Homemade Taco (and Chili) Seasoning

taco seasoning 1 e1347943587872 Homemade Taco (and Chili) Seasoning

I’ve talked a little bit before about preservatives and why I try to avoid them as much as possible in my own diet.

Earlier this week I made you a quick and easy meal of chicken and noodles made in the crock pot. The original recipe used two cans of condensed cream soup. My version is just as quick, easy and delicious, and totally eliminates the need for condensed soup.

It also proves something big: processed “convenience” foods are not always that much more convenient.

taco seasoning e1347943621431 Homemade Taco (and Chili) Seasoning

Take this homemade taco (or chili) seasoning, for example. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry. It will take you approximately 5 minutes to measure, mix and store away the equivalent of several packages of the store-bought stuff. And, it’s already made and on hand whenever you need it.

Couldn’t be easier.

Check back next week when I will give you an idea of how to use it!

Homemade Taco (and Chili) Seasoning
Yield: Approximately ½ cup of seasoning
 

Ingredients
  • 6 teaspoons chili powder
  • 5 teaspoons paprika
  • 4½ teaspoons cumin
  • 2½ teaspoons garlic powder
  • 3 teaspoons dried onion
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions
  1. Combine ingredients. Store in an airtight container with your other spices.
To use:
  1. Use 3 tablespoons of seasoning for each pound of meat in tacos or chili. For taco meat, add 3 tablespoons of seasoning and ¾ cup of water to 1 pound of cooked meat and simmer until water has evaporated.

Notes
Adjust the heat level in your mix by adding more cayenne pepper. This recipe makes a relatively mild mix, so add a bit more cayenne if you like things spicier.

 

Comments

  1. Nice combo! I am with you on the no preservative containing food bandwagon.

  2. Finally a reason to NOT scour the grocery aisles for those Old El Paso taco seasoning packets! This sounds DELICIOUS. Mexican night tonight? I’m thinking yesss.

  3. This is awesome and very helpful! I can make a batch of the seasoning and keep it in a jar to have on hand for taco nights! Great thinking!

  4. Awesome!!! Michael wants me to make him tacos and I love that I won’t have to go buy the special seasoning! Thanks girl :D

  5. Yesss thank you so much for this, I have been looking for a homemade taco seasoning recipe!

  6. Good for me – I usually don’t realize I’m out of taco seasoning until the beef is browning in the pan! Then I usually throw a bunch of stuff together – largely the same ingredients as you have here – and have my wife taste it…since she loves plain browned beef, she doesn’t have a good critiquing tongue and my tacos end up under-seasoned. Now I can have a great go-to source.

  7. I love this and can’t wait to try it! My boys love to make tacos so this is perfect for us!

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