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Kelly the Kitchen Kop

How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning

August 8, 2014 27 Comments

*Amazon or other affiliate links may be included, see full disclosure after the post. I'm not a medical professional, so use anything you read here only as a starting point for your own research.

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How to make homemade taco seasoning

This recipe for how to make homemade taco seasoning includes instructions on making a whole jar of it to keep on hand, and this kind doesn't have the junk that the taco seasoning mixes from the store have! (Try this recipe in a yummy Mexican soup:  Organic Baja Chicken Enchilada Soup.)

Print

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Single Serving)

Author Sue via Kelly the Kitchen Kop

This is portioned for one pound of ground meat.

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons minced onion
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used to omit this, but a reader friend, Elaine, said this:  “You mentioned that you omit the 1/8 tsp. red pepper.  I am the biggest wimp on planet earth and I still put a generous 1/8th (or more?) and it is so well balanced with the other seasonings that it is fine.  Trust me – if it were too hot, I would tell you!  Even my kids who are wimps like me don't notice or say anything.  You might like the flavor.”)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (or more)

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and blend well. For taco meat: brown 1 lb. ground beef. Drain. Add 1/2 cup water and the seasoning mix. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Did you make a real food recipe?

I want to see it! Tag @KitchenKop on Instagram and hashtag it #KitchenKopRecipes OR share anything you know I’ll love by tagging @KitchenKop and hashtag #KitchenKop -- see you over there!

Now here is the same recipe but, portioned out for multiple servings.

Print

Homemade Taco Seasoning (Full Jar)

Author Sue via Kelly the Kitchen Kop

This makes about 1.5 cups of seasoning. I use about 2 heaping tablespoons per pound, which should give you 10 servings, give or take.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • 1/4 cup chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (more if you want more of a bite)
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup sea salt (this sounds like a lot, but it's how the math came out…?)
  • 1/8 cup garlic powder
  • 1/8 cup ground cumin (or more to your taste)

Instructions

Just mix all the ingredients together. Use about 2 TBSP per pound.

Did you make a real food recipe?

I want to see it! Tag @KitchenKop on Instagram and hashtag it #KitchenKopRecipes OR share anything you know I’ll love by tagging @KitchenKop and hashtag #KitchenKop -- see you over there!

Thank you to my friend Sue for sharing her recipe.  🙂

  • Check out Sue's post on natural, healthy, green mothering
  • Like Mexican food? Here's another good one: Mostly Organic Chicken Enchiladas
  • One more: Jenn's Mexican Lasagna
  • Hate Mexican food? Check out these other main dish recipes.

Healthy meal plans any dietMeal Planning Help!

Sick of planning meals and answering the question, “What am I going to feed these people?”  No matter what kind of eater you are…   Check out these affordable interactive easy-to-use meal plans where the work is done for you!   Also read over my review to see what I thought of it.

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Comments

  1. Connie says

    July 2, 2018 at 2:49 AM

    Really great recipe, added extra cumin, garlic and oregano, didn’t have cayenne or chili flakes so used hot paprika. Amazing!

    Reply
  2. Rochelle Ledbetter Robinson says

    January 2, 2017 at 4:45 AM

    I make my own as well as spaghetti and ranch seasonings.

    Reply
  3. Megan Christian Cowan says

    January 2, 2017 at 1:32 AM

    This is really close to the recipe I use except that I put in a a half TB of chili powder (it’s the perfect amount of spice). I actually just made tacos tonight… I love my homemade spice, I’ll never use packaged again. I’ll have to throw in some cayenne next time!

    Reply
  4. Michelle Goldstein says

    August 21, 2014 at 10:23 AM

    I used your recipe last pm for tacos and it was delicious!! Thanks a lot. I adjusted the spices a bit (about half) and also used it to make refried beans, adding refined coconut oil and one can of organic Eden pinto beans (rinsed) and chopped up in food processer and minced fresh garlic. The meat and beans were both excellent.

    Reply
    • KitchenKop says

      August 22, 2014 at 8:52 AM

      Great, thanks for sharing Michelle!!

      Reply
  5. Jackie says

    August 8, 2014 at 7:19 PM

    I have made this before and it is DELICIOUS!!! I made the big batch and realized when the last was gone that I lost the recipe. So glad you posted it again. Tacos next week for sure!!!

    Reply
  6. MaryAnn says

    November 25, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    Hi Kelly,
    Love your website, just joined the classes! I used your taco mix recipe tonight and made the most wonderful Tex-Mex shepherds’ pie. (all organic, of course!) Just brown the meat (2lbs), add the spices (doubled the recipe) and stir til well combined. Place in an 8×13 buttered pan and flatten densely as you spread. Add layer of frozen peas and carrots, and evenly spread mashed sweet potatoes over top. Add layer of Tex-Mex shredded cheese over potatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Very filling. I get 12 servings from this. Combine this with a small salad and a small serving of homemade ice cream and WOW!!! Portion control is a great way to keep the cost/serving down, especially when using organic ingredients.

    Reply
    • Kelly the Kitchen Kop says

      November 25, 2012 at 9:55 PM

      What a great recipe idea, thanks for sharing it with us!!! 🙂

      Kelly

      Reply
  7. Robin says

    February 20, 2012 at 9:33 PM

    Wow, so I actually have my own mix that I make and was curious to see what this one was like, and wow, the one I use has way more spices to it. I adapted it from a Cooks Illustrated version to one that I could make up in a large jar ahead of time, but it uses a full 2 TBSP of chili powder, double the cumin and oregano along with some coriander and a touch of brown sugar. I usually chop up a fresh onion and garlic instead of using the dried, although I did experiment with a version using the dried as a slightly faster version.

