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Homemade taco seasoning is one of those pantry staples that makes sense for me to make in a big batch. We use it often enough that I don’t want to pull out eight different spices every time we’re making tacos.

This recipe makes about 1½ cups, and I use about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat, more or less to taste. I store it in a pint jar so there’s room left to shake the seasoning before measuring. That means I can mix it once, put the jar back in the pantry, and have taco seasoning ready for quite a few meals.

I also wanted this to be a straightforward all-in-one seasoning. The salt is already in the blend, and there isn’t any cornstarch or sugar. Just the spices I want for taco meat, already measured and ready to use.

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Why I Make Taco Seasoning in Bulk

This is the kind of from-scratch cooking that actually saves me time.

Making a tiny batch of taco seasoning every time we have tacos doesn’t accomplish much. But getting all of the spices out once and filling a jar means the work is already done for future meals.

This batch starts with ½ cup of chili powder and makes about 1½ cups. When dinner rolls around, I measure out roughly 2 tablespoons per pound of meat instead of opening a packet or measuring individual spices.

That’s exactly what I want from a homemade pantry staple: a little work once that makes later meals easier.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Ingredients

Makes: about 1½ cups

You’ll need:

½ cup chili powder
⅓ cup ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons fine salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dried oregano

There are no specialty ingredients here. They’re all spices I already keep in my pantry.

What Does Homemade Taco Seasoning Taste Like?

Chili powder is the base of this recipe, with plenty of cumin behind it for that familiar taco-seasoning flavor.

Garlic powder and onion powder add the savory flavor I want throughout the meat, while paprika and oregano round out the blend. The salt and black pepper are already included, so I don’t have to remember to season separately when I’m using it.

This is a fairly boldly seasoned blend, which is why 2 tablespoons per pound is a starting point rather than a rule. You can use a little more or less depending on your family’s preference.

The chili powder you use will also make a difference. Chili powders vary in flavor and heat, so use one you already know you like.

How to Make Homemade Taco Seasoning

There’s not much to this one.

Using a canning funnel, layer the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano into a clean, completely dry pint mason jar.
Put the lid on tightly and shake the jar until the spices are thoroughly combined and any clumps have broken up.
Before using it, give the jar a quick shake. The ingredients have different particle sizes, so some settling can happen while the jar sits in the pantry.

Spices layered in a glass jar as more are added through a funnel

Alternate method: You can also whisk the spices together in a bowl, breaking up any clumps, then transfer the seasoning to a clean, completely dry pint jar or another airtight container.

How Much Taco Seasoning Per Pound of Meat?

I use:

About 2 tablespoons taco seasoning per pound of meat, more or less to taste.

For larger batches:

1 pound meat: about 2 tablespoons
2 pounds meat: about ¼ cup
3 pounds meat: about 6 tablespoons
4 pounds meat: about ½ cup

Those amounts are starting points. If you prefer lighter seasoning, use less. If you like a stronger taco flavor, add a little more.

That’s one of the benefits of keeping the seasoning in a jar instead of using packets—you can measure exactly what you want.

How I Use It for Taco Meat

Brown your ground meat as you normally would.

Once it’s cooked, add about 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning for every pound of meat.

If needed, add a little water to help the spices distribute throughout the meat, then continue cooking until the seasoning has coated the meat and any excess liquid has cooked down.

Because the salt is already included in the seasoning, I wouldn’t automatically add additional salt before tasting the finished meat.

Does Homemade Taco Seasoning Need Cornstarch?

No.

I leave cornstarch out of this recipe. I want this jar to be a seasoning blend, not a sauce mix.

Some commercial taco seasoning packets contain starch to help thicken the liquid around the meat. You can certainly thicken your taco meat separately if that’s the texture you want, but it doesn’t need to be built into the seasoning itself.

Leaving it out also makes the blend more versatile for other uses where you don’t want a thickener.

Why I Use Fine Salt

I use fine salt in this recipe rather than coarse kosher salt.

In a bulk seasoning blend, I want the salt to distribute as evenly as possible among all of the powdered spices. Fine salt mixes into the blend more uniformly and makes it easier to get a consistent scoop from the jar.

Different salts can also vary considerably by volume because of differences in crystal size. If you’re making the recipe as written, fine salt will give you the closest result.

Taco Seasoning vs. Fajita Seasoning

I keep separate jars of taco seasoning and fajita seasoning because, although they use many of the same ingredients, the balance isn’t the same.

This taco seasoning starts with ½ cup chili powder and ⅓ cup cumin, giving it a stronger chili-and-cumin base.

My homemade fajita seasoning uses a different ratio and was developed to stay closer to the familiar flavor of the fajita seasoning packets you find at the grocery store.

They’re similar enough that you could substitute in a pinch, but if you regularly make both tacos and fajitas, I think they’re worth keeping as separate pantry staples.

What Else Can I Use Taco Seasoning For?

You don’t have to limit this to ground beef tacos.

