Put tacos back on the menu with our no-fuss and no-fillers, Whole30-friendly Homemade Taco Seasoning
Every Tuesday should involve tacos
Amirite!? I mean, why not? They’re super simple, easy to customize to suit everyone’s needs and preferences and they make great taco salads the next day if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers.
I wish my kids loved tacos as much as I do because we’d be having them everrrrrry Tuesday. But, lo and behold, taco-love is apparently not a genetic trait and I make them far less often than I’d like. Sigh.
However, I will say this. Since I started making my own taco seasoning we’ve moved up a few points on the taco-love scale at our house. Probably because this homemade taco seasoning is pretty mild yet super flavorful. So feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper or ground ancho chili powder if you want yours a little spicer.
I don’t mind if the meat isn’t spicy because I’m obsessed with hot sauce and salsa. Like, obsessed. As in, don’t let me loose at the farmer’s market late summer because I will buy more hot sauce and salsa than vegetables if you let me.
Here are some tasty recipes for your taco Tuesday that call for Taco Seasoning: Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, Tex Mex Sweet Potato Hash (perfect for using up leftover taco meat) and Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.
Wondering if you should purchase grass-fed beef? Learn how to choose quality red meat in this post!
Why DIY taco seasoning?
You’ve got enough to do, I get it. But making your own homemade taco seasoning takes just 10 minutes (5 minutes if you’ve got an organized spice rack and don’t have to root through thirty bottles of random, unlabeled, tired and expired spices).
And… this recipe makes enough to season 3 pounds of ground meat so you can mix it up once and store the leftovers in labeled jar in your pantry for the next taco extravaganza.
And… there’s aren’t any funky fillers, preservatives or ingredients or sugar in my homemade taco seasoning. Just herbs, spices and salt.
So much more than tacos
I love fajitas almost as much as I love tacos so I use this homemade taco seasoning in this One-pan Chicken Fajita Bake to keep it super clean and Whole30-friendly. It’s also makes a great rub for grilled chicken or shrimp – which you can then toss onto a salad with a mound of homemade guacamole and your favorite salsa for an epic taco-inspired salad.
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Homemade Taco Seasoning (Whole30)
A DIY taco seasoning that’s no-fuss and free of fillers, preservatives and sugar. Makes enough to season 3 pounds of ground meat. Also great for seasoning fajitas and as a rub for grilled chicken, steak or shrimp.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: Makes enough for 3 lb. of taco meat
- Category: Condiments, Sauces
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- ¼–½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a small jar and shake to combine. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
To prepare taco meat:
- Add 1 lb. ground beef or bison to amedium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Use a spatula to break up the meat as it cooks.
- When the meat is cooked through, sprinkle 1 ½ Tbsp. taco seasoning over meat. Add 2-3 Tbsp. water and stir to combine, adding more water as needed.
- For saucier taco meat, add 2 Tbsp. tomato paste to meat mixture and stir.
Notes
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What’s your favorite DIY spice blend to have on hand for quick meals?
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Roxy says
Best taco seasoning blend ever. It’s a keeper for me. I made tacos today and they tasted just like my Mom’s used to!! I’ll never buy store bought again! Happy girl!!
Jessica Beacom says
Whoa!! That’s a HUGE compliment! Thanks, Roxy – we always love to hear when our recipes meet a need in our readers’ lives. So glad you enjoyed the tacos.
Cathy B. says
I agree this is a GREAT seasoning mix. We had tacos with venison and it was truly delicious. I’m glad I found this site! I desperately want to eat more on the cleaner side, it’s hard trying to get away from ‘traditional’ cooking. Thanks ladies
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Cathy,
Thank you! I love the idea of using venison. I grew up in Minnesota eating loads of venison but you don’t get it that often here in Colorado.
Take your time moving to a clean diet – one meal at a time. You know you can always find something here. Clean eating comfort food is our passion!
chris says
really love this recipe for taco seasoning! It is great and simple too. Thank you for sharing it!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Glad you love it!
Carla Mote says
This recipe looks great! I am having trouble figuring out the nutritional information, especially how many carbs it has. Any idea?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Carla,
The carb count for a serving of this seasoning is <1g.
