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Homemade Taco Seasoning

I used to be a “seasoning packet” junkie. Store-bought packets of taco seasoning seemed so easy. But really, if you have a decently stocked spice cabinet, making your own Homemade Taco Seasoning takes just a few minutes and costs less. I’ve experimented with different combinations of spices for this seasoning over the years, and I think I’ve found the winner! One batch of this super tasty homemade seasoning is roughly equal to one store-bought packet and it’s 10 times more flavorful. You can even mix up big batches of it and store it pre-mixed in an airtight container for quick use later!

“My husband and I go through a ton of this, I make a 24x batch at a time now so I don’t have to make it every other week. Super tasty and easy!”
Catherine

Why make homemade taco seasoning?

While it’s easy to just buy a pre-made mix, making this homemade taco seasoning means I can control the ingredients, freshness, salt level, and flavor every single time. I keep the base simple with chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, oregano, salt, and pepper, so it’s warm, smoky, and spicy while giving me room to adjust as needed. I purposefully left out garlic powder and onion powder here because I usually add fresh onion and minced garlic when I’m cooking taco meat, beans, or veggies. Leaving those powders out gives me more flexibility and keeps those flavors from doubling up. Of course, that’s the great thing about homemade seasoning blends! If I’m not using fresh garlic or onions, I’ll just add ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or ¼ teaspoon onion powder to bring those flavors back in.

But above all else, the number one reason I love making this recipe at home is how much money it can save me, especially if I can get a good deal on spices in bulk! This means I can cut some costs, better control the quality of my ingredients, and still tweak the blend to fit whatever I’m cooking. That’s a budget-friendly win-win if I ever saw one!

Uses for Taco Seasoning

You can use this simple recipe anywhere you’d normally use a store-bought packet, especially in taco meat, beans, soups, rice, casseroles, and skillet dinners. This batch makes about 2¼ tablespoons, which is roughly the same as one store-bought packet. Here are a few of my favorite recipes that use this seasoning to inspire you:

Tostadas: Taco seasoning cooks with the onion, jalapeño, pinto beans, and water, giving the mashed bean base a smoky flavor before all the fresh toppings go on!
Burrito Bowl Meal Prep: The seasoning simmers with ground turkey or beef and a little water to create saucy taco meat for these easy make-ahead bowls.
Baked Beef and Black Bean Tacos: I cook the seasoning with a beef and onion mixture, then add canned beans to build a savory filling for my crunchy baked tacos!
Taco Rice: Swap this homemade seasoning in place of the chili powder, cumin, and oregano to season the rice as it toasts with the onion and garlic, giving you a budget-friendly base for burrito bowls or tacos.
Hearty Black Bean Quesadillas: Taco seasoning gets mixed right into the black bean, corn, and cheese filling, so every quesadilla is flavorful before it even hits the skillet.

Here are a few substitutions and add-ins you can use to customize your taco seasoning to fit your budget and supplies:

Cornstarch. If you like your taco meat to have a slightly saucy consistency, add ½ tsp cornstarch to the spice mix, then stir in ⅓ cup water when you add the seasoning to the skillet. The cornstarch thickens the water as it simmers, creating a light taco-flavored sauce that helps the spices coat the meat or beans instead of staying dry.
Make it mild. If heat isn’t your jam (this seasoning does have a spicy kick to it!), simply reduce the cayenne or leave it out for a milder blend. Chili powder can also vary quite a bit from brand to brand, so if you’re using a new one or cooking for spice-sensitive eaters, I’d start with a little less (½ Tbsp) and add more after tasting.
Smoked paprika: I really think smoked paprika is worth using here because it adds a deep, smoky flavor that makes this blend taste closer to a store-bought taco packet. A little goes a long way because the smoke flavor is concentrated. Regular paprika will still add color and mild paprika flavor, but the final blend will taste a little softer and less smoky.
Low sodium. Feel free to reduce the salt content to meet your sodium needs. Just keep in mind that salt helps the other spices taste more pronounced, so a lower-sodium version may taste a little softer overall.
Garlic powder and onion powder. When I make taco meat, I generally add a diced onion and a clove or two of minced garlic, so I didn’t include any garlic powder or onion powder in this mix. If you’re not using the fresh stuff, add ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder, or both. Some readers add both even with fresh garlic and onion, so this is an easy place to adjust the blend to taste!

