Skip to content
Maggie Ellery
Recipes

Homemade Taco Seasoning: One Small Jar, Three Packets' Worth

Six pantry spices, two minutes, no added salt or fillers. My everyday taco seasoning, with exactly how much equals one store packet.

By Maggie Ellery · Jump to recipe
A jar of homemade taco seasoning on a wooden board with a brass spoon

Taco night is the reason most people make their first dry mix, and it’s a good place to start. The recipe is six spices you probably already own, it takes less time than finding your keys, and once you’ve tasted it next to a packet you won’t go back.

Why bother, when packets are right there?

Turn a taco seasoning packet over and read the first few ingredients. Many list salt, cornstarch or maltodextrin near the top: fillers that bulk up the packet and thicken the sauce. This version is all spice, which means two things:

  • You control the salt. There is none in the jar. Season the meat to taste while it cooks, or lean on salted tomatoes and cheese. Per serving, the mix itself has about 40 mg of sodium, which is why it carries a low-sodium badge in the book.
  • The flavor is brighter. Ground spices fade over months on a store shelf. A jar you mixed yourself from fresh spices tastes like chili and cumin, not dust.

The one ratio to remember

7 teaspoons = one 1.25 oz packet. That’s the number worth writing on your label. Any recipe that says “1 packet taco seasoning” works with 7 teaspoons of this mix. This batch makes about 7 tablespoons, so one small jar covers three taco nights.

If you like it hotter, double the cayenne. If you’re cooking for kids, cut it to a pinch and let the grown-ups add hot sauce at the table.

Picking your chili powder

American chili powder is itself a blend (ground chiles plus cumin, oregano and garlic), and brands vary a lot. A mild, dark chili powder gives a rounder, smoky taste; a bright red one is sharper. Try the one you have, then adjust next time. For a smokier jar, swap 1 teaspoon of the paprika for smoked paprika.

Beyond tacos

Once the jar is on your shelf you’ll reach for it more than you expect:

  • A teaspoon in a pot of chili or black bean soup.
  • Tossed with oil on potato wedges or cauliflower before roasting.
  • Stirred into sour cream or Greek yogurt for a quick dip.
  • Rubbed on chicken thighs before they go on the grill.

Storage

Keep it in a small airtight jar, away from the stove. It keeps its best flavor for about 12 months. After that it’s still safe, just quieter. Date the jar when you fill it; a fill-in label makes that a two-second job.

This recipe is one of 44 seasonings and rubs in The Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook, next to fajita, Cajun, jerk and a big-batch version of this one for families who go through a jar a week.

Recipe

Taco Seasoning

Makes about 7 tbsp (3 packets' worth)Jar: quarter-pint (4 oz)Keeps 12 monthsVeganGluten-freeDairy-freeLow sodium

In the jar

  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 5 tsp paprika (1 tbsp + 2 tsp)
  • 4½ tsp ground cumin (1½ tbsp)
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 2½ tsp garlic powder
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper

Add on cooking day

  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

Make the mix

  1. 1Stir everything together in a small bowl until the color is even.
  2. 2Spoon into a dry jar and seal. Shake before each use.

To use

  • 7 tsp of mix equals one 1.25 oz store packet.
  • Brown 1 lb ground beef or turkey, stir in 7 tsp mix and a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with their juice, then simmer 7–10 minutes.

From The Dry Mix Pantry Cookbook by Maggie Ellery

Keep reading