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Most everyday cooks like me have used convenience items like packets of taco seasoning.  Quick, easy, tasty, done.   But, you’ve probably been here:  everyone wants tacos for dinner and you don’t have a packet of seasoning on hand.  What’s a home cook to do?

Make your own!  It’s easy, economical, and extremely customizable to your tastes.

This recipe can be tweaked to your specific tastes.  Like garlic?  Double the amount.  Not a big fan of red pepper flakes?  Leave them out.  Once you’ve made homemade taco seasoning, it’s hard to go back to spending money on those packets again.  Especially because you know exactly what’s going in to your own mix.  No more unpronounceable chemicals!

Gather around a few spices and grab a few measuring spoons.  This mix makes enough for one pound of ground meat (beef, turkey, etc).

Add all of the spices and seasonings into a bowl.  The above picture does not have the flour added yet.

Mix it all together, and store it in an airtight container if you are not using it immediately.  It should look about like this:

The flour in the mix helps the spices form a sauce of sorts when you are making the tacos.  When you decide to use your mix, add it to cooked and drained meat with about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat it until the sauce gets thick and bubbly.   Serve with all of your favorite toppings!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Servings 1 pound

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if desired
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. After ground meat has been cooked and drained, add seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Cook until sauce is thickened and heated through.

Large Batch Homemade Taco Seasoning

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Servings 1 pint

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes if desired
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 4 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 cup cumin
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup flour

Instructions
 

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Store tightly covered in a pint jar.
  • To use: After ground meat has been cooked and drained, add approximately 3 tablespoons seasoning and 1/4 cup water per pound of meat. Cook until sauce is thickened and heated through.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com