Easy and Frugal Recipe for Taco Seasoning
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
Tired of bland store-bought taco seasoning packets? With just a few common spices and 5 minutes, you can make your own taco seasoning that will bring an explosion of flavor to taco night. This homemade recipe is about to become your new pantry staple.
Taco Seasoning From Scratch
Taco Seasoning is a basic staple in our house. You might be surprised at how easy it is to make your own taco mix from scratch, but why would you want to?
There are so many good reasons to make your own homemade seasonings and mixes! The ability to know exactly what’s in them, to avoid MSG, preservatives, and fillers, to customize your own flavor combinations or adjust ingredients for allergies, to enhance flavors, and to save money.
–Learn how to make more homemade staples with these 7 Pantry Staples to Start Making
Whatever your reason, you will enjoy this taco seasoning from scratch recipe. It’s easy to follow and great to have on hand to enjoy with everything, from tacos to dips.
Ingredients in Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Here’s what you need to make this delicious taco seasoning mix.
Minced onion, chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes (can be omitted for less spice), dried oregano, marjoram, salt (the amount of salt can be adjusted as needed), black pepper, cornstarch, minced garlic, ground cumin.
What to do:
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and store in an airtight container. Make sure to blend well so you don’t have any large clumps of any one spice. Use two tablespoons of mix per pound of beef, chicken, or anything else!
You can also use this to flavor your favorite meats like ground turkey and ground beef, taco salad, beans, or other Mexican-inspired dishes!
This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
I use this recipe and I love it. My daughter that moved out a year ago asked me to make some and I jumped right on it.
Dana, Little House Living reader
I also use in chili to Season the meat. Just love it. Taste better that those expensive pkgs in the store.
I buy all my spices at Smart and Final. Great Christmas gifts to give in canning jars.
Easy Substitutes in DIY Taco Seasoning
No minced onion? Use onion powder.
No minced garlic? Use garlic powder.
No red pepper flakes? Leave them out or use a little cayenne pepper.
No cornstarch? Use tapioca starch or potato starch or arrowroot powder instead.
Where to Buy Spices in Bulk
There are many different places to find spices in bulk, including your local Costco or Sam’s Club stores.
I personally get my spices in bulk from Azure Standard. Most of the spices are organic, and you can see the country of origin on the product listing.
Need to print this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe? Grab it below:
Recipe for Taco Seasoning
How to make your own simple and fruygal taco seasoning at home.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
-
Mix all the ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
-
Use 2 tablespoons of mix per pound of beef, chicken, or anything else!
-
This recipe makes enough to use 6 times (when using 2 tablespoons per pound of beef).
How to Store Taco Seasoning
This recipe for taco seasoning makes the equivalent of 6 store-bought taco seasoning packets. You can store it in spice jars or simply put it into small mason jars. Just seal it with a plastic lid and label it.
When packaged in a pretty container, this homemade seasoning makes a great homemade gift too! Give as a gift with a few cans of black beans, some tortillas, a jar of salsa, and you’ve got a cute little gift basket.
I love your taco seasoning!!
Life With The Crust Off, Little House Living reader
I like to buy spices in bulk to save money when making homemade mixes. I do a lot of my bulk shopping at Azure Standard. Azure is a bulk buying coop, you can learn more about it in this Beginners Guide to Azure Standard.
More Homemade Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Homemade Taco Sauce
- 7 Layer Taco Dip Recipe
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
- Fajita Seasoning
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Cream Cheese Taco Dip
- Taco Dip Recipe with Ground Beef
- Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing Recipe
Common Questions About Making Your Own Taco Seasoning
Cumin gives your homemade taco seasoning that distinct “taco flavor”. That being said, I have left it out if I don’t have it on hand and it’s turned out just fine.
No, they both contain different seasonings and spices so they can be used for different dishes.
Have you made Homemade Taco Seasoning yet? What’s your favorite recipe to use it in?
Merissa Alink
Merissa has been blogging about and living the simple and frugal life on Little House Living since 2009 and has internationally published 2 books on the topic. You can read about Merissa’s journey from penniless to freedom on the About Page. You can send her a message any time from the Contact Page.
This Recipe for Taco Seasoning was originally published on Little House Living in September 2012. It has been updated as of October 2023.
Never buy that OVER Priced prepackaged Taco seasoning again ..i have to try it
I really need to do this! We use a lot of this stuff!
The savings might not be too big if you compare the price to the large container at Sams, but the big benefit here is controlling the ingredients. No icky fillers or msg or other hidden nasties! 😀 And the added benefit of tweaking the recipe to suit your own taste is my favorite part.
looks interesting, I’m gonna ‘like’ it so I can check it out! 🙂
Quick question – is that a quarter *cup* of minced onion? Also, I’m assuming it’s dried? 🙂
Yes, 1/4 c. of dried minced onions. 🙂
I just wrote this out to try it. I think I have everything on hand. I can’t wait!
thank you..I have been thinking the same thing..too expensive to buy, for what you get!
