Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the ingredients for my best taco seasoning, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Chili Powder – The main ingredient! Note I use American chili powder here, which is actually more than just chilies. The clean brand I use includes chili powder (actual chilies), cumin, oregano, coriander, garlic, rice concentrate, allspice, and cloves. I add more of many of these to the mix, as it’s not a taco seasoning by itself.
• Ground Cumin – There’s nothing quite like it. It balances the sweetness and heat of the other spices.
• Smoked Paprika – I have not seen smoked paprika in a store-bought packet, but always use it in mine because I believe it tastes better. Feel free to use regular sweet paprika if you want to.
• Oregano – I use this regular dried oregano which is earthy, but you can use Mexican oregano too, which is bolder and tastes a little like licorice if you like that. Ground coriander or dried cilantro would also make good substitutes.
• Aromatic Powders – Garlic powder and onion powder.
• Cayenne Pepper – For a kick, but I’d say this homemade taco seasoning is pretty mild overall. If you like a spicier blend, I recommend doubling the cayenne and adding 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Because most store-bought mixes have salt and I wanted it to replace those easily in any dish, I included salt in my taco seasoning mix recipe. If you are trying to reduce your sodium intake, you can omit the salt or reduce the amount.

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How To Make Taco Seasoning

There’s not much to it! Stir all the taco seasoning ingredients together in a small bowl, then store in an airtight container or small glass jar.

TIP: When I want to save on dishes, I shake the spices right in the jar with the lid on.

Ways To Use It

Here are some of the many recipes I use this spice blend for:

• Ground Beef – Hello, taco night! I have more detailed instructions in my taco meat recipe, but basically you’d brown the beef first, then add the seasoning along with 1/4 cup of water. Simmer until the liquid absorbs into the meat.
• Chicken – Sprinkle it on before baking chicken breasts or mix with shredded chicken. (I don’t always add it to my Crock Pot chicken tacos, but it definitely adds a lot of flavor when I do!) I also season my Instant Pot chicken before cooking and shredding when I need it for a Mexican meal.
• Taco Salad – My most popular and personal favorite! Tens of thousands of readers have made it and it gets rave reviews. You can also try it on my other Mexican salad.
• Soups – My favorite is 5-ingredient taco soup, but homemade taco seasoning would also work well in Mexican chicken soup.
• Veggies – Sprinkle it over roasted vegetables before roasting. I personally love it on air fryer cauliflower.
• Other Mexican-Inspired Dishes – I also use taco-seasoned beef for my taco dip, taco skillet, turkey stuffed peppers, and taco casserole. If you’re out of fajita seasoning, you can even swap in this taco seasoning recipe for chicken fajitas, steak fajitas, or shrimp fajitas.