Once you taste your own homemade taco seasoning you’ll never want to buy another commercial packet. It is so good and you have complete control over all the ingredients and the amounts of each, customizing your blend to suit your own tastes.
Spices and seasoning blends are one of the places that gluten can hide. You want a reputable brand to buy from so you can see for yourself exactly what is included in each spice, herb, or blend.
I recommend you use spices from Penzey’s or McCormick – they are my favorites. They both list all the ingredients in their products and you can easily tell if they are safe to use. Penzeys is easiest to buy online at their shop (search by spice/herb/blend title or hit “Spices”).
I love how quickly this comes together. If you have all your spices and ingredients gathered on the counter, it will just take about 5 minutes and you’ll have everything measured into a bowl. Whisk until combined and transfer to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in a cool, dark cupboard for the longest shelf-life.
Beef Taco Skillet Meal
This recipe is a guideline for you. Feel free to customize it for you and your family’s tastes. Dial the heat up or down, use simpler to find ingredients, add other seasonings you love or leave out those you don’t care for. This is a recipe to make your own! And be sure to make notes of what you did so you can repeat it next time!
I print out a copy of each recipe as I am making it, taking notes as I work my way through it, noting any changes, additions, or deletions. That way I can get the same results when I make it again. Some recipes are constantly evolving the more I make them with tweaks here and there. Other times I nail it on the first try.
Frito Walking Taco Casserole
The list of spices looks really long but most of the ingredients are likely already in your pantry. Check and see what you already have and see what you need to get. Remember that you can make substitutions or leave some things out. Be sure to have ground cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, and chili powder at a bare minimum. The more spices you include the more complex and delicious the final product.
Here are some of my favorite recipes you can use this seasoning blend to make. Use about 2 tbsp in place of the seasonings called for in each recipe:
Most of these recipes call for using a packaged taco seasoning mix, but you can add 2 tbsp of today’s recipe plus 1/4 cup water to browned meat. Stir in, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thickened and reduced.
In this country (the USA) tacos are traditionally made with ground beef. But you can use ground pork, chorizo, ground chicken, ground turkey, etc. You could also chop a bunch of vegetables and season that lightly so their flavors still shine and sauté them until tender. Load your preferred filling into tortillas, add whatever toppings you love and enjoy every bite!
Cheesy Potato Taco Casserole
You can also try it with chicken pieces, pork chops, or any other favorite main course for a blast of incredible Mexican tastes. You will be amazed with the results and your family will beg you to make it again and again.
I adore the flavors of Mexican foods and this Homemade Taco Seasoning brings me so much joy! You can add it as seasoning in any dish or use it like you would a packet of store-bought taco seasoning. Enjoy luscious tacos at home with the ease of using this seasoning mix.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- Onion powder, chili powder, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, oregano, cornstarch, cumin, garlic powder, coriander, allspice, salt, black powder, brown sugar, chipotle powder, unsweetened cocoa powder
PRO Tip:
I recommend you use spices from Penzey’s or McCormick as they are my favorites. They both list all the ingredients in their products and you can easily tell if they are safe to use. Penzeys is easiest to buy online at their shop (search by spice/herb/blend title).
How to make Homemade Taco Seasoning:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until fully blended. Pour into a glass jar with a tight lid and store in a cool, dark place.
- This recipe makes the equivalent of about 3 to 4 packets of taco seasoning.
- Use about 2 tbsp of the blend per pound of browned ground meat with 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If you want a spicier version, add cayenne or more chipotle powder.
PRO Tip:
Cayenne powder is made from dried cayenne peppers and chipotle is made from dried, smoked jalapeno peppers. Both deliver heat to your blend as well as delicious smoky goodness.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
Spices and seasoning blends are one of the places that gluten can hide. You want a reputable brand to buy from so you can see for yourself exactly what is included in each spice, herb, or blend.
I recommend you use spices from Penzey’s or McCormick – they are my favorites. They both list all the ingredients in their products and you can easily tell if they are safe to use. Penzeys is easiest to buy online at their shop (search by spice/herb/blend title or hit “Spices”).
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Homemade Taco Seasoning (GF)
Once you taste your own homemade taco seasoning you’ll never want to buy another commercial packet. It is so good and you have complete control over all the ingredients and the amounts of each, customizing your blend to suit your own tastes. Note that Penzeys and McCormick brands are very good at listing their ingredients on the labels so you can see whether it is safe to use.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tbsp ancho chile powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 3 tsp cornstarch (corn flour), tapioca starch, or arrowroot
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal preferred)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder, optional
- 1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, optional
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, whisking until fully blended. Store in a glass jar with a tight lid in a cool, dark cupboard. This recipe makes the equivalent of about 3 to 4 packets of taco seasoning.
To make your own tacos, use 2 to 3 tbsp of this blend per pound of browned ground meat with 1/4 cup (59ml) water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If you want a spicy version, add cayenne or more chipotle powder.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
I recommend you use spices from Penzey’s or McCormick. They both list all the ingredients in their products and you can easily tell if they are safe to use.
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 88Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 156mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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