This zesty mix works well on beef and chicken, and we always use it for a flavor punch in our Turkey Tacos Recipe and our Mini Taco Salad Cups
This spice combination gives you the ability to adjust and make it to your family’s taste. I make 2 versions to make everyone in my house happy, so one is spicy and the other one medium-spicy.
Chance are you probably have all of the ingredients in your pantry to make this seasoning. Once you make your own homemade taco seasoning mix you won’t want to go back to the premade grocery packages again. It tastes so fresh and there are no added preservatives.
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It’s nice to mix up a larger batch and keep it in a resealable mason jar. This recipe can be doubled or tripled. Make sure your spices are fresh when you begin for the best results.
How to change the seasonings:
- If you like it hot, just add more cayenne!
- Need it more mellow? Cut back on the cayenne and black pepper
- If you are watching your sodium just omit the salt.
Making your own is quick and easy. Simply combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar or a bowl. Mix together, and store, sealed, in a cool dry place for up to 6-months.
What is in Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe?
Feel free to add any additional ingredients but I think this is the best combination of spices. Make sure that your spices are fresh. An opened jar of ground spice usually lasts about 6-months. If it’s older you may want to stock up on a fresh supply.
- Ground Cumin – you just can’t make it without this traditional spice!
- Chili Powder – we chose the mild version to keep it family friendly
- Garlic Powder – you can use garlic salt in a pinch but then omit the regular salt
- Onion Powder – I love how onion powder balances out the spicier spices
- Paprika – we use standard sweet, but smoked or spicy would be fun for added zest
- Cayenne – optional but even a pinch gives this seasoning a great kick
- Salt and Black Pepper – we use fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Great ways to use Taco Seasoning
My favorite way to use this mix is to add it to ground meats, like beef or turkey, or shredded chicken or pork.
For every pound of meat add 2-3 tablespoons of the mix, after the meat is cooked, and drained. Then add about 1/2 cup of water to loosen the mixture.
This seasoning mix also works well in marinades or as a spice in salad dressing. Try mixing it with olive oil and lime juice for a great taco salad dressing mix. Sprinkle in Spanish Rice or on top of your nachos for an added flavor kick. I use it to season the chicken in our Southwest Chicken Salad recipe.
Looking for other great spice mixes or sauces?
Homemade always tastes better and is usually so simple. Here are some of our reader favorites to get you started:
- Potlatch Seasoning perfect for fish (especially salmon), pork and veggies
- Our Pumpkin Pie Spice recipe is just the right quantity for the holiday season and great in pies, cheesecakes, pumpkin spice lattes, syrups, pancakes and waffles!
- Homemade Teriyaki Sauce is so easy and versatile. It comes together in just 15-minutes. Perfect on chicken, fish, and in your favorite stir fry.
- Easy Chimichurri Sauce is an herb lovers dream sauce and perfect on steak, shrimp and vegetables.
- Sweet Chili Sauce is a lightly spicy condiment with a garlic kick! We love it as a tempura dipping sauce but our favorite way to use it is when we slather our Grilled Corn on the Cob with this sauce!
Looking for the perfect jars to store this Taco Seasoning mixture in for home or for a gift? We love 4 ounce small short Ball jars from Amazon.
Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons cumin, ground
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional
- ½ teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until well blended.
- Store in an airtight jar and keep in a cool, dry place.
- Use 3-4 Tablespoons of seasoning mix for every pound of meat, or to taste.
Notes
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled
- Seal tightly and store for up to 3-months
Nutrition
It might sound like a basic dinner but there are a few tricks and tips that will help you make it more than just routine
Along with our turkey tacos recipe, we have added our homemade Taco Seasoning recipe here, as well, and I think once you make your own you will be hooked.
Jump to RecipeIngredients for our Turkey Tacos Recipe:
- Ground turkey or cooked shredded turkey
- Taco Seasoning Mix
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce or Cabbage
- Cilantro
- Cheddar Cheese
- Hard Shell or Soft Corn Tortilla shells
Ground turkey is healthy and easy to make:
I love to use ground turkey, even though I like beef tacos, because it tastes a bit lighter and it is definitely healthier. The key to delicious turkey is not overcooking it. Cook just until done (165°) and then add the seasonings and water to finish cooking.