I must be spoiled, I have never thought about making my own taco seasoning mix. I have most of the ingredients, so I will give it a try! https://www.allbetweenfriends.com
I love your taco seasoning!!
One of my sons has been asking for tacos. Now I can make my own seasoning and skip the additives in the store-bought stuff.
Thanks for linking up at Thrifty Thursday Rewind!
Looks great! I love tacos but hate buying the seasoning at the store. I will need to try this. Thanks for linking up to Thrifty thursday.
Cannot wait to try it!
Look forward to trying this!
Just saw your post on homemade Taco Seasoning via The Happy Housewife. Would anyone happen to know the proportions for substituting garlic powder instead of the minced garlic? I’d like to try it. I did try one homemade version of taco seasoning & it seemed to require a large amount to give any flavor. This one looks better!
Have you done a cost analysis on this recipe? Just curious since I found some at my local store that has nothing added, included no MSG and it is only .50 per packet
Hi,
Where do your bulk spices? We have a Sam’s Club, but the spices are from China.
Thanks
I order mine from Azure Standard, a coop that comes to my town. I know many health foods stores have them also. The brand I buy is usually Oregon Spice Company, they tend to have good prices!
Merissa, I’m confused about the minced garlic. Is it regular minced garlic added to the powder or is there such a thing as dried minced garlic (I’ve never seen it)! Thanks!
It’s dried minced garlic, you should be able to find it next to either the dried minced onion or the garlic powder at the store 🙂
May be a dumb question, but do you add a cup of water like when you do a packet?
I personally don’t but if your meat seems a little dry you may want to.
Thanks Merissa, I love all your recipe. My recipe box is filling up!
Do you store your bulk spice in the freezer or pantry?
In glass jars in the pantry.
The packages also have wheat in them..out gluten free friends are happy that I make my own..Same with soy sauce and so, so much more that have wheat.
sounds great.i get migrains from msg and nitrates so eliminating them is wonderful..I have found some recipes for ranch seasoning also, and use it as a rub or add to ground meat recipes
I was just wondering, it says minced onion, is that something you can buy in a jar? As I don’t believe it will be actual minced onion, minced by me on the chopping board. I would love to hear!
Yes, that’s dried minced onion, you can find it with the spices.
Merissa, I’ve been researching coconut sugar. Most sites say it is a better sugar, for different reasons. One site has 15 calories for T and other has 25. Better chose for diabetic. What are your thoughts, if any on coconut sugar?
Minnie
I haven’t personally used it but I know a few people that have and they seem to enjoy it!
Just wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your articles and the recipes..Thank you for the time and effort that you put into this…I truly appreciate itVERY much! 🙂
Aww thanks Terri 🙂
Hi, It’s possibly a silly question but before i make a mistake i want to confirm the following…
T = Tablespoon
t = Teaspoon
c = cup
Is that right
Thank you 🙂
That’s right! 🙂
hi,i want to make sure is it dried minced garlic
& onion? not garlic&onion powder? we mince them and leave them dry? can we dry it in the oven or sun dried?
thank you
You can use powders if you’d like, I just prefer the minced style in these recipes. You can dry it in the oven if you like or you can just buy it in the minced form, it’s very inexpensive.
I use essential oils in almost all of my recipes….may I incorporate into these recipes?? Thank you!
I am not a doctor nor a certified aromatherapist and I do not recommend ingesting essential oils and do not believe they should be ingested without direct supervision of one of these people.
Can’t wait to try this!
This sounds wonderful – can’t wait to try…
Can you tell me how long this usually lasts in the pantry in an airtight container?
Thanks,
Cristy
It will last for at least a year in an air tight container, maybe longer. If you live in a humid place, it may clump but it can be broken up again with a food processor.
Awesome! I look forward to trying this, thank you 😊
I use this recipe and I love it. My daughter that moved out a year ago asked me to make some and I jumped right on it.
I also use in chili to Season the meat. Just love it. Taste better that those expensive pkgs in the store.
I buy all my spices at Smart and Final. Great Christmas gifts to give in canning jars.
Can’t seem to find the recipe for your spices for your bean soup? Could you please send it to me…. Thank You
Merissa,
This recipe is different than the one in your book. Which do you prefer? I had just made up the recipe from the book when I saw your email, so I just tried to combine the two : ). It smells yummy!
Thank you,
Terri
Both are good, the recipe in my book is a little more tested.