Taco night just went from awesome to amazing. This homemade taco seasoning, with a secret ingredient you’ll never guess, ups the flavor game on anything and everything. Make it ahead of time to store for use at a moment’s notice!
Making your own spices is always better than premixed varieties. This homemade taco seasoning is no exception! It’s really easy to throw together and is perfect to store in your spice cabinet for quick and easy use. Plus it has a secret ingredient that really ups the flavor game!
The perfect secret ingredient
Tacos are a staple in our house, and up until now, taco seasoning was a “throw in a little of this and little of that” kind of creation. I have always wanted to nail my perfect taco flavor, the store bought seasonings just don’t hit the perfect spot for me. Most homemade taco seasonings have similarities in the ingredients, with the most common being:
- chili powder
- paprika of some sort
- cumin
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- oregano
- some kind of spicy seasoning (I love crushed red pepper but cayenne or chipotle are awesome too)
A mix of all of these spices generally yields a good result, but I wanted a little something different. Which is when I thought about one thing I have had in traditional Mexican and Spanish foods before that you wouldn’t think of in a savory dish. Cocoa powder. Mole is one example of a great use of cocoa powder. I have even seen it used in enchilada sauce.
Cocoa powder does not give your savory foods a chocolate flavor when used in small amounts. All it really does is bring some depth into the flavor profile and gives that extra oomph of deliciousness. Definitely do not skip it in your taco seasoning!
I like to make this in a big batch and store it in an air tight container for easy use. I do not use any flour or cornstarch, so if you do plan on keeping it a while, adding either of those two will help it so it doesn’t clump down the line. I also do not use any sugar or salt in my recipe. I am picky about mixing sweet in with my savory dishes, and I really don’t think it needs it. But feel free to add some!
As for salt, I wanted to keep this salt free and allow others to add salt where they want. It really is an awesome homemade mix to keep on hand!
Taco night just went from awesome to amazing. This homemade taco seasoning, with a secret ingredient you'll never guess, ups the flavor game on anything and everything. Make it ahead of time to store for use at a moment's notice!
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (you can use regular if you don’t have smoked)
- 2 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-3 teaspoons crushed red pepper (see note)
Mix everything together and store in an airtight container. You can also mix it by shaking the container well after you put the lid on.
- Note that if you plan to store it for a long period of time, you may want to add a tablespoon of cornstarch to prevent clumping. I did not add anything but typically use my stash up within a month, then make more.
- This recipe makes about 1/2 cup, serving size for nutrition is 1 tablespoon.
- I used dutch processed cocoa as it is a touch less bitter, but either kind works as long as it is unsweetened.
- I love the flavor of crushed red pepper but I also tried this with chipotle seasoning and cayenne pepper, which turned out great as well. Add between 1 and 3 teaspoons depending on how spicy you want it.
Terri says
Hi Sophia! Just wanted to say I love your recipes but I have a very difficult time reading them. I hope you’ll please consider using a dark font and not the light gray that you have been using. It’s so hard to see against a white background. (And a little larger would be great too.) Thanks so much!
veggiesdontbite says
Hi Terri! Thanks so much, happy you love the recipes! Sorry you are having trouble reading the font. I can’t change the size as that would mess with a lot of other style details I have but I can see if my web guy can make the shade a touch darker. I can only go a shade or two darker without having to change other design elements but I’ll see what he can do. Have a good night!
Terri B says
Thank you SO MUCH, Sophia! What a great difference it made (the darker font)! Now I’m headed for the kitchen! LOVE YOUR RECIPES!
Terri B.
veggiesdontbite says
Oh good! My web guy actually said it wasn’t necessarily the font color but the thickness of it so he upped the bold a bit! Glad it helped! Thanks for being here!
Terri Edwards says
What a great idea! And SO easy too. Thank you for this great tip. I’ve been buying taco seasoning, but this looks so much better. –Terri
veggiesdontbite says
It’s so easy Terri! My issue with the store bought stuff is that there are a few flavors I like to emphasize more than others and it’s never quite right for me. This is my favorite combo, maybe a tad different than what’s out there, but it’s a hit around here! Wait until you see what I use it for coming in the next few days!
JD says
I’m loving all the tacos lately and making homemade taco seasoning is so much better than the store bought kind!
The Vegan 8 says
Girl, the way to my heart is through tacos and homemade seasonings, hahaha. I love that you added cocoa powder, that is an amazing idea and so true! Mole sauce definitely comes to mind! Can’t wait to try this with your new taco recipe I saw come through. Forgive me for catching up on your posts!
veggiesdontbite says
Awe, thank you friend! There are a ton of taco seasonings out there so I wanted to make a little something different. I like light on the cumin in mine, which is why it’s so great to make your own and tailor it to your own fave flavors!
Cassie Thuvan Tran says
Cocoa powder is FAB. I love using it in chili and pasta sauce! Definitely have to try using it to saute some vegetables and vegan taco meat. It sounds like a wonderful idea!
veggiesdontbite says
Thank you Cassie! It’s a great secret ingredient that really deepens flavor. I love the idea of putting it in pasta sauce!
Tami says
This is now kept in a jar ready to be used at any time! Cocoa powder!! I made a pasta recipe onetime that called for cacao powder and I almost had left it out cause I was like “say what?” but I didn’t and I am so glad I left it in the recipe. This spice mix rocks!! I did cut back on the smoked paprika as the girls are as fond of that spice, but it still is AHmazing!! Thank you Sophia!
veggiesdontbite says
I am so happy to hear Tami!! We keep ours in a jar too, it’s especially good for my hubby when he makes the food, haha! I love good unexpected ingredients! Have you seen my 5 minute lava cake and the secret ingredient I use there?
Andrea says
I’ve recently discovered your website and love everything I’ve made so far. Do you have a recommendation for how much of the mix to use per pound of soy crumbles or per cup of lentils? iI’m terrible if I don’t follow a recipe.
veggiesdontbite says
Thanks so much Andrea! So happy you are loving it. Since my taco meat recipe makes 3 cups and I use about 5 tablespoons of this mix, I would guess between 3-4 tablespoons for 1 cup lentils or anything else. Let me know how it works out!
Deborah W. says
This is the best recipe for taco ‘meat’ that I’ve ever eaten. I became vegetarian the end of November, 2017. I missed tacos so much. I’ve tried ‘meat alternatives’ and there’s no comparison to this! I LOVE this! Wow, I can’t say enough about it and have told everyone about it (even the grocery cashier, ha). The taco seasoning is also SO, so good! Thank you so much for taking the time to develop this recipe. Kudos to you!
The Vegan 8 says
Finally made the taco seasoning and it’s perfect! Can’t wait to try it with the tacos tonight, my mouth is so excited, bahahaha!
veggiesdontbite says
I am so appreciative of you making the tacos!!! You are such a great friend and always so supportive. Thank you so much!