If you are lucky enough to have left over shredded turkey this recipe works perfectly for that too. We like to save a little of our Oven Roasted Turkey Breast for next day tacos
Make your own Homemade Taco Seasoning:
The beauty of making your own homemade taco seasonings mix is the ability to tweak it to make it your own. I make 2 versions – one spicy and one medium spicy. If you like it hot, just add more cayenne! If you are watching your sodium just omit the salt.
Most packaged mixes have a lot of salt and stabilizers in them. If you like to eat gluten-free this is a great mix for you. It can easily be doubled or tripled and stored in a glass jar.
How to make Turkey Tacos:
Simple tips for making the best ground turkey tacos:
- Saute the meat in a large skillet while you are chopping veggies to make it a quick meal
- When using turkey, rather than beef, make sure to add water with your seasonings to give it added moisture, since turkey has very little fat
- If using precooked shredded turkey just start with a touch of water in the pan to help warm it up without drying it out
- Add seasonings and water to the cooked meat. Once cooked taste it to see if you want more flavor. Cook for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is reduced
- Dice the tomatoes small
- Chop the lettuce or substitute shredded cabbage, with a squeeze of lime, in place of the lettuce to give the turkey tacos an extra crunch
- Fill the bottom of hard shell tacos with a sprinkling of cheese before you bake the shells for 3-4 minutes. The melted cheese at the bottom of the shell helps prevent it from breaking while you are eating
- Shred the cheese
- Prep any other vegetables
- Don’t forget about add-ins: diced avocado, sour cream, salsa, onions, and hot sauce
- Bake the shells if making hard shell tacos for 3-4 minutes
- If using fresh corn tortillas just warm them briefly in a pan or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds
- Fill with meat and then top with all of your favorite toppings!
- For a group: Put all the toppings in bowls on a large platter to let everyone serve themselves
Make ground turkey ahead to save time:
Fully cooked ground turkey is a great time saver. Make and freeze or keep tightly sealed in refrigerator for 3 days. This is a great way to have dinner ready in 15 minutes!
Turkey Tacos Recipe using soft shell tortillas
Soft shell fresh tortillas have great flavor. Just warm them up in a pan or on a griddle for about 1 minute. Alternately, wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat for 15-20 seconds in the microwave. You just want to warm and soften the tortillas slightly.
Suggested Beverage Pairings:
As avid wine lovers, we believe wine is always a good choice. However, often we come across a dish that pairs better with a different beverage. Tacos are one of those exceptions – Beer and Margaritas are a perfect match.
- Your favorite Mexican Beers are always a great pairing with Tacos. Our favorites include Tecate, Pacifico, Sol, Modelo Especial, and a Corona with lime.
- Your favorite Margarita! Make a great classic margarita on the rocks or throw it in the blender and make a slush. Adding different flavors to your margarita’s can also be a fun way to serve them.
If you love tacos you’ll love these too:
Easy Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 16 oz Ground Turkey (or ground beef), or shredded turkey
- ½ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix (more to taste)
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 cups lettuce, iceberg or romaine, chopped or shredded
- 2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Salsa, any brand
- 10 Hardshell tacos
Instructions
- In a large saute pan add ground turkey and cook over medium heat until all pink coloring is gone. If there is excess oil, drain it off.(If using cooked shredded turkey just add to the pan)Add water and taco seasoning mix and stir well to coat. Turn heat to medium-low and continue to cook until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Add more seasoning if desired.
- Heat oven to 350°F, or according to directions on the box, for crisp shells.
- Shred the cheese, chop the lettuce and cut the tomatoes into small dice. Set aside.
- Fill each shell with a small sprinkling of cheese and put on a baking sheet. Heat in oven for about 4 minutes. Remove.Or slightly warm soft corn tortillas for soft tacos
- Fill each taco shell with about 2 Tablespoons of meat, 2 Tablespoons of lettuce, and top with shredded cheese, cilantro, and tomatoes. Add salsa as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Click here for more about homemade Taco Seasoning mix
- This recipe can be doubled