Homemade Mild Taco Seasoning is a kid-friendly, easy and flavorful spice blend that comes together in less than 5 minutes. It's a great, clean spice mix that can be used in tacos, burritos, fajitas, enchiladas and other Mexican inspired recipes - the possibilities are endless.
Taco Tuesday is everyone's favorite dinner at our house. We love all kinds of tacos (like these shrimp tacos), fajitas (or fajita bowls), burritos and enchiladas - basically anything you wrap into a tortilla.
Taco seasoning packets are full of starch and mystery ingredients and to be honest, I usually don't like the taste of it. Making your own seasoning is not only healthier, but also fast, cheap and more flavorful.
For this recipe, I am using staple spices that most of us have on hand. The foundation of this blend is good chili powder and paprika. I love the bright red color of this blend and the taste cannot be beat by any store bought taco spice packet.
Looking for more easy Mexican-inspired recipes? Try this refreshing Mango Pico de Gallo or my Mexican Tuna Salad.
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Why make your own mild taco seasoning
Most store bought taco or fajitas seasoning has a myriad of not-so-great ingredients. If you follow a clean diet, it's almost always better to make your own version.
Top reasons why homemade is better:
- It is cheaper! Those store bought taco packets are not expensive but they are enough to make one batch of taco protein. If you make tacos a lot, it all adds up!
- No Preservatives or Iffy Ingredients. Since you are only using dried spices, you know exactly what's going into your seasoning.
- It Will Save You Time. As long as you have all 8 ingredients on hand, it will only take a couple minutes to make. No need to get in the car to buy a packet because you just ran out.
- It's Food Allergies Friendly. If you, a family member or a guest has any food allergies or sensitivities, the taco packets can be a hazard. Homemade taco seasoning will give you peace of mind because you know what's in it. Just be mindful to check the label on your chili spice because it's a blend and ingredients may vary.
Ingredient notes
- Chili powder: use good quality chili powder, preferably fresh and organic. A good indication of chili powder's quality is color - brighter red usually means it is fresh and tastes great.
- Paprika: I like using Hungarian paprika because it is just the best but any paprika will work. If you like smoky flavor, you can also use smoked paprika or swap one tablespoon of regular paprika for smoked.
- Cumin: cumin is a staple Mexican flavor with a wonderful earthy flavor.
- Oregano: though typically associated with Italian and Greek cuisine, oregano is also widely used in Mexican dishes and most taco and chili blends contain dried oregano.
- Garlic & Onion Powder: make sure to use powdered garlic and onion, NOT the coarser dried garlic or onion, such as garlic or onion flakes.
- Salt: fine salt will work best for this seasoning mix as its powdery texture will blend well with the rest of the spices
- Cayenne: the amount of cayenne pepper will depend on your preferences. Since I have a toddler and young kids, I only use about ¼ teaspoon because the kids are not fond of spicy foods. However, feel free to increase the amount to ½ teaspoon or more if you're into heat in your Mexican dishes.
How to make DIY taco seasoning
All you need to do is place all dry spices into a bowl, give it a stir and transfer to an airtight container or a small jar. This recipe yields a little less than ½ cup of seasoning. If you'd like to make a bigger batch, simply double or triple the recipe.
Other uses for Mild taco seasoning
The most common use for mild taco seasoning is obviously to flavor meat, fish or veggies that go in tacos.
There are so many other dishes this versatile spice mix works well in!
- Chili or taco soup - try it in my White Chicken Chili recipe
- Nachos or these low-carb nachos
- Ground beef, turkey or chicken - to be used in salads, enchiladas, burritos and bowls
- Shredded chicken or pork
- To flavor fillings for stuffed zucchini or stuffed peppers
Recipe FAQs
Since the store bought packets usually contain a lot of starch that thicken the ground meat mixture and make it somewhat saucy, you will want to use about half of the amount of homemade seasoning. A typical taco packet contains 2 tablespoons of spice, so for 1 lb of ground meat, start with 1 tablespoon of the DIY seasoning. For shredded chicken, fish, shrimp and veggie "proteins" such as cauliflower or sweet potatoes, I use the mix as it. Just toss with the protein and cook it in your favorite way. For ground meat or plant-based equivalent, I like it to be a little more saucy so I recommend adding a splash of water and 2 tablespoons or so of tomato sauce or puree. If you like more intense flavors, feel free to increase the amount of seasoning.
Store bought taco seasoning typically includes chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
More Mexican-inspired recipes
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Recipe
Kid-Friendly Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Instructions
- Place all 8 ingredients in a small bowl and stir well.
- Transfer to an airtight container or spice jar and store in a cool dark place for up to a year.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Cara says
I finished my last pack of old el paso seasoning this weekend. Never going back!
Marta says
This spice mix is just right for me, not too hot
Jean says
way cheaper than store-bought and this is tasty too, add great flavors to our tacos
Andrea White says
This seasoning is perfect and will save me so much money! Thanks for such a great and easy recipe!
Agnieszka says
You are welcome, Andrea!
Sue says
Perfect, II am always running out of taco seasoning and now I can make my own!
Kayla DiMaggio says
Yes! I love that this is kid friendly! It was so delicious and not too spicy!
Amanda Dixon says
Seasoning is so much better homemade! It's super easy and flavorful.
Ashley says
Love knowing exactly what's in my seasoning and I can control the sodium!
Natalie says
Perfect mix. I made a whole jar.
Nart at Cooking with Nart says
So good!
Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
It is the perfect way to introduce kids to spicy foods!
Pam Greer says
Great for when my grandkids visit!
Linda says
Love this taco seasoning and now I can enjoy more taco nights at home
Jaime says
Too spicy for kids!
Agnieszka says
Hi Jaime. Perhaps your chili powder had some spice in it?