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A good, homemade taco seasoning recipe is always a good recipe to have on hand. It’s made with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It’s made quickly and easily and gives any dish amazing flavor.
This clean taco seasoning only has real spices in it. No preservatives or any of the junk you’ll find in the store-bought varieties. So you can feel good about seasoning your food with this.
What Is Taco Seasoning?
Taco seasoning is exactly what it sounds like. Seasoning you can add to meat to make taco meat for tacos. That said, it’s a very popular combination of spices that can be added to many different Latin dishes.
What’s In Taco Seasoning?
The overall predominant flavors are cumin and chili powder with some garlic and onion mixed in. However, a store-bought packet of taco seasoning is a whole different animal. Homemade seasoning is a much better choice.
Store-Bought Vs. Homemade Taco Seasoning
The sad fact is that most of the store-bought taco seasoning you can buy has either sugar, maltodextrin, or MSG in it. (Or a combination of all of those!) That’s not exactly what I want to put in my body, thank you. Making your own taco seasoning recipe at home takes a minute or two, and you can feel good about what you are eating. Plus, you can make a big batch and keep it in your pantry for many meals to come. No more small packets for single dinners!
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have Taco Seasoning?
Well, that’s what this recipe is for! But seriously, if you are low on spices, you can usually get away with using ground cumin and chili powder in a pinch. It won’t be quite the same, but it’ll be close.
What’s The Difference Between Mexican Seasoning And Taco Seasoning?
Taco seasoning is a milder seasoning compared to Mexican seasoning. Mexican seasoning has some spicier things added, such as chipotle chile pepper and ancho powder. It’s a spicier mix, even if the overall combination of spices is roughly the same.
Dietary Concerns
This homemade taco seasoning is a great option for anyone who wants to use taco seasoning. It’s gluten-free, sugar-free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, keto, etc. It fits almost any eating plan.
Garlic granules – Or garlic powder. (Not garlic salt)
Ground black pepper
Chili powder
Salt – Optional. Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt are both good choices. If you use it, add a quarter teaspoon to start. You can always add more later or during cooking.
How To Make Taco Seasoning
Blend all spices in a bowl and use to season any taco meat you are cooking. Use approximately 1 tablespoon per pound of meat.
Note: This mix has a small amount of “kick” to it. Nothing that will set your mouth on fire, but definitely noticeable. If you want something without the kick, leave out the cayenne and add an extra ½ teaspoon of paprika.
Ideas For Using This Clean Taco Seasoning
Tacos– Mix this into the meat during cooking.
Burritos– Mix this into the meat during cooking.
Cheese Taco Pasta– Mix this into the meat and pasta combo during cooking.
Salsa– Blend this into fresh salsa for an extra kick.
Taco dip– Blend this into the meat or beans or both.
Mexican soups and stews– Use this as seasoning in soups and stews. Simply drop it into the broth.
Enchiladas– Give the sauce a little something extra with 1 to 2 tbsp. of this seasoning.
Quesadillas– Sprinkle this over the cheese before cooking. Let the spices melt into the cheese.
Black beans – Sprinkle it on while you warm them up.
Casseroles – Any Mexican-style casserole dish will benefit from taco seasoning.
Chicken tacos
Taco soup
More Seasoning Mix Recipes
Ranch Mix
Hamburger Helper
Onion Soup Mix
Need A Jar?
You’ll want to keep your taco seasoning in an airtight container such as a mason jar or a spice jar. Here are some ideas.
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Taco Seasoning Recipe Card
Healthy Taco Seasoning
Why buy packets of seasoning at the store that are filled with junk when you can so easily make your own at home in minutes?! Use approximately 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of meat.
3.60 from 5 votes
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutesminutes
Total Time: 5 minutesminutes
Servings: 2servings
Calories: 77kcal
CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!
