This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.
Upgrade your Taco Tuesday with this spicy, delicious Old El Paso Taco seasoning recipe that takes just 3 minutes to make! This DIY taco seasoning is so much healthier than store-bought options, is budget friendly, and is big on flavor. Once you start making your own homemade taco seasoning mix, you'll never go back to store-bought again!
This homemade old el paso taco seasoning recipe is super easy to make and keep on hand. I love using it for delicious vegetarian taco soup, and other Mexican inspired recipes like this vegan crunchwrap supreme and layered taco casserole.
Making your own taco seasoning from scratch is so simple, you'll never buy seasoning packets for taco night again!
The authentic Mexican flavor of these Old El Paso seasoning mix ingredients is a classic addition to tacos, ground meats, and vegan taco meat like these sofritas or vegan chorizo, but they taste great on almost any dish you want to add them to.
Make a ground turkey taco salad, an Old El Paso taco bake, crispy seasoned potato wedges, baked chicken, black beans, any type of Mexican food, or any variety of recipes you can think of.
👩🏽🍳 Why This Recipe Works
- Packed with bold flavor
- Budget friendly
- Easy to make
- Vegan, gluten free, keto friendly
- No artificial colors or added preservatives compared to a typical taco seasoning packet
- Super versatile, elevate your basic taco recipe with this spice mix!
- Best old el paso chili seasoning copycat recipe!
Latest Recipe Video!
🥘 Ingredients
Old el paso taco seasoning ingredients are super simple and can be found at any grocery store in the spice aisle! Here's what you need:
This diy, easy mild taco spice mixture is just a blend of commonly found spices!
This simple spice blend of smoked paprika, ground cumin, onion powder, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, ground chili powder, and black pepper combine to give you that familiar taco seasoning flavor that we all know and love. Feel free to add in sweet paprika to make it less spicy.
🔪 Instructions
Gather Ingredients: Add all copycat taco seasoning ingredients to a small bowl.
Combine Ingredients: Mix together well.
Store: Transfer to a glass jar, seal with a lid, shake to combine.
Use As Needed: Keep in a cool dry place for up to 3 months, and as long as 6 months, use in a variety of Mexican recipes. If you eat meat, you can use about 2 tablespoons of El Paso seasoning for every 1 pound of beef or another pound of meat. Note: If stored correctly, homemade spice mixes last for a long time, around 6 months. If it still has a strong smell and has not formed a cakey consistency, the spice mix is still good.
💭 Expert Tips
- To keep this mild taco seasoning lasting long: Keep your homemade seasoning mixes stored in a cool, dry place that is out of direct sunlight. Keep your spice mixture fresh longer by putting an oxygen absorber in the container with the spice mix.
- Use glass containers for storage because porous containers like plastic will absorb the smell and colors of the spices and stain your container.
- When seasoning ground meat or vegan meat for tacos, wait until after you drain the excess fat to season. After draining, add the meat back to the nonstick skillet and then add in the old el paso chilli mix. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to soak up the seasoning.
📖 Variations
- Low Sodium El Paso Chili Seasoning: If you are on a low sodium or no sodium diet, you can reduce or even eliminate the salt in this OId El Paso taco seasoning copycat recipe. You can also substitute sea salt if you prefer it to table salt.
- Add Even More Heat: This variation just swaps the chili pepper powder for cayenne pepper for an Old El Paso spicy taco seasoning. You can even add some crushed red pepper flakes. For an even bigger flavor, add a couple teaspoons of adobo seasoning as well.
❓Recipe FAQs
HOW TO USE TACO SEASONING?
Taco spice mixes can be used in a variety of ways. Add this Old El Paso spice mix to chili, fajitas, taquitos, quesadillas, nachos, enchiladas, lasagna are great ideas, just to name a few.
The possibilities are endless and you don't have to confine your use of this Old El Paso spice mix to traditional Mexican dishes.
You can give lots of other recipes a kick with this homemade taco spice mix. Soups, casseroles, and grilled foods are just some of the things you could dress up with this great recipe!
HOW TO STORE TACO SEASONING?
This copycat Old El Paso taco seasoning should be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place that is out of direct sunlight (at room temperature). Your pantry or kitchen cabinet is a good place for spice storage. A mason jar or other glass container works best.
IS TACO SEASONING GLUTEN FREE?
It depends! Some store-bought taco spice mixes can contain gluten, so if you're buying a store-bought packet from the grocery store, check the ingredients label carefully. This homemade old El Paso seasoning mix is gluten-free, which is another reason why it's better than the store bought version!
IS TACO SEASONING HEALTHY?
Yes! In general, taco seasoning is healthy for you. Since it's just a blend of super flavorful spices, it's typically low in calories, low in fat, low in sugar, but big on flavor. This El Paso taco mix does contain a fair amount of salt, so if you need to limit that ingredient in your diet for health reasons, simply reduce the amount you use in this Old El Paso spice mix.