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

This is the BEST homemade taco seasoning recipe. It's fast, easy, and can be made with just a few ingredients from your spice cabinet!

Course Seasoning

Cuisine Mexican, texmex

Total Cost $0.67 per batch

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings recipe (about 2¼ Tbsp)

Calories 42kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Equipment

Small Bowl

Ingredients

1 Tbsp chili powder $0.30
1 tsp smoked paprika $0.10
1 tsp ground cumin $0.10
¼ tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
½ tsp dried oregano $0.05
½ tsp salt $0.05
½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, (about 15 cranks of a pepper mill) $0.05

Instructions

Combine everything in a small bowl and stir until evenly mixed. Use immediately, or store in an air-tight container, away from heat and sunlight, until ready to use.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

Optional add-ins: ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp onion powder (either or both, depending on if you’re using fresh garlic or onion); ½ tsp cornstarch (add ⅓ cup water to your meat or beans to create a saucy consistency).

Low Sodium: To make this seasoning lower in sodium, reduce the salt or leave it out of the blend entirely. Salt does help the other spices pop, but you can always season the finished dish to taste once it’s cooked.

Pricing note: I use a flat cost estimate for herbs and spices because they’re just too hard to measure and weigh such small quantities, so this cost is an estimate. I generally estimate $0.10 for every teaspoon of an herb or spice, unless it’s a particularly expensive item. For salt, I generally estimate half that. So, take the cost of this recipe with a grain of salt (pun intended).

How Much Taco Seasoning to Use:

This recipe makes about 2¼ tablespoons of taco seasoning, which is roughly equal to one store-bought seasoning packet. Use the full batch to season about 1lb. of ground beef, turkey, or chicken, or about 3 cups of cooked beans. If you scale the recipe up for bulk storage, use ~2 tablespoons of seasoning per 1lb. of meat.

How to Use:

Use one batch of taco seasoning to season about 1 lb. of ground meat, 3 cups cooked beans, chicken, potatoes, or roasted veggies. For ground meat, brown it first, then add the seasoning and sauté for about 2 minutes to toast the spices. For beans, stir in the seasoning and heat through. For chicken, potatoes, or veggies, sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the surface before cooking or roasting.

This is a small batch recipe, so it’s unlikely you’ll have much leftover. If you do, stir it into mayonnaise or sour cream for a quick taco-flavored sauce, sprinkle it over roasted vegetables, or add a pinch to scrambled eggs for extra smoky-spicy flavor.

Nutrition

how to make Homemade Taco Seasoning step-by-step photos

The ingredients to make homemade taco seasoning in a bowl.

Gather all of your ingredients: Add 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper to a small bowl, about 1-2 cups in size. You want to use a bowl with enough room to stir so the spices don’t puff over the sides. The type of bowl doesn’t really matter since you’re only mixing dry spices, but I usually use a glass or ceramic bowl because that’s what I have on hand.

Combine the taco seasoning: Stir the spices together with a fork or small whisk, mixing gently so the fine spices stay in the bowl. Keep mixing until the color looks evenly red-brown and there are no little pockets of spice left unmixed.

Use the seasoning right away, or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in a cool, dark place until you’re ready to season tacos, beans, veggies, or your favorite Tex-Mex recipe.

How to Store

As with any dried herb or spice, this seasoning mix should be stored in an airtight container and away from heat and direct sunlight. The lifespan of this seasoning will vary depending on the freshness of the herbs and spices you used to make this seasoning blend. Rather than going “bad”, dried herbs and spices slowly lose their flavor and potency over time, so for best results, it’s recommended to use them within one year.

