Taco Seasoning Recipe

Skip to the store-bought stuff and make your own taco seasoning recipe. This taco meat is so good you’ll wish it was Taco Tuesday every night!

Why We Love Homemade Taco Seasoning

• This seasoning is SO easy to make! I keep a jar of it in my spice cabinet next to my fajita seasoning mix so it’s ready to go whenever we’re craving taco night.
• Do you know what I love? Being able to list everything in my taco seasoning without sounding like a science experiment. This recipe uses basic spices you probably already have on hand.
• I’ll take the Pepsi challenge against the store-bought packets with this recipe any day. My tacos come out completely delicious and the aroma has my family running to the table for dinner. This taco meat has a hint of spice and is super flavorful.

What is in Taco Seasoning?

SPICES & SEASONINGS: From your pantry grab some chili powder, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper.

TACOS: To make the taco meat, you’ll need 1 pound of ground beef, 1 cup of water, and your homemade taco seasoning. That’s it.

TOPPINGS: My family likes to keep it simple with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and sour cream. You can any taco toppings you like though. I’m talking jalapenos, avocado, pico de Gallo, olives, red onion, cilantro, etc.

How to Make Taco Seasoning

Jump to Recipe

STEP 1 This is super tricky, so pay attention. Put all the apices, seasonings, and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix it together until it’s evenly combined.
OMG, you did it. Look at you. 😉

How to Cook Ground Beef for Tacos

STEP 1 Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-8 minutes until it’s no longer, breaking up the meat as it cooks. (Drain any excess grease if needed.) Add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning to the meat and stir to combine.

STEP 2 Add 1 cup of water to the skillet and then stir everything together. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until most of the water evaporates but the meat is still moist. Serve warm in tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Tips & Tricks

• If you like your tacos on the spicy side, you can add ½ teaspoon of cayenne instead of ⅛ teaspoon, or you can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder. This gives a kick while also adding a little smokiness which works well in this seasoning mix.
• You can store any leftover seasoning in a small mason jar or cleaned-out spice jar for up to 6 months. This recipe makes 6 tablespoons of seasoning which is enough for three 1-pound batches of taco meat.
• I like to use lean ground beef which gives the taco meat a really great taste. You could swap in ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer. If you want to make chicken tacos using chicken breasts, you won’t need cornstarch, and the cooking method changes.
• You can store leftover beef taco meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave for tacos, quesadillas, burritos, Mexican lasagna, or put some on your favorite taco salad.

Taco Seasoning Recipe FAQ

How much taco seasoning is in a packet?

Taco seasoning comes in 1-ounce packets at the store which is 2 tablespoons of seasoning mix.

Exactly the same amount you’ll use with this DIY taco seasoning. The only difference is that you actually know what all the ingredients are.

Do you add taco seasoning before or after cooking ground beef?

You need to cook ground beef until it’s no longer pink before adding the 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and 1 cup of water to the skillet. The same goes for ground turkey and chicken too.

Do you drain ground beef before adding taco seasoning?

If you use a higher-fat blend of ground beef (85/15 or 80/20) you will need to drain off the excess grease before adding the taco seasoning and water. If you don’t the fat will float and leave the taco meat looking greasy and have grease run off when you eat the tacos.

Other Recipes You May like

• Crock Pot Queso Chicken Tacos
• Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Mango Salsa
• Seasoned Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Pork Tinga
• Baked Beef Taquitos
• Queso Blanco Chicken Nachos
• Prok Chilaquiles