Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Skip the store-bought packets and make your own taco seasoning. It only takes a few minutes to mix up this incredible blend of savory spices for all of your future taco nights.

I’ve always been a fan of tacos, but living in Texas for 15 years really cemented that fact.

We don’t limit ourselves to Taco Tuesday, so sometimes I find myself reaching for the taco seasoning multiple times a week.

This is no problem because I always have a jar of homemade taco seasoning in the spice cabinet.

Making your own taco seasoning means you can control the levels of heat and salt. Did you know most commercial seasoning blends have salt as their first ingredient?!

Try my homemade taco seasoning recipe and you’ll discover just how flavorful homemade tacos can really be!

Ingredients for taco seasoning

You’ll need:

Chile powder – This is not to be confused with chili powder, which is a blend. Chile powder is made from a single variety of chile.

I like to use ancho chile powder, which has a nice earthy heat.

Cumin – Ground cumin is essential when making tacos. It is rich with notes of citrus that balance out heat.

Smoked paprika – I absolutely love using smoked paprika in recipes. It adds a great smoky flavor to dishes, without being overwhelming or tasting too much like a BBQ pit. 

It’s easy to find, so give it a try!

Salt – I use fine sea salt.

Black pepper – Finely ground black pepper works best in my opinion, but you can also use coarsely ground.

Onion powder – Onion powder adds a bit of sweet flavor to the savory mixture. Even if you add onions to your tacos, this gives it extra oompf!

Garlic powder – Much like onion powder, garlic powder is a must in many seasoning blends. There are a few different versions of garlic powder — make sure yours is actually a powder, and not granules. It should have a strong, sweet garlic aroma.

Mexican oregano – Mexican oregano is actually not a “true” oregano and is more closely related to verbena than Mediterranean oreganos. Mexican oregano is bright and floral with anise notes rather than sweet and bitter with peppery notes.

If you can’t find it, a close substitute is marjoram.

Crushed red chile flakes – Note whether yours are made from cayenne peppers or a blend of red peppers. If yours are made from cayenne pepper, it will be a bit hotter.

Ground cayenne pepper – This is for additional heat. You can reduce it to ¼ teaspoon or omit it completely if you prefer less heat.

How to make this recipe

Making your own taco seasoning blend could not be easier!

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl.

Stir until the spices are evenly mixed.

Transfer to a jar with an airtight lid, like a mason jar or deli container. 

Store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

You can also skip the bowl and add the spices directly to your storage jar. Just make sure it is big enough to be able to stir the spices together!

This recipe makes about ¾ cup of taco seasoning, which is enough for multiple taco dinners!

Recipe suggestions

The beauty of making your own taco seasoning is that you can adjust any of the spices based on your own preferences.

Like it extra hot? Add more ground chile powder or ground cayenne. You can also try other varieties of ground chile, like chimayo, guajillo, or de arbol.

Instead of smoked paprika, swap in sweet or hot paprika.

You can also leave out the ground black pepper or less intensity, or switch it out for the more herbal white pepper.

Ways to use homemade taco seasoning

You can use this seasoning anywhere you need taco flavors!

Try it with my slow cooker chicken tacos, or in ground beef or bison tacos. For each pound of meat, you’ll need at least 2 tablespoons of seasoning, depending on how spiced you like it. I tend to use 4 tablespoons when making tacos for my family.

For a taco-inspired casserole, make this family favorite taco spaghetti casserole!

It’s also great for making taco chex mix. Sprinkle it on popcorn, too!

Try a bit of taco seasoning in jalapeño cornbread, or use it for taco mac and cheese.

Mix up a batch of this DIY taco seasoning today and explore the delicious possibilities!