A jar of taco seasoning can also be useful for:

Ground turkey
Chicken
Taco salads
Taco bowls
Nachos
Quesadillas
Burritos
Rice bowls
Roasted potatoes
Roasted vegetables

Because this blend already contains salt, keep that in mind if you’re using it with other salty ingredients.

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes.

This is already a good-sized bulk batch, but if you go through taco seasoning quickly, you can double every ingredient.

For a doubled batch, use a quart jar instead of a pint so there’s still room to shake everything together thoroughly. With bulk seasoning blends, even distribution matters. You don’t want one part of the jar heavy on salt and another heavy on cumin.

How to Store Homemade Taco Seasoning

Transfer the finished taco seasoning to a clean, completely dry airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place away from heat and direct sunlight.

Always use a dry measuring spoon when scooping seasoning from the jar.

I also recommend labeling the jar. Once you have several homemade seasoning blends lined up in the pantry, they can start looking remarkably similar.

Writing a label on a jar of taco seasoning spices

The quality of the finished seasoning will also depend on the spices you start with. If your cumin or chili powder has lost most of its aroma, making a new blend won’t restore that flavor. Start with spices that still smell fresh and flavorful.

A Few Practical Tips

Use 2 tablespoons per pound as a starting point. Seasoning preference varies. Use more or less to taste.
Shake the jar before measuring. The different spices can settle during storage.
Use fine salt. It distributes more evenly through a bulk seasoning blend.
Pay attention to your chili powder. Chili powder varies by brand, particularly in heat level. Use one you already like.
Taste before adding extra salt. This is an all-in-one seasoning and already contains salt.
Don’t add cornstarch to the storage jar. This recipe is meant to stay versatile as a seasoning. If you want to thicken taco meat for a particular meal, you can do that separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much homemade taco seasoning should I use for 1 pound of meat?

Start with about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat, then adjust to taste.

How much taco seasoning do I need for 2 pounds of meat?

Use about ¼ cup for 2 pounds of meat as a starting point.

How much taco seasoning do I need for 3 pounds of meat?

Start with approximately 6 tablespoons.

Is homemade taco seasoning spicy?

This blend isn’t specifically designed to be hot, but the heat level will depend substantially on the chili powder you use. Choose a mild chili powder if you want a more family-friendly seasoning.

Does homemade taco seasoning need cornstarch?

No. This recipe doesn’t contain cornstarch. It’s a seasoning blend rather than a thickened taco sauce mix.

Do I need to add water to homemade taco seasoning?

You don’t need water in the seasoning itself. When making taco meat, you can add a small amount of water after adding the seasoning if needed to help distribute the spices evenly.

Can I use this taco seasoning for chicken?

Yes. This blend isn’t limited to ground beef. Start with approximately 2 tablespoons per pound, more or less to taste.

Can I make a bigger batch?

Yes. The recipe can be doubled as long as you increase every ingredient proportionally and mix the finished blend thoroughly.

A Few Things I Use

Glass spice jars – for storing the finished seasoning blend.
Canning funnel – for layering the spices into the jar.
OXO stainless steel mixing bowls – for the alternate whisk-in-a-bowl method.
Stainless steel whisk – for blending everything evenly if you mix in a bowl.
OXO measuring cups – for the chili powder and cumin.
Magnetic measuring spoons – for the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano.
Frontier Co-op organic chili powder – comes in a 1-pound bag, which is handy for a bulk blend.
Redmond Real Salt, fine – a fine salt that mixes evenly into seasoning blends.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Skip the individual packets and keep a jar of homemade taco seasoning ready in the pantry. This easy bulk blend makes about 1½ cups and uses simple spices you can measure once and use for multiple meals.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings: 1 batch (about 1½ cups)

Course: Seasoning Mix

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1/2 cup chili powder
1/3 cup ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons fine salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Method

Using a canning funnel, layer the chili powder, cumin, paprika, fine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano into a clean, completely dry pint mason jar.
Put the lid on tightly and shake until the spices are evenly combined and any clumps have been broken apart.
Give the jar a quick shake before measuring.
Use about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat, more or less to taste.

Notes

For taco meat: Start with about 2 tablespoons seasoning for each pound of cooked ground meat. Add a small amount of water if needed to help distribute the seasoning, then continue cooking until the meat is evenly coated and any excess liquid has cooked down.

Alternate method: Whisk the spices together in a mixing bowl until evenly combined, then transfer to a clean, completely dry pint jar or another airtight container.

Salt: This blend already contains salt. Taste the finished dish before adding additional salt.

Chili powder: Chili powders vary in flavor and heat. Use a chili powder you enjoy, particularly if you’re making this for the whole family.

Scaling: Double all ingredients proportionally if you want a larger batch. Use a quart jar for a doubled batch.

Storage: Store tightly covered in a cool, dry place. Keep moisture out of the jar and always measure with a dry utensil. A pint jar gives the blend room to be shaken before measuring.