Make This Smoky Taco Seasoning & You’ll Never Miss The Packet

This homemade taco seasoning is a healthy substitute for store-bought taco seasoning packets – made with a simple blend of herbs and spices and no added sugar or MSG. 
Smoky Homemade Taco Seasoning It’s so easy to grab the packet. You’re grocery shopping in a rush – you grab some meat, tortillas and taco seasoning and dinner is solved – right? But have you ever actually looked at the ingredients in one of those taco seasoning packets? You might assume that it was simply a blend of herbs and spices but sadly you would be wrong.

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Why Make Homemade Taco Seasoning?

Let’s take a look at the ingredient lists for a couple of popular taco seasoning packets: Ortega: Yellow Corn Flour, Salt, Maltodextrin, Paprika, Spices, Modified Corn Starch, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Citric Acid, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Caramel Color (sulfites) Taco Bell: Spices, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dehydrated Onions, Salt, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast, Monosodium Glutamate, Onion Powder, Citric Acid, Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent), Paprika, Natural Flavoring. Everything you see in red is not an herb or a spice. There are a lot of thickening agents (not sure why this is necessary), sugar (why do they always add sugar?!!), flavor enhancers like MSG or autolyzed yeast which is a substitute for MSG (so unnecessary), anticaking agents, artificial color (aren’t spices colorful already?) and natural flavoring (because spices alone aren’t enough?). Hmmmmm…..maybe you don’t want that packet after all. The good news is – it is possible to make delicious taco seasoning out of only herbs and spices! I think you’ll find that homemade seasoning blends are a great addition to your healthy pantry – because as you know, a well-stocked pantry is key to making healthy meals on the fly. Plus when you know you have homemade taco seasoning on hand, you won’t be tempted to buy the nasty packet! BTW – this taco seasoning is good for much more than tacos – I should probably call it Smoky Multipurpose Seasoning – but that doesn’t sound so good. You can use this seasoning blend for a batch of chili or fajitas, sprinkled on grilled vegetables or an egg dish, a seasoning for soup….or whenever a little bit of smoky spice makes sense.

Where to Buy Spices

(There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thank you for supporting Mindful Momma if you do!) To make a tasty taco seasoning you’ll want to start with good quality spices. Here are some of my favorite sources for spices:
  • Simply Organic
  • The bulk section at your local co-op
  • Thrive Market
  • Penzeys
  • The Real Pantry (if you’re not up for making your own taco seasoning blend, they have a great organic one without any of the yucky stuff!)
Homemade taco seasoning spices in a bowl

Smoky Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

Homemade taco seasoning is so easy to make – there’s really no reason not to!
The key ingredient in my Smoky Taco Seasoning is smoked paprika. You can use regular paprika if you prefer but personally, I love the smoky flavor!
taco seasoning spices in a glass bowl with measuring spoon Measure out the spices (see recipe below) and add everything to a small bowl. Mix until well blended.
homemade taco seasoning in glass jar with spoon Store your taco seasoning in a sealed glass jar to keep it fresh. (these Weck tulip jars are my favorite!)
homemade taco seasoning in glass Weck jar Use about 3 tablespoons seasoning and 1/2 cup water per 1 pound of meat (about the same amount that is in a store-bought packet).
Taco meat and avocado on a plate Once you try this smoky taco seasoning, the packet will be history!
homemade taco seasoning in glass Weck jar
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Smoky Homemade Taco Seasoning

This homemade taco seasoning is a healthy substitute for store-bought taco seasoning packets – made with a simple blend of herbs and spices and no added sugar or MSG.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: seasonings, spices, taco
Author: Mindful Momma

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregeno
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Store in a sealed glass jar to maintain freshness.
  • Use 3 tablespoons seasoning + ½ cup water per pound of meat.
  • Makes slightly more than ½ cup of taco seasoning
 

What’s your go-to seasoning blend for a healthy meal?

       

14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    LOVE making TACOS!! I do tend to throw together what i have on hand..
    I need to get organized with this and put together so it’s ready to go!
    I have everything but Onion Powder..
    Thanks for the inspiration. Will save time to have it ready and waiting for my next taco meal!

  2. 5 stars
    I love making my own too…it’s so much better than store bought and nice to know exactly what goes into it without all the additives!

    1. It’s surprising all the crap they put in those packets!

  3. Julie Oostra says:

    I’ve tried making my own taco seasoning before – but never with SMOKED paprika. I’m going to try this! I have a feeling I’ll like that added smokey flavor. Thanks for sharing!

  4. How long would you say the recipe is good for? If I were to gift it, and they asked the “best by date.”

    1. Spices last a pretty long time – so I think you’d be safe saying the blend would be good for 3 to 6 months.

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