This post was originally published on January 25, 2017. Updated on March 2, 2021.
Why make your own taco seasoning?
We’re pretty sure that once you start making your own taco seasoning at home and you taste how delicious it is, you’ll never go back to the purchased packets. By mixing up your own taco seasoning, you can ensure your tacos are seasoned to perfection and don’t include any of the yucky additives or fillers that store-bought taco seasoning contains, such as added sugars, gums, preservatives, and starches. Our DIY taco seasoning is mild yet super flavorful. If you like Mexican spices but don’t love the heat, you’ll appreciate this mild taco seasoning recipe. If you are a spice lover, you can easily up the heat level by adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or ground ancho chili powder to the mix.
Ingredients to make homemade taco seasoning + easy substitutions
For this taco seasoning recipe, you’ll need basic spices that you may already have on hand.
chili powder – this gives taco seasoning its iconic peppery flavorground cumin – or use ground coriandergarlic powder – you could substitute granulated garliconion powder – don’t use onion salt as it will increase the sodium, but you could substitute granulated oniondried oregano – oregano is recommended, but you could use dried basil insteadpaprika – or use smoked paprika for a more toasty flavorsea salt – omit this for a paleo taco seasoningcayenne pepper – or use ancho chili pepper or omit this to make a mild taco seasoning
Shop Thrive Market to get the best prices on natural, organic, and specialty foods. PLUS get a free gift valued at $24 when you sign-up! Shop Thrive Market for all of your baking essentials!
Can tacos be healthy?
Since tacos are typically made by stuffing protein and vegetables into a crunchy grain or veggie shell, they are an inherently healthy and balanced meal that includes a variety of food groups and nutrients. We love tacos for this reason, and also because tacos are a highly customized meal where everyone can make their own. That makes tacos a perfect party food when you have some guests who eat gluten-free, others who are plant-based or vegan, some who are following Whole30 or paleo, and others who are just a bit picky.
Here’s how to set up your own DIY Taco Bar:
Set out a variety of shells, such as:
Flour TortillasCorn TortillasGrain-free taco shellsLettuce Leaves (use Bibb, Boston, or romaine lettuce leaves)
Then, set up bowls of your protein, seasoned with our Taco Seasoning Recipe (below!), such as:
BeefChickenBeans
Finally, set up your favorite taco toppings. Our favorites include:
Shredded LettuceDiced TomatoesSliced RadishesSalsaRoasted CornSliced JalapeñosShredded Cheese or Vegan Nacho CheeseSour Cream or Plain Greek YogurtThe BEST Homemade Guacamole
Nutrition in homemade taco seasoning
Ground spices, like those in this recipe, provide some key health benefits. Ground chili, paprika, and cayenne pepper contain a plant compound called capsaicin, which has been studied and revered for its ability to increase fat burning in men and women and reduce appetite and calorie intake. Other dried spices like garlic powder and dried oregano have been linked to lowered inflammation and increased heart health in studies.
How this taco seasoning fits into your Whole30 diet
When you do the Whole30 diet, one of the first things you’ll discover is that well-seasoned food makes everything better. It can be hard to find store bought packets of taco seasoning, sauces and seasonings that don’t contain added sugars, starches, grains, dairy, and processed flavor-builders like carrageenan, MSG, and sulfites. But with this homemade taco seasoning recipe, you use just simple everyday whole spices in a combination that provides the perfect flavor for tacos and many other dishes. Not only does this recipe fit Whole30, but since it doesn’t contain any added sugar, is very low in added salt, and doesn’t include any artificial sweeteners or ingredients, then it is also dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo taco seasoning. And if you wanted to eliminate the salt altogether for a strict paleo diet, you could just leave it out.
Other ways to use this taco seasoning
This seasoning is a perfect replacement for store-bought taco seasoning on ground beef or ground bison. And we also love it to season cooked beans, chicken, or steak for fajitas, or as a seasoning rub for grilled shrimp, steak, chicken, or veggie kabobs. Give our homemade taco seasoning a try in these delicious recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken TacosHealthy Taco Hot DishInstant Pot Taco SoupTex-Mex Sweet Potato Hash
Cooking tips for this taco seasoning recipe
This homemade taco seasoning makes enough to season three pounds of cooked meat. You’ll need just 1 1/2 tablespoons of the seasoning to season each pound of cooked meat. Add the taco seasoning to the ground beef (or chicken, shrimp, steak, or beans) after it is cooked through along with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and then mix until the meat is nicely coated. We bet you can’t help but snag a bite at this point. That’s why it pays off to be the cook! Keep a mason jar of this simple cleaned-up taco seasoning mix in your spice cupboard and reap the tasty benefits come Taco Tuesday (or any night of the week).
Pin it Now, Make it Later!
All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