Ingredients
2tbsp.ground cumin
1tsp.paprika
1tsp.garlic powder
½tsp.cayenne pepper
½tsp.onion powder
¼tsp.ground black pepper
¼tsp.chili powder
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Put all the measured spices into a mixing bowl.
Whisk them together.
Note: This mix has a small amount of "kick" to it. Nothing that will set your mouth on fire, but definitely noticeable. If you want something without the kick, leave out the cayenne and add an extra ½ teaspoon of paprika.
Notes
Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.
Recipe from the Gracious Pantry® archives, originally posted 8/19/10.
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Ultimately, the difference between these two comes down to the composition of spices. Taco seasoning is usually milder than Mexican seasoning. Mexican seasoning contains ancho powder and chipotle chile pepper, both of which give it a little more of a kick.
Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder. This top-rated recipe is made with chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Some of the most common spice blends used in Mexican cuisine include chili powder, which typically includes cumin, garlic powder, and paprika, and achiote paste, which is made from annatto seeds and gives dishes a vibrant red color.
With garlic and onions as the savory cornerstone, the most common Mexican spices and herbs are coriander, allspice, cloves, thyme, Mexican oregano, Mexican cinnamon (ceylon), cumin and cacao which showcase the breadth of Mexican food.
Fajita seasoning and taco seasoning are very similar, but they are not the same. Taco seasoning typically has more oregano and chili powder than fajita seasoning. With that being said, however, you can use fajita seasoning and taco seasoning interchangeably in recipes, it may just warrant a slightly different flavor.
McCormick Taco Seasoning is crafted with a premium blend of zesty herbs and spices including chili pepper, paprika, oregano and garlic. Blended especially for chefs, McCormick Taco Seasoning gives chefs an all-in-one, ready-to-use mix to deliver intense, concentrated flavor to Mexican-inspired dishes and beyond.
The number one reason why people end up with bland tacos is because the meat wasn't seasoned properly. Luckily, that isn't an issue with this dish. However, if you find that your tacos aren't spicy enough for your liking, feel free to adjust the seasoning as needed or add a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce.
Water is added to taco meat when you use a packaged seasoning packet. Those seasoning packets contain cornstarch, which helps to create a viscous sauce when water is added to the meat. The sauce helps carry more flavor with every bite.
Turns out it's essential for giving the proper consistency to the taco meat because those seasoning mixes contain cornstarch, which requires water and heat to create a sauce. What you're doing when you add water is helping the cornstarch create a smooth sauce flavored with the spices.
To use: Use about 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning for every 1 pound of meat. Use more or less depending on your preference. Brown meat and drain the fat. Add your taco seasoning along with about 1/2 cup of water.
What is Taco Seasoning? Taco Seasoning has masa harina, salt, chiles, tomato powder, garlic, cumin, California paprika, onion, white sugar, Mexican oregano, allspice. All of the spices are pretty finely ground with no large chunks.
Add Taco Mix, salt, and water to the ground beef.Stir well and reduce heat to low.Simmer for 5-10 minutes. (If the meat gets too dry, you can add a little more water.)
American tacos use flour tortillas or crispy, hard-shelled corn tortillas. You'll find that authentic Mexican tacos use soft corn tortillas as the wrapper. Next comes the toppings. Tex-Mex tacos are filled with shredded cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream.
Fajita seasoning and taco seasoning are very similar, but they are not the same. Taco seasoning typically has more oregano and chili powder than fajita seasoning.
The Tex-Mex meaning can be most simply summed up by the different types of ingredients used. Tex-Mex recipes feature the use of chili powder, a savory mix of ground chile peppers with spices including cumin, oregano, and black pepper. Alternatively, Mexican recipes call for chile peppers, not the chili seasoning blend.
Is Southwest spice the same as taco seasoning? No, they're similar, but not the same. Taco seasoning involves more spices, often with additions like chili flakes and coriander. Meanwhile, Southwest seasoning is heavier on garlic, with simple ingredients.
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