Easy Homemade Taco Seasoning

My daughter started asking why our Tuesday tacos tasted different from the ones at her friends houses, and honestly it was because I had been dumping whatever spices looked interesting into a bowl and hoping for the best. One rainy afternoon I sat down and actually measured everything, writing down what I already knew worked after years of trial and error. The first time I made this exact ratio, my husband took a bite and asked if I had bought it from a Mexican grocery store, which I took as the highest possible compliment.

Last summer my neighbor came over while I was mixing up a double batch because she had smelled the spices through our open kitchen window. She had been buying taco seasoning for years and never realized how simple it was to make something that actually tastes like a real taco stand rather than cardboard and chemicals. We stood at the counter tasting different adjustments, and I showed her how the smoked paprika completely transforms the whole blend.

Ingredients

• Chili powder: The base of your whole seasoning blend, so buy fresh if your jar has been sitting there since last year
• Ground cumin: That earthy, distinctive taco flavor that most people recognize immediately
• Paprika: Smoked paprika gives you that authentic depth, though sweet works if that is what you have
• Garlic powder: Use powder instead of fresh garlic here so it distributes evenly throughout the mix
• Onion powder: Provides sweetness and depth without adding any moisture to your spice blend
• Dried oregano: The unexpected herb that makes homemade seasoning taste more complex than store bought
• Red pepper flakes: Leave these out completely if you are feeding kids, or double them if you love heat
• Black pepper: Adds a subtle warmth that rounds out all the other spices
• Sea salt: Enhances all the other flavors and helps the seasoning stick to your meat

Instructions

Mix your spices together:

Grab a small bowl and dump in every spice, then whisk or stir until the mixture looks completely uniform with no clumps of any single spice remaining.

Store your blend properly:

Pour the finished seasoning into a clean jar or container, screw the lid on tight, and keep it in your spice cabinet where it stays dry and away from direct sunlight.

Use it like a pro:

Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat while cooking, tasting as you go and remembering you can always add more but cannot take it back once it is mixed in.

Save

This little jar of spices has become my go to housewarming gift, tied with a ribbon and tucked into a basket with some tortillas. Friends text me months later saying they ran out and had to Google the recipe because regular store seasoning tastes like nothing after getting used to this blend.

Customizing Your Heat Level

I keep three separate jars in my cabinet now, one mild for the kids, one medium with the regular amount of red pepper flakes, and one extra spicy that my husband insists on for his weekend taco nights. The beauty of making your own is that you can adjust the heat one pinch at a time until it hits exactly the level your family prefers.

Making It In Bulk

During December I mix up a massive batch to give as gifts, quadrupling the recipe and portioning it into cute little jars. The spices stay fresh for about six months, but in my house they never last longer than two months anyway because we put this seasoning on everything from roasted potatoes to scrambled eggs.

Beyond Just Tacos

Sprinkle this over roasted sweet potatoes, mix it into ground turkey for burger patties, or shake some onto popcorn for an incredibly addictive snack. The possibilities are endless once you realize this is basically a southwestern spice blend that works anywhere you want big flavor.

• Mix a tablespoon into sour cream for the easiest taco dip you have ever made
• Shake it over roasted cauliflower before baking for a surprisingly delicious side dish
• Stir into softened butter and spread on corn on the cob during summer grilling season

Save

Once you start making your own seasoning mixes, you will wonder why you ever bought those overpriced little packets at the grocery store. Your tacos will taste better, your cabinet will look more organized, and you will feel like a proper kitchen wizard every time you reach for your homemade jar.