Homemade Taco Seasoning

Looking to add some Mexican-inspired flavors to your meal, but forgot to grab a packet of taco seasoning at the grocery store?? With this quick and easy homemade taco seasoning recipe, you’ll never have to worry about remembering to put taco seasoning on the grocery list ever again! You really can’t go wrong by adding this to your pantry. 

Use it to spice up your Taco Tuesday or add to so many dishes like my Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili, Crunchy Baked Chickpeas, Air Fried Black Beans, vegan tacos, and many more!

Looking for more homemade seasoning blends? Try this Homemade Italian Herb Blend, Montreal Steak Seasoning, or  Shawarma Spice Mix. 

Why You’ll Love this DIY Taco Seasoning

• Never run out – Making your own taco seasoning means you can always have it on hand! This 5-minute recipe makes 4 packets worth of taco seasoning and will store in an airtight container in your pantry for up to a year.
• Easily customized – Looking for more heat? Want less sodium? You can easily tweak this taco seasoning recipe to fit your needs.
• FAST – Did I mention this recipe takes only 5 minutes?
• Allergy-friendly – You can ensure your homemade seasoning blend is vegan, gluten-free, and free of anything you don’t want in it – unlike the store-bought stuff which can have hidden ingredients like “natural flavors”.

Ingredients

• Ground cumin – I like my taco seasoning to be heavy on this flavor.
• Chili powder – I think dark chili powder is the way to go here, but any variety of chili powder will work.
• Sea salt & black pepper – These should be staples in any spice mix in my opinion! As mentioned before, you can reduce the salt if you are looking for a lower sodium option.
• Smoked paprika – I think the smoky flavor adds a unique touch to this seasoning mix, but if you can’t find smoked, regular paprika is fine. 
• Garlic powder – Never cook without it!
• Onion powder – This adds flavor, but you could opt for less if you are using this to spice a dish with onions in it.
• Crushed red pepper/ red pepper flakes– Add more or less to your liking.
• Dried Oregano – I know this seems out of place, but I promise it ties all these flavors together.
• Optional: Add up to 1/2 tsp cayenne if you are looking for more heat!

Helpful Equipment

​In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Small bowl
• Storage container (I usually store mine in a mason jar)

How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning

​This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

This recipe is as easy as it gets. Just add all the spices into a bowl and mix them until evenly distributed. I find it easiest to mix using a fork, as the cumin can get kind of clumpy if not mixed thoroughly.

You may have to give this mix a quick shake before using it every time as the heavier spices can settle to the bottom. 

Ways to Use

• Combine 2 tbsp olive oil with 1 tbsp of seasoning for an easy Mexican-inspired marinade for tofu, veggies, or any other protein.
• Season store-bought plant-based grounds for vegan taco meat or to top your vegan nachos.
• Mix with refried beans for a taco filling or homemade burrito bowl.

How to Store 

• Pantry: Store it in a cool dry place in an airtight container for up to one year!

More Tips

• Not Vegan? Add some chicken salt to the mix, 1/2 tsp should do. Use this to season ground beef or chicken for a traditional taco. 
• Gluten-free? As long as you stick with pure spices, you should be good to go!
• Need more heat? Add cayenne pepper up to 1 tsp if desired!
• Make sure to mix well. The cumin tends to get a bit clumpy.
• You may have to re-mix each time you use this, as some of the heavier spices will tend to settle to the bottom.