Make this ground beef taco seasoning to add bold, well-balanced flavor to tacos, burritos, nachos and more. This simple, homemade blend seasons ground beef, chicken, or turkey and comes together in about 5 minutes—perfect for weeknight meals or making in bulk to keep on hand.
I grew up on classic taco nights with a big packet of McCormick’s taco seasoning, and I’ll always love that nostalgic flavor. Today I prefer to mix my own spice blends from pantry staples. This recipe uses the core spices I always keep on hand and yields a bright, savory taco seasoning that’s easy to store and adjust.
It takes minutes to make, keeps well when stored in a sealed jar, and works equally well on ground beef, turkey, or chicken. Make a batch to save time—then just shake and season whenever you need it.
Recipe Highlights
- Ready-to-use for ground beef, chicken, or turkey without changing the measurements.
- Ideal for bulk preparation and long-term storage.
- Simpler ingredient list than many store-bought mixes, with bold, balanced flavor.
Ingredients & Mixing
The combination below creates the household favorite flavor for tacos and burritos. Adjust small amounts to suit your preference—more heat, more smoke, or a touch sweeter if you like.
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder (granulated garlic)
- Onion powder (granulated onion)
- Smoked paprika
- Dried oregano
- Salt — finely ground kosher or sea salt recommended
- Ground cayenne pepper — optional; omit for no heat or increase for extra spice. Red pepper flakes can substitute, but cayenne blends more evenly.
How to Make It: Combine all spices in a large bowl and stir until uniform, or add them to a mason jar, screw on the lid, and shake until blended. Give the jar a quick shake before each use to re-mix any settled spices.
Scaling Up & Down
The full recipe in the card below seasons up to 12 pounds of meat. Use these scaled measurements if you’re cooking smaller quantities:
- For 1 pound of meat — 1 1/4 teaspoons each chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika; 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional).
- For 3 pounds of meat — 3 3/4 teaspoons each chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika; 2 1/4 teaspoons dried oregano; 3 teaspoons salt; 3/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional).
Variations
- Smoky — Use smoked paprika and a smoked chili powder. Toast whole cumin seeds and grind them for extra depth.
- Spicier — Increase cayenne by 50% (for example, 4 1/2 teaspoons instead of 3 in larger batches) and try ancho chili powder for a richer heat.
- Sweeter — Swap smoked paprika for sweet paprika and add 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar for a subtle sweetness.
How to Store and Use
Store your bulk seasoning in a sealed jar in a cool, dark place such as a pantry or cupboard to preserve flavor. For best results, shake the jar before measuring.
Use 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of seasoning per 1 pound of meat. Brown the meat in a hot skillet, let it start to caramelize, then sprinkle the seasoning over and cook together until the flavors are absorbed.
Pro tip: For saucier taco meat, add half the spices while the meat is browning. After the meat is cooked, stir in the remaining spices with 2 tablespoons of water and simmer over low until the mixture thickens and becomes saucy.
The result is a mildly spicy, boldly flavored taco filling that works beautifully in tacos, burritos, nachos, and more. This is my go-to ground beef taco seasoning—no need to buy packets once you have this on hand.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a rating or a comment in the recipe card below to share your experience with other home cooks. Happy eating!
Ground Beef Taco Seasoning
Mikayla M.
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons chili powder
- 5 tablespoons ground cumin
- 5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 5 tablespoons onion powder
- 5 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 4 tablespoons salt, finely ground
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, ground optional
Instructions
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Combine all ingredients in a large mason jar or container with a tight-fitting lid. Close and shake until the mixture is evenly blended.
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Store in a cool, dry, dark place when not in use.
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Before using, shake or stir the jar so nothing has settled. Add 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of seasoning per 1 pound of meat while cooking.
Notes
For saucier meat, add half the spices while browning, then add the remaining spices with 2 tablespoons of water after cooking and simmer until thickened.
Also excellent on ground chicken or turkey.
Nutrition
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