Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons ground cumin
- 5 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (or to your taste)
Instructions
- Add all herbs and spices to a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Store the taco seasoning in an airtight container until needed
Why should you make your own taco seasoning? I will give you 2 reasons: its cheap and easy to make, and it’s far more superior in flavor to any packet seasoning you can buy at the store. I have used this recipe so much now that it has pretty much become a pantry staple. And while yes, it’s used to make taco’s regularly, it has many other uses in cooking you might not have ever thought about.
Herb and Spice Selection
To make this taco seasoning you will need the following herbs and spices
- Cumin
- Paprika (I prefer using smoked paprika)
- dried oregano
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- cayenne pepper
While herbs and spices don’t typically “go off”, they will start to lose their flavor/strength over time. So, when it comes to choosing the herbs and spices for this taco seasoning:
- Use fresh herbs and spices. Fresh herbs will have a stronger flavor and potency. Vibrant coloring can be an indication of fresh herbs and spices.
- Store your herbs and spices in airtight containers. Storing in an airtight container will help your ingredients to retain maximum flavor for longer
Making the Taco Seasoning
Making the taco seasoning is very easy. All you need is a mixing bowl and some measuring spoons. Start by measuring all your herbs and spices directly into your mixing bowl. Give the ingredients a thorough mixing to ensure everything is well combined, and then transfer the prepared spices to an air-tight container to store until needed.
You should note with this recipe that:
- The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled, depending how much taco seasoning you are wanting to make.
- The amount of heat to this taco seasoning can be adjusted by altering how much cayenne pepper you add to the recipe (you can leave it out altogether if you’re not a fan of heat).
Using the Taco Seasoning
This taco seasoning can be used in many different ways, and listed below are a few of my favorite uses:
- As a steak rub on your favorite cut of barbecue steak
- Mixed with freshly cut potatoes as a wedges seasoning such as in Savory Mince and Potato Wedges
- Mixed through some sliced chicken before being grilled to make fajitas
- Added to some breadcrumbs to be used to crumb chicken
- Tossed through some mixed vegetables before being roasted
If I am using the seasoning to make taco mince, I have found a ratio of 3 tablespoons of seasoning to 500 grams of mince seems to work quite nicely. Brown your mince off first before adding in the seasoning and 1/2 a cup of water. Cook until the liquid has evaporated.
