Taco Seasoning for Ground Beef

Prepare homemade tacos tonight using this easy seasoning blend that comes together in just minutes with a handful of pantry staples. With the DIY taco seasoning recipe, you’ll never need another packet of the store-bought stuff again!

Taco night is always popular in our house. While I’m not opposed to those store-bought seasoning packets made by brands like El Paso and McCormick, nothing beats the homemade version! This taco seasoning for ground beef can also be used in a variety of other recipes, including chicken tacos, ground turkey tacos, casseroles, soups, and chili.

How much taco seasoning should I use for 1 pound of beef?

This recipe yields about 3 tablespoons of taco seasoning, or enough for 1 lb. of ground meat. You can use it with ground beef, but it also works well with ground chicken, ground turkey, ground pork, and shrimp.

You can make much larger batches of the seasoning mix if you’d like to keep it on hand in your pantry and measure it out as needed. Alternatively, if you’re cooking two pounds of meat (or more), just double or triple the spices to scale the seasoning to match the quantity of ground beef.

What to Serve with Homemade Ground Beef Tacos

Pair this taco meat recipe with a simple salad, tortilla chips and salsa, guacamole, queso, Mexican rice, refried beans, tostada de tinga, taco pie, taco casserole, or corn salad.

Add any of these fresh toppings for the best ground beef tacos:

• Salsa or chopped fresh tomatoes
• Sliced avocado, or use the fresh avocados to make this easy homemade guacamole
• Sour cream
• Sliced green onions, minced red onion, or quick pickled red onions
• Fresh cilantro
• Sliced black olives
• Lime juice squeezed from fresh limes
• Sliced jalapeños
• Black beans or pinto beans
• Chopped lettuce
• Shredded cheese

Recipe Variations

• If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have any tomato sauce on hand, you can sub with a thick salsa. Add extra liquid to the skillet (such as water or broth), as needed, to reach the desired consistency.
• Use red pepper flakes for extra heat, or as a sub for the cayenne.
• Swap out the ground beef and use the homemade taco seasoning with chicken, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, shrimp, or other seafood.
• Adjust the amounts of each seasoning to suit your personal taste preferences. For instance, use more or less salt, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika, or make it spicy with extra cayenne.

Tips for the Best Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

• Use the cooked homemade taco meat in traditional ground beef tacos with crunchy shells or soft flour tortillas, on taco salad, in taquitos, in enchiladas, on Mexican pizza, in burritos, stuffed in potatoes, in quesadillas, in stuffed pasta shells, on nachos, or in a casserole.
• Add extra liquid to the skillet, if needed, as the meat simmers with the seasoning to reach your desired consistency. Good options include water, chicken broth, and beef broth.
• Make a much larger batch of homemade taco seasoning and keep it in your pantry for up to 6 months. Measure out 3 tablespoons of seasoning to use for every 1 pound of ground beef that you prepare.
• Drain excess grease from the skillet before stirring in the taco seasoning.
• A squeeze of fresh lime juice or chopped cilantro added at the end gives the dish a fresh, flavorful finishing touch.

More Homemade Seasoning Blends to Try

All Purpose Seasoning (“House Seasoning”)

5 minutes mins

BBQ Rub

5 minutes mins

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

35 minutes mins

Did you make this recipe?

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Homemade Taco Seasoning

5 from 3 votes

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 15 minutes minutes

Total: 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 268 kcal

Author: Blair Lonergan

This easy homemade taco seasoning blend makes the best ground beef tacos!

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Ingredients

  

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TACO SEASONING FOR 1 POUND OF GROUND BEEF

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (omit for a mild seasoning)

FOR HOMEMADE TACOS

• 1 lb. ground beef
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• Taco shells or tortillas of choice
• Toppings of choice, such as: shredded cheese, chopped lettuce, pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, sliced black olives, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, pickled red onions

Instructions

• Combine all of the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl or jar. This is enough seasoning for 1 lb. of ground beef. Use immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
  

TO MAKE HOMEMADE TACOS

• Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain excess grease from the skillet.
  
• Return the meat to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the seasoning blend and the tomato sauce.
  
• Cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water, if necessary, to keep the mixture moist and "saucy." Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  

Notes

• • Use the cooked homemade taco meat in traditional ground beef tacos with crunchy shells or soft flour tortillas, on taco salad, in taquitos, in enchiladas, on Mexican pizza, in burritos, stuffed in potatoes, in quesadillas, in stuffed pasta shells, on nachos, or in a casserole.

• • Add extra liquid to the skillet, if needed, as the meat simmers with the seasoning to reach your desired consistency. Good options include water, chicken broth, and beef broth.

• • Make a much larger batch of homemade taco seasoning and keep it in your pantry for up to 6 months. Measure out 3 tablespoons of seasoning to use for every 1 pound of ground beef that you prepare.

• • Drain excess grease from the skillet before stirring in the taco seasoning.

• • A squeeze of fresh lime juice or chopped cilantro added at the end gives the dish a fresh, flavorful finishing touch.
  • If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have any tomato sauce on hand, you can sub with a thick salsa. Add extra liquid to the skillet (such as water or broth), as needed, to reach the desired consistency.
  • Adjust the amounts of each seasoning to suit your personal taste preferences. For instance, use more or less salt, use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika, or make it spicy with extra cayenne.
  • Swap out the ground beef and use the homemade taco seasoning with chicken, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, shrimp, or other seafood.
  • Use red pepper flakes for extra heat, or as a sub for the cayenne.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the cooked taco meatCalories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 22gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 546mgPotassium: 521mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1286IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 4mg

Keyword: ground beef tacos, homemade taco seasoning, homemade tacos, taco seasoning for ground beef, taco seasoning recipe

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Blair Lonergan

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