Caleb Tanner says
I promised tacos but forgot to get my usual pack of taco spices from the store. This worked out really well in a pinch and tasted really natural (I believe I can taste additives -my family thinks I’m imagining it). I think I could’ve added a little more hot pepper and not all my ingredients were the best, but the tacos got compliments all around.
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Awesome!
Definitely one of the best things about this recipe is being able to adjust the quantities of the different spices to suit your taste (and make up for less-than-fresh spices that you may be trying to use up).
Arthur K says
So many reasons I love this blend.
1. Easy to make.
2. Tastes even better than any seasoning packet you can buy.
3. I have High blood pressure, so watching how much sodium I put into the blend helps me enjoy Tacos and Taco flavored things, without the worry of 10,000 mg of sodium in a pre-made packet
4. Always nice to know what you’re getting out of seasoning without a bunch of extras. Such as preservatives to keep it from caking or what have you. I make this in batches, and it’s used up way before it ever starts to clump or cake or anything.
Thank you so much for this. This is a must have for anyone and everyone.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thank you, Arthur!
This is awesome – I always love hearing how something so seemingly simple like my family’s go-to taco seasoning makes such a difference in other’s lives. And you’re right about knowing what you’re getting. Packaged foods can sometimes be nothing short of a just-add-water science experiment.
Here’s to tacos and good health!
Holly says
I absolutely love this. Not using meat though. i am making it with beans lettuce tomatoes and avocados and vegan sour cream. We’re vegan and i cannot wait to try this. I used smoked paprika instead of the regular. Perfect! Thank you!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Holly,
Glad you loved the Taco Seasoning!
Holly says
These spices where delicious in our vegan taco. Kids loved it and so did I. Thank you.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Glad you (and your kids) loved it!
Laura says
The best taco seasoning!
Made a double batch.
I used on just about everything.
Thanks for such a great recipe
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Laura,
Wow! That’s huge compliment, thanks! I love it, too (obviously) and find myself making big batches reaching for it often.
Jo says
Would you consider this recipe to be mild? I don’t like spicy food and I’m looking to make my own mild taco seasoning. Wasn’t sure it if would be spicy with all the chili powder or if the other spices counteract that. Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Jo,
This seasoning mix is mild. I developed it with my kids in mind (who think every other taco recipe in the world is too spicy) and you can definitely leave out the cayenne pepper to make it even more mild. Hope that helps!
Anthea says
I’m not sure if Americans like spicier food than New Zealanders (or if it’s just my husband and I), but this mix blew our heads off! Our noses were streaming and our eyes, and there was no way my daughter could eat it. This was without the cayenne pepper, and with a can of chopped tomatoes in it as I tried it first without and and it was insane (in a bad way). Lovely to have a natural recipe, but two tsp not tbsp might be our limit next time.
Beth says
I think chili powder can vary widely in its degree of hotness. I had some that was bought at a bulk market and it was at least 3x hotter than what I usually buy at the grocery store. Like you, I tried to add stuff to lessen it but it was intense. I made a note to drastically reduce the amount of that batch when using it in recipes and that seemed to help. I think your adjustment would be the way to go.
Stacie Hassing says
Oh my goodness, yes! depending on where you are from or the source of the chili powder, chili powder has a different meaning. The chili powder that this recipe calls for is what you would find most commonly in the US. It’s a blend of spices including chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, garlic, allspice and cloves. So it’s not just the chili which is where the kick comes form. Glad you are making notes on recipes so that you can adjust the amount!
Dan says
Hmmm, probably the brand of chili powder you used. Store-bought chili powder usually uses a mix of powdered peppers that can vary depending on the brand, most are mild, but some have a lot of cayenne mixed in
Merrilea says
Chili powder in the US is a MIX, an actual seasoning blend. I live in India where chili powder is straight ground chilies. It is a learning curve to figure out how much to use since it is like 10X the spice factor.
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, you are correct. In the US it appears that most ‘chili powders’ are a combination of chilis and cumin – likely more mild chili than hot since most of them are very mild.
Kim F says
Terrific! Thank you. I used this spice mix with ground turkey. Husband and I both liked it.
★★★★★
Amy S says
Made the taco seasoning and am so excited to try it tomorrow with family!
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome! We hope you enjoy it!
CB says
Confused why I should add chili powder when chili powder is essentially just a blend of the rest of the ingredients.
