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Home » Basics » Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning

January 20, 2019 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 3 Comments

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This is a quick and easy homemade taco seasoning recipe using things you probably already have in the pantry. A copycat of the taco seasoning sold in packets, but cheaper, nearly just as quick, and a little bit more natural!

Mixed up homemade taco seasoning in a small bowl, showing a bright orange color with flecks of oregano and chili flakes.

I’ve always been a bit wary of those seasoning packets because they usually have some additive or another that I’m not in the mood for. Different brands like McCormick have added sugar, preservatives, or that pesky “natural flavor”. I’m not and never will be draconian about these things, and I understand the science isn’t clear. But it feels intuitive to me to use foods with ingredients that are as pared down as possible. Enter homemade taco spice.

When I started researching DIY taco seasoning I also discovered that most recipes contain chili powder, which usually presents the exact same problem that store bought taco seasoning does. Added flavorings, sugar, etc. Plus, it usually has added salt. I always make my spice blends without added salt so that I can salt my individual meals to taste and add as much spice as I want!

All of the spice jars for use in homemade taco seasoning, lined up together on a marble counter.

Chili powder is pretty much just a mixture of the other things that are already going into the taco blend, so it’s redundant, and increases the cost… but I’ve got you. I use a blend of sweet and hot paprika instead to make my homemade taco seasoning without chili powder at all.

With paprika, you can use 50-50 sweet and hot for a balanced flavor, all hot paprika for a little kick, all sweet paprika to make your taco seasoning mild, or you can even substitute some of the paprika for ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder (both of which are made from one type of ground up chile pepper), or cayenne if you’re very daring.

This homemade taco seasoning is naturally vegan, gluten-free, paleo, sugar-free, and pretty much anything else you could want from life. Enjoy!

Homemade Taco Seasoning | Yup, it's Vegan
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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Quick and easy homemade taco seasoning made with real ingredients found in your pantry.
Course basics, Spices
Cuisine dairy-free, gluten-free, Mexican, oil-free, paleo, refined sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword homemade taco seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 6kcal
Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp sweet paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp hot paprika
  • 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

  • Stir together all ingredients to combine. Store in an airtight container. The flavor stays even fresher in the fridge but this homemade taco seasoning can also be stored for months at room temperature.

Notes

SPICE LEVEL: You can substitute the hot paprika with additional sweet paprika to make a mild taco seasoning. Or, you can substitute the sweet paprika with additional hot paprika to make it spicier. Feel free to also mix in even hotter chili powders like cayenne.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tenth recipe | Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.7mg

Adapted from AllRecipes.

More homemade seasoning blends on the site:

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Baharat Spice Blend

Ethiopian Berbere Paste

Filed Under: Basics Tagged With: gluten-free, grain-free, Mexican-inspired, nut-free, oil-free, one pot, paleo, plant-strong, quick, refined sugar-free, soy-free, sweetener-free

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Comments

  1. Deborah Henson says

    December 8, 2019 at 17:35

    I love making my own spice blends, thank you for a new one. Just how much of the mix should I use to sub for a packet?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      December 9, 2019 at 14:38

      About 2 tablespoons equals 1 packet of seasoning. You’ll also want to add salt since many packets are salted.

      Reply
  2. Jessica says

    March 15, 2019 at 08:08

    5 stars
    Just what I needed because I was out of chili powder! Worked great thank you!

    Reply

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I'm Shannon, founder of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. I create healthy plant-based recipes that everyone will love, using seasonal produce and global inspiration.
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