Taco seasoning is one of those things that is used all the time, but do you really know what’s in it? Seasoning packets add a lot of extra salt, empty calories, and mystery ingredients. When you seasoning dishes yourself it doesn’t lock you into one flavor, but allows you to adjust the flavor of the dish to your taste. If you like things spicy, add more chili powder, if you like things milder, take some away. You may think that making it yourself is difficult, but it’s not. In fact, it’s very easy and will save you a ton of money in the long run! To make your dollar stretch the furthest possible, buy spices from a bulk bin, or spice store. They often have great deals and can be found for a $1 or less per bottle. I have also been able to find great, inexpensive spices at Aldi, the Natural Food Warehouse, and Indian Markets.
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1. In a small bowl mix everything together. Store in an airtight container.
- Makes 10 servings. About 2.5 TBS equals one packet.
I wanted to share this tried and true recipe with you, so you can make your spices at home, and keep you and your family healthy! I hope y’all like it as much as we do!
JoAnn @ SweetPepperRose says
Thanks for posting this! I love tacos 😉
now at home mom says
I really love tacos, so this is something I will be keeping 🙂 thanks Allyson!
plethoraofponderings says
Stopping by from the Weekend re-Treat link party! Thank you for posting this! Thank you for reminding me that one of my goals next year is to have a pantry FULL of DIY mixes! I hate spending money on packets of spices or pre-made mixea. You have inspired me to start setting my plan in motion to start at the beginning of the year!
Britni Newton Vigil says
We love making our own homemade taco seasoning too and I honestly think it tastes better than the packet stuff. Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party.
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
Ash says
Hi there! This mix looks delicious! I was wondering, when you buy the taco packets, it seems like they have some sort of thickening agent added. You know how they have you add the water to the ground beef and then the taco packet and simmer it for a little while? Have you ever added something to make it more saucy?
Allyson says
I haven’t, but this should be pretty easy. I would mix the seasoning with 1 TBS of cornstarch and a 1/3 cup of water. Mix, and then let it simmer and thicken up 🙂
Ash says
Thanks! I’ll give it a try.
Megan Pughsley says
I saw a Pioneer Woman episode where she used her own spice blend like this one and then added HOT water from a tea kettle to make the taco meat more saucy. Haven’t tried it yet myself, but it’s worth a shot. Those thickening agents in the store-bought seasonings add a hefty dose of CARBS. For a diabetic like myself, the minimal amount of carbs in these homemade blends sure beats the 18 carbs in the packet!
Tracy Roelle says
Try using a 8oz can of plain tomatoe sauce, then take the same can and fill it with waterand pour it in, mix together with the already cooked ground beef, then add the seasoning, after that once all mixed together you can taste test it and decide with it needs more seasoning or not. If it does add a little more till you got the flavor you want and if it gets thicker just add a little more water, not a lot just enough to take the thickness away.. Hope this helps its how i normally do it and i do it like that all the time no matter if its a store bought seasoning (which i normally get 2 packets of taco bells original seasoning packets. However a fair warning if you get that just get the 2 packets and not the big can of it because for some reason the can is not as good and you end up using all of it..) or the homemade seasoning.