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When you have homemade taco seasoning in your pantry, you never have to worry about running out on Taco Tuesday! This flavorful and versatile mix will quickly become a staple in your kitchen.

overhead view of spoon in a jar of homemade taco seasoning

I’m not sure what the weather is like in your neck of the woods, but it’s downright swampy here in Ohio.

I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you it has been raining for weeks.

It’s so bad that my dad can’t even put his boat at his dock because the dock is completely submerged.

I had to invest in two large umbrellas because regular sized umbrellas were just no longer cutting it here in the swampland.

open jar with spices for taco seasoning on a marble surface

Needless to say, it doesn’t feel much like summer. More like early fall, except with loads of mosquitos and a disgusting thickness to the air even though it’s only been in the high sixties.

Since we rely heavily on our grill during the summer months, we’ve been having to get a little more creative in the dinner department. Let’s be real, no one wants to grill in the rain even if you do have a cute, giant umbrella overhead.

Since our summer staples like Grilled Garlic Basil Shrimp, Sweet and Spicy Beef Kebobs, burgers and grilled chicken breasts are pretty much out of the question for the foreseeable future, we’re eating all the tacos.

Because for one, tacos are amazing, and for two, tacos are super easy. And quite frankly, I’m all about that easy summer life right now.

As long as I have the essentials like taco shells, shredded lettuce, cheese and my homemade taco seasoning, we’re good to go.

Overhead view of open spice jars for taco seasoning on a marble surface

WHY DIY TACO SEASONING IS THE BEST

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of making a recipe only to realize that you’re out of a key ingredient.

This has happened to me an embarrassing number of times. But these moments of pantry inconvenience have resulted in a number of my favorite recipes, including my favorite pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice and chai spice blend.

spoon mixing up a jar of homemade taco seasoning

I figured there had to be a way to make homemade taco seasoning, too. After all, I might as well avoid any future Taco Tuesday mishaps, right?

close-up view of spices for homemade taco seasoning layered in a jar

A quick visit to Google told me I was only a few minutes away from a flavorful homemade taco seasoning.

A little recipe tweaking told me I was able to control the level of heat and the salt content from making my own spice mix and my tacos have never been the same.

Now whenever I made my own taco seasoning, I make a large batch and store it in my spice cabinet for everything under the sun.

Spices for homemade taco seasoning arranged on a plate

HOW CAN YOU USE TACO SEASONING?

This perfect taco seasoning has become something of a multipurpose spice blend in our house.

Obviously it is great for making tacos any night of the week. But I like to add it to everything from spicy taco cheese ball to 7-layer dip to roasted potatoes.

close-up of pepper and salt in a jar for taco seasoning

I even like to use it as homemade chili seasoning, too.

Gasp! Yes. I know it’s controversial, but I like to use the same mix for tacos and chili.

I’ve found that taco and chili seasonings are usually so similar in flavor that it made sense to consolidate them in my pantry and use this mix for both!

So I add it to hearty chili when the weather gets cold.

Spices for homemade taco seasoning on a plate with a red dish towel

Turns out, being well prepared with flavorful homemade spice blends in your pantry can lend lots of flavor to nearly any recipe you make.

Measuring spoon adding crushed red pepper to a jar for taco seasoning

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Homemade Taco and Chili Seasoning

By: Jamie
4.45 from 60 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Never run out of packets of store-bought taco or chili seasoning when you can make your own at home! This homemade mix is versatile and an absolute must for your pantry.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt
  • 4 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, combine chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, oregano, paprika, ground cumin, sea salt, and black pepper.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

  • Stored in an airtight container, this spice blend will keep for up to a year.
  • When making chili or tacos using one pound of ground beef, start with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the seasoning blend and adjust according to your tastes.
makes about 2/3 cup

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5tablespoons, Calories: 33kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Sodium: 1260mg, Potassium: 195mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 2082IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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127 Comments

  1. Brad says:

    cant wait to do this..going to add some heat to it..chilli tonight with my lady..oooooooooo this will be wicked good

  2. Jenn says:

    Just made up a batch! Can’t wait to try it in my chili tonight.
    Thanks so much.

  3. Meg says:

    This is the best homemade chili seasoning I’ve ever tried! It’s not too hot for my family at all, and the oregano really adds to it. I just made up my second batch, and though I should thank you for such a great, simple recipe!:)

  4. doodad says:

    This is no big revelation. How, exactly, do people think chili was originally made?? Seriously, think outside the store packages, people!

  5. Amanda says:

    I loved it! 1lb of browned ground beef onions, peppers, dusted with 1 tablespoon of corn starch and 3-4 tablespoons of mix. 1 can each if diced tomatoes, chili beans and blac beans. 1-2 cups water. Delicious!

    1. MBA says:

      Amanda-
      I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by and providing your feedback – have a great day!
      -Jamie

  6. Shayna says:

    Just raided my spice cabinet and realized I had everything except paprika so I tried it out and I love it! So much better than the packet that I didn’t want to have to buy, though I left out the salt for now so I can add it to taste later. Love this!

    1. MBA says:

      Shayna-
      I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by and giving us your feedback – have a great day!
      -Jamie

  7. Apa says:

    I love, love this blend. I found it while searching for a good, gluten-free alternative to McCormick’s packet and I’ll never go back.

    1. Jamie says:

      Apa-
      I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the spice blend – thanks so much for coming back and leaving your feedback!
      -Jamie

  8. Lisa says:

    I used this in place of chili packets in my regular chili recipe and it turned out great! Just wondering if you add any moisture to your taco meat in order to help the seasoning mix bind? (The liquid in the canned tomatoes helped with that in the chili)

    1. Jamie says:

      Lisa-
      Hi! I typically add about 1/4 cup of water to add a little moisture to the beef mixture. I hope this helps.
      -Jamie

  9. Everett De Morier says:

    Great recipe.

    My issue with over the counter chili mixes is that the first ingredient is often salt. The more of the mix you add the salt goes in first.

    Nice idea and great site.

    Everett De Morier
    BangZingPow.com