Jessica Beacom says
Good question! Chili powder, though it contains many of the same ingredients as this recipe, was selected because it’s spice that most people already have on hand. Also, chili powder by itself doesn’t produce the same ‘taco’ flavor as when combined with more cumin, oregano, etc. Hope that helps!
Erica says
We also don’t keep chili powder on hand…
I would love a breakdown without chili powder!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Erica,
Here’s a resource you may find helpful: https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-chili-powder-995615
Anthea says
Hmm, would have been good to read this before making mine. NZ chilli powder must be more like cayenne pepper. It’s definitely not a mix. This will be why 2Tbsp blew our heads off.
Kensy says
Love this – thanks for sharing! Any chance anyone’s done the math to make a larger batch? Asking before taking time to do it myself. : ) Thanks!
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Kensy, you could simply multiply the ingredients by 3 or 4 depending on how much you would like to make 🙂
Kensy says
Thanks, Stacie. I’m realizing that question seemed kind-of silly. I understand I could simply multiply the ingredients. I was just wondering if anyone had done the math to convert the measurements to tbsp./cups/something larger. Happy to do so myself, though. Thanks again.
Jennifer says
Best DIY taco seasoning I’ve found on line…and I’ve tested quite a few. It’s a perfect blend and so easy to double or add more heat if that’s your thing. I’ve been using it for a year or so and in Texas, that’s a lot of tacos. Thank you.
Jessica Beacom says
Amazing! Thank you – that’s a HUGE compliment, we know how Texans love their tacos!
Carrie says
Can this be used for fish tocos?
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, in fact, I just used it last week for fish tacos and they were fantastic.
Linda says
I used this seasoning for chicken/steak nachos. It was so good! My husband said it was the best! Plus I have allergies to preservatives and food dyes. This seasoning did not cause any allergic reaction. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe!
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Linda! That is so great to hear you and your husband loved this recipe. It’s our pleasure to share delicious, real food recipes for all to enjoy 🙂
Cheryl says
I am trying to eat healthy and I love love love tacos..but I knew in my heart the package was not healthy (even tho I bought the lower sodium one) and I was starting not to like the flavor of ANY packets..Not sure why this didnt occur to me before. Make my own! Thanks for posting!!
Stacie Hassing says
Homemade seasoning is so easy to make! Enjoy!
Mike 'Old Bear' Rosati says
I hope y’all don’t mind if I (did) put a pinch of Saigon cinnamon in the mix and smoked paprika (it was all I had in the pantry)??
End result? BooYah! Wife loved the depth of the smoked paprika and the “umami” effect of the cinnamon.
Making a few Mason jars tomorrow to keep/give as presents. Kudos, Ma’am!!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
Sounds crazy delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Crazybusymomof3 says
Thank you for a quick easy fix at 8:30 pm when I forgot the taco seasoning in between baseball and theatre!!! I eyeballed the measurements, added a little more garlic salt and onion powder. Also added in some dried cilantro leaves and a touch of corn starch for thickening. Perfect!!!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Awesome! So glad we could help out in a pinch. Love the addition of dried cilantro leaves, too!
Amy Kuschel says
This taco seasoning is perfect! I used only 1/8 t of cayenne and it still had a nice kick to it. I coated 1lb of shrimp with 1.5T of taco seasoning & sauteed them using Kelly Leveque’s shrimp taco recipe. It was delicious – butter lettuce cups instead of tortillas, shrimp, lime/mayo aioli + shredded cabbage, avocado, cilantro. And I have plenty of taco seasoning on hand for next time.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Amy,
My mouth is watering just reading this. Thanks for sharing how you used the taco seasoning.
Amy Kuschel says
This taco seasoning is perfect! I used only 1/8 t of cayenne and it still had a nice kick to it. I coated 1lb of shrimp with 1.5T of taco seasoning & sauteed them using Kelly Leveque’s shrimp taco recipe. It was delicious – butter lettuce cups instead of tortillas, the tasty shrimp, lime/mayo aioli + shredded cabbage, avocado, cilantro. And I have plenty of taco seasoning on hand for next time.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
That sounds so good! Yum!
Chrissy says
I made this because I was craved a taco salad. I used Ground chicken and it turned out Great!
I did add the Cayenne which is s optional but I think it really needs it.