    One tip on making your taco meat though-instead of adding the seasoning and water AFTER you have cooked your meat, try sprinkling it on top of the meat as it cooks. I never drain off the fat anymore (since I know it’s not bad for me!), and once the meat is fully cooked, the spices are well absorbed by the meat. Chiles (and chili powder) are oil soluble spices which means you get the most flavor out of them by slighly toasting in oil, not water. I rarely have to add any more liquid, and if I do, I may add a touch of chicken broth and maybe a splash of apple cider vinegar. If I am using fresh onion and garlic, I will actually cook those first in the pan with a little oil, and once soft, add the spice mix and cook for about 30 seconds or so before adding the meat. I use this same method when making chili, and it really does bring out the flavors of the chiles.

    Reply
  8. D. says

    February 20, 2012 at 11:42 AM

    A little off the mark here, but does anyone know what’s in that new Flavor Enhancer stuff they’re advertising on TV these days? I don’t watch much TV so it seems I catch the tail end of the ad each time and I have no idea but it sounds suspiciously like MSG. I think it’s from Campbell’s soup or some company like that. Ack! They are really pushing the stuff from what I can see.

    Also, I’ve been using a similar recipe to this taco seasoning for several years because we try to avoid MSG, too. I have to leave out the cumin in mine because I can’t stand the stuff. Blech. I added organic celery salt in its place and seems to be fine with folks who eat it. They all say it tastes good anyhow!

    Reply
  9. Alex at A Moderate Life says

    August 3, 2010 at 2:01 AM

    Hi Kel! I linked to this GREAT taco seasoning in my recent recipe for zesty taco quesadillas! Your friend sue sure knows her taco seasoning! 🙂 https://amoderatelife.com/featured-blog-hop-recipes/zesty-taco-quesadillas/ Thanks babe! Alex

    Reply
  10. Sue E. says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:18 AM

    Kelly,
    I just saw that you added the bulk recipe for this mix. What a great idea. I used to do a few batches at a time, but this is great. However, you might want to put in the recipe how much to use per 1# meat. There are 5-1/4 tsp. per batch, so do you think one would just take that much out of the jar??
    Blessings,
    Sue E.

    Reply
    • KitchenKop says

      August 3, 2010 at 10:58 PM

      Thanks Sue, I’ll add it. 🙂
      Kel

      Reply
  11. Alexis says

    July 2, 2010 at 10:05 PM

    If I make the larger quantity of the taco seasoning to keep in a jar (as shown), what do you think the shelf life would be of the seasoning? Its just me, my hubby, and little daughter so just curious how long you think the seasoning would be good in a jar before needing to make a fresh batch. Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • KitchenKop says

      July 4, 2010 at 8:07 PM

      Hi Alexis,
      This is just a wild guess because I don’t know for sure, but personally I think it would be fine for a year or two, and then it might lose some of it’s flavor… Maybe keeping it in cold storage (the fridge?) might help it keep longer.
      Kelly

      Reply
  12. issacs wife says

    March 22, 2010 at 7:21 PM

    the recipe is great, my husband has a tastebuds that are hard to fool and he likes the tacos i have been making……. my personal take is its lacking that sweetness com. seasoning has probably the msg. however this is a keeper and I have made a large jar of it.

    Reply
  13. Kelly says

    July 10, 2009 at 8:50 AM

    Jennifer, I’d add 1 T., taste it, then add more as needed. 🙂

    Kelly

    Reply
  14. Jennifer says

    July 9, 2009 at 3:08 PM

    So you would use 2 tablespoons for each pound of beef, right? My math is not great…

    Jennifer

    Reply
  15. Kelly says

    January 10, 2009 at 10:50 PM

    Yes, dried onion. 🙂
    Kelly

    Reply
  16. Shannon says

    January 10, 2009 at 10:11 PM

    I assume when you say minced onion, that is dried, right?

    Reply
  17. Kelly the Kitchen Kop says

    December 15, 2008 at 11:57 AM

    Hi Melanie,

    Good question! I’ll make a note to do some major number crunching as soon as I have a minute, and then post it here.

    Thanks,
    Kelly

    Reply
  18. Melanie says

    December 15, 2008 at 8:19 AM

    dear kelly,

    how do i make a much larger batch to put in a jar, like the photo? i’ve heard of others mixing the small batch as the recipe entails, and putting them into little tinfoil packets. i’d much rather just have a jar of it made up and scoop out what is needed for a 1 pound recipe.

    thanks for any help you can offer. and thanks for a great blog!

    melanie

    Reply
  19. Kelly the Kitchen Kop says

    September 28, 2008 at 7:18 AM

    Ann Marie,

    Mmmm, good idea. Or I’d probably use beef stock, unless I was adding this to chicken for enchiladas or chicken tacos or something…I guess it wouldn’t matter though.

    Kelly

    Reply
  20. cheeseslave says

    September 28, 2008 at 5:47 AM

    Yum!

    You know… this recipe would be even tastier (and more nutritious) if you used chicken stock instead of water.

    Reply
  21. Kelly the Kitchen Kop says

    September 27, 2008 at 6:28 PM

    Hi Bertie,

    You’re not alone, it’s not easy getting those spices just right. 🙂

    Kelly

    Reply
  22. Bertie says

    September 27, 2008 at 5:15 PM

    Thanks! I’ll have to try that. I made tacos the other night and just added spices that I thought should be in taco seasoning. It wasn’t bad, but it tasted more like sloppy joes than tacos.

    Reply
  23. Diana says

    September 26, 2008 at 6:33 AM

    Thanks! I have all the ingredients.

    Reply

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