Once You Try Our Homemade Taco Seasoning, You'll Never Go Back To Store-Bought.
Homemade taco seasoning is such a cinch to throw together. It’s also one of our favorite back-pocket tricks for transforming a few simple ingredients into something ultra-flavorful and satisfying. Not only is it quick—you can whip up a batch in about 30 seconds—homemade taco seasoning will always taste best because you can adjust the proportions to your suit your own tastes.
Think of our recipe as simply a place to start. Homemade taco seasoning will evolve to reflect the home it was made in—isn’t that sort of a nice thought?—and so you should feel free to adjust the proportions as you like. Maybe you’re wanting something with a bit more kick, so you toss in a little cayenne pepper. Or you’ve got a garlic fanatic in your house, so when you add the tablespoon of garlic powder, you make sure it’s a heaping one. We love that! Take this recipe, and make it yours.
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How to Make Taco Seasoning:
- Start with fresh spices. This is really the most important step of all, and it holds true for anything you cook. Spices lose their potency over time, ground spices in particular.
- Decide how much you need. Our recipe makes just shy of 1/2 cup. Depending on how often you use homemade taco seasoning, you may want to double or even triple it.
- Measure the spices into a bowl, and gently whisk them together until they are evenly combined.
- Store! A tightly-sealed mason jar is a great way to store your homemade taco seasoning, or a ziploc bag with the excess air pushed out of it works, too. Anything airtight will help it stay fresh and zippy. We love these cute little Weck jars!
A Few Notes on Buying Spices
Fresh, flavorful spices can bring a meal to life—and old or expired spices will do the opposite. Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying and storing spices:
- Look at the color of the spice you’re buying. It can be a great indication of the age of the spice. Brilliant, vibrant hues indicate freshness, whereas dull, muted colors can indicate that a spice has been sitting there for a while and has lost its punch.
- Spices on the shelf at most supermarkets can be up to seven months old already, so by the time you take them home they’re only good for another six months or so. If you’ve got ground spices older than six months, it’s time to replace them.
- Consider buying spices online! Not only can you expect a better product by buying directly from a spice merchant, you often save money. Penzey’s, The Spice House and La Boite are all great places to start. And for this homemade taco seasoning, this smoked paprika is our personal favorite.
- Store your spices in a cool, dark place—i.e. nowhere near the stove. You’ll extend their life a lot by doing this one simple thing! And while we’re on the subject, same goes for your olive oil, too.
How Do You Use Taco Seasoning?
We’re so glad you asked! If you’re anything like us, once you’ve got homemade taco seasoning hanging out in your cupboard, you’ll find yourself using it almost once a day to spice up a meal. Use homemade taco seasoning anywhere you might use a store-bought taco seasoning packet. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use it:
- Healthy, filling Roasted Cauliflower Tacos get their zing from a hefty dusting of our taco seasoning blend.
- Toss a little homemade taco seasoning with diced potatoes and a drizzle of olive oil, and roast them in the oven until crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside—top with a fried egg and call that brunch!
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are our new weeknight go-to, and they come to life thanks to You Know What.
- Chop up your favorite vegetables—we love a combination of carrots, cauliflower, shallots and sweet potatoes—and coat them with a slick of olive oil, a little salt, and taco seasoning. Roast until everything is caramelized and tender and use however you’d like! Serve as a side dish, or light, simple lunch.
- These kid-friendly, comforting Sweet Potato Tacos are another easy, Mexican-inspired dinner that deserves a spot in your weekly rotation.
- Add homemade taco seasoning to a simmering pot of beans, canned tomatoes and maybe some ground beef and voila—you’ve made chili!
Here are a few more recipes that have us using up this taco seasoning by jar.
Whatever You Put This Taco Seasoning on, We Want to Hear About it!
Post a picture to Instagram and tag @themodernproper and #themodernproper so we can oooh and ahhh along with you. Happy eating!