Ruth Sweeting says
Brilliant
★★★★★
Lauren says
This taco seasoning was delish! Thank you! Would love to see a Whole 30 ranch seasoning recipe if you have one!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lauren,
Thank you! That’s a great idea for a seasoning recipe – we’ll add that to our list of recipes for this summer.
KATIE says
I did some math for a larger batch, if you’re interested. I like to have it handy pre-made in a jar, so I did the conversions. They are a TINY bit off, but it’s basically the same.
3/4chp chilli powder
1/4 cup (overfilled) cumin
1/4 cup garlic powder
1Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp oregano
3/4 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp sea salt
1/2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Katie,
Thank you! You are so awesome – I know a lot of readers will appreciate you sharing this.
Laura Butler says
Excellent! My picky 8 and 10 yr olds liked it too. I did not add the cayenne pepper but followed the other directions. I ended up mixing extra to keep around for the next Taco night.
★★★★★
Andrea says
I used this taco seasoning recipe for Saturday night’s dinner because I was out of my usual brand. I cannot believe how similar they tasted! My family totally didn’t notice (and I didn’t tell them!). I will definitely be using this recipe from now on. Thank you!
Stacie Hassing says
This is so great to hear! Thanks for sharing this feedback with us 🙂 And what they don’t know, never hurts them. I don’t share a lot of what goes into recipes with my picky eater hubby!
cass says
Seriously this was awesome. I used spicy Mexican chili powder and it made these tacos awesome! thanks for the recipe!
Kevin M Fry says
Amazing! I went with more cayenne pepper as opposed to less. I added a couple jalepenos from my garden for heat…It was off the charts in a wet burrito!
Jessica Beacom says
Sounds amazing, Kevin! Thanks for sharing!
kristine a klagstad says
LOVE LOVE this . As a diabetic love it has no sugar and only 1 teaspoon salt in a batch,
Mike chapman says
Hello I would like how much taco seasoning on shrimp? Can you sent me recipe for shrimp taco and I like taco seasoning it so good I have. I want try shrimp taco thank you
Stacie Hassing says
This recipe will work with shrimp tacos as well. Maybe start with 1 Tbsp. per pound of shrimp. Add more to taste.
Nancy Collins says
I love this recipe. Making taco’s for my family and we are Whole 30. Thank you!
Kate says
This is the one! My husband can’t stop talking about it. He says it is the perfect taco seasoning and I have to agree. Taco Night is back on the house menu and it’s gluten free ( Siete almond flour tortillas, dairy free (Daiya classic blend Mexican cheese) and very well seasoned. Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Oh, this makes me so happy! Long live taco night!!
Amy says
Had it tonight.. it was amazing! I used 90% lean beef and cooked it up with over a cup of vidalia onion and a green bell pepper. I used the juices from the veggies, instead of adding water, to soak up the seasoning. Since I had more ingredients, I added an extra 1 Tbsp to the mixture. After it was done, I mixed in a cup of black beans. I made extra seasoning and am storing it in the fridge since I live in Florida, and even though our home is air-conditioned, the humidity still seems to soak its way into things, haha
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
This sounds amazing, Amy! Thanks so much for sharing.
Suzanne Clark says
All I wanted was a taco seasoning recipe, but I got SO MUCH MORE. Can’t wait to check out the recipes in n this post!
Jessica Beacom says
Yay! This made our day. We hope you enjoy the recipes.
Jeanette says
I can’t wait to try your sweet potato tocos. And check out the other recipes.
Peggy Hanlein says
Tried this today. It was excellent!!! A nice addition to my Whole 30 options.
Stacie Hassing says
That’s great to hear, Peggy! 🙂
Matt Webster says
Love this recipe. Found it while going through Whole 30 three years ago. Been using this instead of store bought taco seasoning ever since.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
That’s so great to hear!
Jennifer says
I assume this is also perfect for fish rub to make fish tacos?
Stacie Hassing says
Oh absolutely!
Anthony says
Loved the taco seasoning! Great recipe! Using Siete grain-free taco shells. Good Karma plant-based sour cream. Trader Joes yogurt cultured cheese. Homemade pico de gallo. And topping it off with Valentina hot sauce.
Jessica Beacom says
That sounds AMAZING!
Annabanana1011 says
This is my GO TO taco seasoning. It’s so simple, I always have everything on hand and I love that I can make it once and there will be enough left over for the next time I make tacos! Thank you!