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.
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
Ingredients
- 6 teaspoons chili powder
- 5 teaspoons paprika
- 4 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons dried onion
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Combine ingredients. Store in an airtight container with your other spices.
To use:
- Use 3 tablespoons of seasoning for each pound of meat in tacos or chili. For taco meat, add 3 tablespoons of seasoning and 3/4 cup of water to 1 pound of cooked meat and simmer until water has evaporated.
Notes
Nice combo! I am with you on the no preservative containing food bandwagon.
And you sound so fancy when you say you made your own seasoning…you don’t have to add that it was stupid easy.
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.
Do ittttttttt!
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!
Exactly! I just store mine with my other spices – it’s so nice to have on hand!
Awesome!!! Michael wants me to make him tacos and I love that I won’t have to go buy the special seasoning! Thanks girl 😀
Hurrah! You can have taco night in my honor 😉
Yesss thank you so much for this, I have been looking for a homemade taco seasoning recipe!
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.
Just don’t tell her it was my recipe that ousted her as taste-tester! 😛
I love this and can’t wait to try it! My boys love to make tacos so this is perfect for us!
I have a taco seasoning recipe that I use already , can’t wait to try this one . We normally use turkey burger , no one usually notices .
We love this taco/chili mix. I just leave out the cayenne completely until we make chili. Then I add 1 Tablespoon or more, by taste. The kids don’t like chili at all. I do change the measurements at little to make more mix at a time. I just use Tablespoons instead of teaspoons.😀
So happy to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing.