You likely have all the spices needed to make this classic seasoning blend, and it’ll taste fresher–and be more economical–than the store-bought packet.
Early in our marriage, I discovered my husband’s fondness for taco salad. When I first served tacos, he piled all the filling ingredients on his plate and crumbled the shell over top.
From then on, I simply made taco salad! Eventually, the hard shells were replaced with “Hint of Lime” tortilla chips. I have my husband to thank for that discovery too. There’s something about them that tastes so good!
For a long time, I bought the little packets of taco seasoning to flavor the ground beef or turkey. Years ago, I stopped buying them to eliminate an unwanted ingredient–plus I always have everything needed in my spice cabinet to replicate the packets.
The following spice mixture is blend I now keep on hand to use anytime I want that classic flavor combination. In addition to tacos and salads, it’s delicious as a flavoring in tortilla soup, enchiladas, and any slow cooker meal where you’d like a hint of Mexican flavor.
While I often pair it with beef, the spice blend is equally delicious with chicken and ground turkey.
Delicious and easy recipes using Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Taco salad or “Walking Tacos”
So-easy Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
Homemade Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (not onion salt)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (see notes)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
- Store in a small jar or other airtight container.
- When ready to use, brown one pound of ground beef; drain if necessary. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the browned meat, pour in 2/3 cup water and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Use in tacos or your choice of recipe.
Notes
- If you prepare a big batch to use over time, use approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons per pound of meat to equal one store-bought packet.
- If you plan to use this spice blend in a recipe where no thickening is desired, you may omit the cornstarch.
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