Try These Taco-Inspired Dinner Recipes Too:

Taco Salad is a great way to turn boldly flavored ground beef into a fresh, crunchy meal with lettuce, beans, cheese, tortilla chips, and ALL the toppings!
I use this seasoning blend in Beef Taco Pasta to flavor ground beef, tomatoes, pasta, and cheese for a saucy one-pot dinner with big taco-night flavor.
My Taco Soup takes these warm, smoky spices in a cozy direction with beans, corn, tomatoes, ranch seasoning, and a creamy finish.

Our Homemade Taco Seasoning recipe was originally published 2/19/12. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 5/27/26.

The post Homemade Taco Seasoning appeared first on Budget Bytes.

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Poppy Seed Chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken is one of those recipes; it’s not the prettiest thing on the dinner table, but wow, is it cozy, creamy, and sure as heck tasty. This old-fashioned Southern casserole is loaded with tender chicken in a rich sour cream sauce, then finished with a generous layer of buttery crackers, with poppy seeds sprinkled throughout for its signature speckled look and subtle nutty flavor. I chose to make the sauce from scratch instead of using canned soup, and honestly, it makes all the difference. You still get all the nostalgic comfort with simple, budget-friendly ingredients, but it tastes a little fresher and more homemade!

From-Scratch Poppy Seed Chicken

Old-school poppy seed chicken casseroles usually get their creamy texture from condensed soup, but I wanted to build the same cozy filling with a few basic pantry ingredients instead. A quick butter-and-flour roux thickens the chicken broth and milk into a smooth sauce, while sour cream gives it the tangy richness this casserole is known for. I also sear the chicken before baking, so it has better flavor and doesn’t release too much moisture into the dish.

If you grew up seeing poppy seed chicken casserole at family reunions, potlucks, or church suppers, this version will feel very familiar. But if you didn’t, I’m excited to be the one who introduces you to it! This recipe is exactly the kind of no-fuss comfort food I love. Think creamy chicken, a savory sauce, and a crunchy cracker topping baked until golden and bubbling around the edges. It’s simple, nostalgic, and this one feels a little more homemade without making dinner feel complicated. If you love creamy chicken casseroles with a crunchy cracker topping, our million dollar chicken casserole is the cheesier, mushroom-studded version to try next!

Sear the chicken first. Patting the chicken dry and searing it over medium-high heat helps it brown instead of steaming. This adds flavor and keeps extra moisture from watering down the casserole as it bakes. After searing, I like to drain the chicken briefly on paper towels before folding it into the sauce.
Turn the heat down before making the sauce. The chicken sears best over medium-high heat, but the sauce needs gentler heat. Lowering the skillet to medium helps the butter and flour cook evenly without scorching.
Don’t skip the roux. The butter and flour create a simple roux, which thickens the sauce and gives it a creamy consistency without heavy cream or canned soup. Let it cook for about a minute before adding the liquids so the flour loses its raw taste.
Whisk in the liquids slowly. Adding the broth first and whisking until smooth helps prevent lumps before the milk goes in. Once the sauce looks thick and smooth, turn off the heat before stirring it together with the sour cream so everything stays creamy.
Turn off the heat before adding the sour cream. Sour cream can separate if it gets too hot too fast. I like to stir it in after the sauce is thickened and the skillet is off the heat. This keeps the filling smooth, creamy, and tangy instead of grainy.
Want to use cooked chicken? You can use about 4-5 cups of cooked, shredded, or diced chicken in place of the raw chicken breasts. Skip the searing step and fold the cooked chicken into the finished sauce with the sour cream and poppy seeds.
Add veggies if you want to bulk it up. Mushrooms, spinach, onions, carrots, or peas all work well in this poppy seed chicken casserole. Just cook off as much moisture as possible before adding them so the final casserole stays thick and creamy instead of watery.

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Poppy Seed Chicken

This creamy Poppy Seed Chicken casserole has tender chicken in a homemade sauce with sour cream, buttery crackers, and poppy seeds. Easy comfort food with NO canned soup!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Total Cost $8.68 recipe / $1.45 serving

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings (about 1 cup each)

Calories 493kcal

Author Melissa Nolan