with the number of tacos our family consumes, it really adds up. I can make an entire batch of this homemade taco seasoning for pennies on the dollar when compared with the store packets.
Not only is this mix less expensive than buying a packet of taco seasoning at the grocery store, it tastes better too. Plus, since you are the one making it, you know exactly what the ingredients in it are.
Cornstarch or No Cornstarch?
We use cornstarch in this recipe because it really helps the seasoning stick to the meat. When you add the water to the meat mixture it will thicken up and create a flavorful sauce that coats the meat. It also keeps it from drying out. The cornstarch, itself, doesn’t add any flavor, it just helps the flavors STAY there. However, you CAN leave it out if you are avoiding starches. You will still get wonderful flavor, you just may need to allow it to reduce longer on the stove top to get the thickness you desire.
How Long Does Homemade Taco Seasoning Last?
One batch of this seasoning makes enough mix for 4 taco nights. However, I like to triple the recipe (or more!) to make a big batch and bulk make enough homemade taco seasoning to last me a month or two. The essential thing to remember when making this mix is to use fresh spices. If the ingredients you are using have been sitting in your pantry for years they have lost their potency and flavor. As a general rule, store-bought spices are good for 1-2 years on the shelf as long as they are stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
How To Store Taco Seasoning
So, just like the rest of your spices, keep this homemade taco seasoning fresh and flavorful by storing it properly. This means it should be kept in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, stored in a cool, dark place. When properly stored, a batch of this seasoning will be good for an entire year.
More Homemade Seasoning Recipes:
Taco Recipes to Try:
Ready to try out your homemade taco seasoning? Here are some of our favorite recipes that use taco seasoning:
How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Video
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chili powder (MILD chili powder, NOT cayenne)
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Optional if you like it hot)
Instructions
Seasoning:
- Mix all ingredients together until well combined.
- Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
- This recipe makes approximately ½ cup of mix. Add 3 tablespoons of mix per 1 pound of ground beef.
For Homemade Taco Meat:
- Brown 1 pound ground beef in a skillet. Drain excess fat. Stir in 3 tablespoons of Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix and 2/3 cup water to beef. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve in a taco shell and top with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and any other of your favorite taco toppings!
This is so easy to make and add so much flavor. It is my go to now on alot of recipes.
We made this taco seasoning and used it in our tacos for lunch today. I love the flavor it provided to our taco meat
We love tacos! Thank you,l will try this <3
Yum!! I love none prepackaged seasonings and this one sounds amazing!!
I can’t wait to try this recipe at home, it looks very tasty!
It’s very easy to make and good I will always use it ????????????
Thank you! I’m so glad you like the recipe!
It was a very good recipe, I will use it again. But it was a little bit too hot so maybe not so much definitely not to much of what it says. My family likes ther food a little bit hot so it worked but if you’r family does not like hot things then I would not recommend this
Thanks for your suggestion! We recommend using a mild chili powder for this recipe. Also be sure you aren’t using cayenne pepper!