This Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe is easy to make in minutes and gives the most delicious flavor to tacos and more! With only five real ingredients and no fillers, it’s healthier and tastes so much better than store-bought!

We absolutely love tacos and so many Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes in my house, and I use this taco seasoning recipe a lot! Some favorites are my quick and easy tacos and my chicken taco soup. So, my taco seasoning mix is on hand all the time.

Hammered pewter measuring spoon holds blended taco seasoning.

As much as we love these recipes, I do not use store-bought taco seasoning packets to season my dishes. They can contain preservatives and fillers such as corn starch and others. I make my own.

My delicious and easy homemade taco seasoning contains only five ingredients and is preservative-free and gluten-free, so I know exactly what is in it – and what is not! So, I keep this and many other kitchen staples like homemade BBQ sauce and homemade vanilla extract on hand.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Just 5 Ingredients – Uses only a handful of ingredients that are easy to find and you most likely have in your pantry!

No Fillers, No Preservatives, and No Sugar – There are no fillers like corn starch (often a GMO ingredient) or sugar. And there’s no MSG or other preservatives!

Quick and Easy – Whisk the ingredients together and then use or store your mix!

Delicious Flavor – Real, flavorful spices allow the delicious tastes to shine through!

Plate holds four spices (chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika) and salt. There are labeled glass spice jars for each of these spices, as well as a salt cellar with a spoon behind the plate on this marble countertop.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

  • Chili Powder
  • Garlic Powder
  • Ground Cumin
  • Paprika
  • Salt (optional)

How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning

  1. Measure each of the ground spices and salt. Then, combine them all in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Mix all ground spices together until well blended with a whisk or fork.
  3. Use and store – Use immediately and/or decant the taco seasoning into an airtight container.
Row of soft beef soft shell tacos made with flour tortillas and filled with seasoned beef, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados and onions.

Tips for the Best Homemade Taco Seasoning

  1. Start with fresh spices. Check the expiration dates of each individual spice and smell them. They should smell strong, with no “off” smells. If any of the spices have lost their potent aroma, they are past their prime.
  2. Buy high-quality spices. You will get a taco seasoning with incredible taste by choosing great quality spices.
  3. Store Properly. Keep the taco seasoning in a storage container with an airtight lid. I like glass. Store it away from light and any moisture.

Storage Tips

To store. Place your blended seasoning in an airtight spice container with a lid that seals well. Store away from light and moisture for best results. This taco seasoning mix is best and the most fresh when used within one year.

Glass jar and silver spoon with hammered handle along with homemade taco seasoning.

Ways to Use Homemade Taco Seasoning

  • Use on all types of tacos, taco soup, and taco cups.
  • Before grilling, sprinkle it on chicken, shrimp, pork chops, and even vegetables.
  • Mix it in ground beef or ground turkey and add to taco salad and more.
  • Add a pinch of taco seasoning to pinto beans or black beans for some extra spice.
  • Sprinkle it on sweet potato fries. It’s so good!
  • Mix a little bit of it in ranch dressing for an extra kick of flavor.

Great Homemade Gift

Prepare taco seasoning mix and then funnel into glass spice jars with airtight lids. Attach printed labels and share them with friends or neighbors.

Square glass jar with lid labeled Taco Seasoning with a spoon holding the seasoning laid beside the jar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is homemade taco seasoning gluten-free?

This recipe is gluten-free, but you must check your individual spices to make sure they are pure, quality spices to ensure that none of them contain gluten.

How do I make my taco seasoning low sodium?

You can use less salt or completely omit the salt in the recipe to make it low-sodium.

Are there preservatives in homemade taco seasoning?

There are no preservatives such as MSG and other preservatives in this homemade taco seasoning recipe. Since you choose the individual spices to make this homemade spice mix, be certain that they are high-quality and do not contain any preservatives individually.

More Tex-Mex Favorite Recipes

Steak Fajitas

Restaurant Salsa

Guacamole

Queso

Chicken Enchiladas

If you tried this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

5 from 13 votes
This Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe is easy to make in minutes and gives the most delicious flavor to tacos and more! With only five real ingredients and no fillers, it's healthier and tastes so much better than store-bought! It is preservative-free and gluten-free.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 15 teaspoons

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, optional

Instructions 

  • Combine ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Use and store. Use immediately and store any remaining taco seasoning in an airtight container for up to a year.

Notes

Storage Tip

To store. Place your blended seasoning in an airtight spice container with a lid that seals well. Store away from light and moisture for best results. This taco seasoning mix is best and the most fresh when used within one year.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 teaspoon | Calories: 7kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Welcome to Add A Pinch

About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




63 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Love this recipe. Simple n can be easily made with pantry items. I marinated shrimp n it was the best shrimp tacos I ever had. So flavorful.

    1. Arlene, I got the large jars and the smaller ones with the label you can place on top of the jars at Amazon. There is a link in the post “nice spice jar” for the large one. I love these jars.

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing this recipe. I wasn’t able to buy taco seasoning when I lived in South Korea for five years. This was my go-to recipe for taco seasoning. Even though I now live in a country where I can buy it, I still prefer this recipe to store bought. Thank you!

  3. I tried this recipe tonight and we love it. I did add just a little more cumin, but other than that it was great. No more prepackaged taco seasoning for us!

    1. Most packets of taco seasoning mix contain 1 oz. or 2 tablespoons of seasoning, Irma, but others may have different amounts. My recipe makes 5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. You can adjust the amount of the taco seasoning in my recipe according to the brand taco seasoning mix specified in the recipe or for the brand you would ordinarily use. Hope this helps!

  4. 5 stars
    I love the flavor! Thank you for sharing; I made a quadruple batch.

    Some of my recipes have a quantity for taco seasoning, and others simply say “one package”. What would you suggest as the amount to use of your recipe when the latter is listed? I’m assuming the fact that your recipe has no fillers will complicate the answer.

    1. Jeri,
      My recipe makes 5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. Different brands of taco seasoning mix contain different amounts in their package. You can adjust the amount of the taco seasoning in my recipe according to the brand taco seasoning mix specified in the recipe or for the brand you would ordinarily use. Hope this helps!

  5. How much of this is equivalent to a packaged mix? My hubby recently had a heart attack and we are looking to reduce sodium in our diet and this will help with that. I use taco seasoning in so many things! (Do you have recipe for onion soup mix? I haven’t had a chance to search for one yet!)

    1. Denise,
      This recipe makes 5 tablespoons. I’m sorry but I don’t have a recipe for onion soup mix. I hope your husband has a speedy recovery and is soon back to good health.

  6. Thank you so very much for this recipe. My son in law has Celiac, along with several of our friends, this will
    be just perfect for them. I’m going to make up some and put it in a jar for our daughter to have in her kitchen. 
    It will definitely save her money as the gluten free 
    mix is quite expensive. Your recipes have been a huge
    success everyime I make them!  

    1. Ginny,
      I have friends who have Celiac and know how hard it can be to make sure foods are gluten free. I’m so glad you can use this for him. Thanks so much for you sweet comment! xo

  7. Is the “chili powder” the mix of oregano, chile, onion, cumin etc that you buy premixed or is it one ingredient: ground dried chiles?

    1. Mary,
      I use the premixed bottle of chili powder that is a mixture of chili peppers, oregano, and salt. Hope you like this recipe!

    1. Hi Sheila,
      If you are asking about using this taco seasoning in my tacos, here is my Quick and Easy Taco Recipe. Hope you enjoy!