This small batch homemade taco seasoning recipe is easy to mix together and works great on tacos, vegetables, meats, seafood, rice, beans, and more. You'll never want to buy taco seasoning from the store again!
I use taco seasoning all the time! It's great to use on chicken, steak, seafood, and even on vegetables. It's a pantry essential that adds a rich, spicy flavor to almost everything it is added to.
This small batch seasoning recipe yields a little over tablespoons of taco seasoning but can easily be doubled or tripled if you want to make more.
- I don't use a full 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning in one recipe. I find that the amount this small batch recipe yields is enough to use in a two to three dishes.
- If you want to make a smaller amount, perhaps just the right amount for one meal, see our one-meal taco seasoning recipe below.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Taco seasoning is easy to make. Once you have the ingredients on hand, you can mix it up to use whenever you need to.
- This is an easy recipe to customize. If you want to make a low sodium taco seasoning, reduce or eliminate the salt. Feel free to leave out ingredients you don't like and add ones you love.
- Homemade spice blends are fresh. We have no idea how long spices sit in the jars on the grocery shelves, when we make seasonings ourselves they're fresh and there are no additives added.
- Making homemade taco seasoning is more economical than purchasing pre-mixed seasonings from the store.
- I grew up with my mother using the yellow packets of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning and I can tell you, this homemade version tastes so much better. There's no sugar added in our taco seasoning recipe!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for other recipes using these spices.
- Chili powder: This is an American-style chili powder which includes a blend of spices. It is fairly mild and not especially spicy, although the heat level for any particular brand of chili powder is variable. This is not cayenne pepper.
- Ground cumin: Cumin has a warm, earthy flavor and aroma with both a touch of sweetness, as well as a slight bitterness.
- Paprika: I prefer using smoked paprika but you can use regular paprika instead.
- Garlic powder: Made from dried garlic cloves, garlic powder is an essential ingredient found in taco seasoning.
- Onion powder: Made from dehydrated, ground onions and is a common ingredient in many spice blends.
- Dried oregano: A base ingredient in homemade taco seasoning. You may like to use dried basil instead.
- Salt
How To Make A Small Batch Of Taco Seasoning
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with a fork or a wire whisk.
- Transfer to a small jar or container, cover and store.
Frequently Asked Questions
I use taco seasoning all the time! It's great on meats, seafood, shrimp, and vegetables. I also like to rub it on roasts and add it to soups and stews. It's a wonderful spice blend used in Mexican food.
Yes! I recommend starting out by reducing the salt by half. If your diet requires very strict sodium restrictions, eliminate the salt entirely.
If you store your taco seasoning in an airtight container, it should stay good for 1 to 2 years. However, this is a very small amount and I'm sure you'll use it up much faster than that.
This recipe yields about 2.5 tablespoons of taco seasoning. If you'd like to make less, you might like to use this single serving taco seasoning recipe. This is the amount I use in our Taco Casserole recipe.
½ tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
Expert Tips
- Always use fresh spices. Check the expiration date on your spice containers. As they age, spices can lose their flavor.
- If you want a spicier taco seasoning, add a pinch of two of cayenne pepper.
- Feel free to customize your taco seasoning mix by adding more or less of a spice.
- Double or triple the recipe to make more of the seasoning.
RELATED: Easy Garam Masala Spice Recipe
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch taco seasoning recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving recipes:
- Chili powder: Chili, Zuppa Toscana, Chicken Burrito Bowl, Curried Carrot Soup
- Cumin: Broccoli Cheese Soup, Beef Tacos, Butter Chicken, Baba Ganoush
- Paprika: Sweet Potato Fries, Cheese Grits, Baked Pork Chop, Lemon Garlic Chicken
- Garlic powder: Hash Browns, Baked Shrimp, Ranch Dressing, Tuna Salad
- Onion powder: Turkey Roast
- Dried oregano: Meat Sauce, Twice Baked Eggplant, Portobello Mushroom Pizza, Ratatouille
If you’ve tried this small batch taco of seasoning or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Small Batch Taco Seasoning
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Jar
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend thoroughly with a fork or a wire whisk.
- Transfer to a small jar or container, cover and store.
Notes
- Always use fresh spices. Check the expiration date on your spice containers. As they age, spices can lose their flavor.
- If you want a spicier taco seasoning, add a pinch of two of cayenne pepper.
- Feel free to customize your taco seasoning mix by adding more or less of a spice.
- Double or triple the recipe to make more of the seasoning.
- If you would like to make a low-sodium taco seasoning, start out by reducing the salt by half. If your diet requires very strict sodium restrictions, eliminate the salt entirely.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Carol Reynolds says
I love this recipe! I like making my own, they can be customized to your tastes and needs.
Thanks Joanie.
Looking forward to your version of pumpkin and apple pie spice mixes.
Joy Thomas says
Hi Joanie, have been using your recipes a little while now and can't thank you enough for making them available. I use them all the time and have many I use again and again. I have just made your Pumpkin Coffee cake and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipes for spice rubs etc., they add a new dimension to the recipes. I look foward to receiving your weekly e-mail recipes and I have purchased your book for myself and my son who also appreciates your wonderful recipes. Thank you so much and stay safe in these difficult times with Covid.
Joanie Zisk says
Joy, Thank you so much for your support, it means the world to me. I'm so happy to know that you and your son are enjoying our recipes and I appreciate that you've taken the time to let me know.
Joanie
Maureen says
Hi Joanie. Keep the recipes coming I have tried several for my husband and me. And they are just the right amount and delicious as well. Thanks Maureen