Easy Taco Seasoning Recipe {with Pantry Ingredients!} - Thriving Home (2024)

FAQs

What does taco seasoning mix contain? ›

Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder. This top-rated recipe is made with chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, sea salt, black pepper, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes.

To use: Use about 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning for every 1 pound of meat. Use more or less depending on your preference. Brown meat and drain the fat. Add your taco seasoning along with about 1/2 cup of water.

“Salsa and guacamole are great, but look to mix it up with fresh radish, chicharrones, or pickled onion. A fresh, warm tortilla is made better by a crunchy counterpart.” One of Romero's favorite toppings is a morita pepper and peanut salsa, which lends a spicy, smoky, crunchy lift to any taco.

Ultimately, the difference between these two comes down to the composition of spices. Taco seasoning is usually milder than Mexican seasoning. Mexican seasoning contains ancho powder and chipotle chile pepper, both of which give it a little more of a kick.

Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Salt, Chili Pepper, Onion Powder, Sugar. Contains 2% or less of: Spice, Vegetable Oil (canola, high oleic soybean and/or sunflower oil), Silicon Dioxide (anticaking agent), Natural Flavor, Modified Corn Starch.

Store in an airtight glass jar for up to 3-4 months. But if you're like me, each batch gets used about as fast as we can make it. Plan for about 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound of meat. To season ground meat tacos, first sauté the meat until it loses its pinkish color.

Each taco shell or small soft taco-size tortilla fits about 2 ounces or 1/4 cup of meat. If you add diced onions, you could stretch a pound of ground beef to make about a dozen tacos. With just the meat and spices, you can make about 8 tacos from a pound of meat.

I use 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning per pound.

Not enough people use cilantro. Iceberg lettuce can be refreshing in a burrito, but when it comes to tacos, cilantro, onion and lime are king. I know Tex-Mex enthusiasts love their dairy on a taco. Big pinches of cheddar cheese that lack flavor or the ability to melt.

Lime is probably the most essential of authentic Mexican taco toppings. A squeeze of lime adds a dash of acid that brings out the other flavors in a taco beautifully. Onions, cilantro, pico de gallo, sliced radishes or cucumbers, avocado, and chili peppers are also standard toppings for authentic tacos.

What makes a taco taste good? ›

Standard toppings for tacos are onion, cilantro, and lime. A good taqueria should have finely minced onion and chopped non-wilted cilantro, unless you like biting on a huge chunk of raw onion and soggy greens. If eating fish tacos, toppings should be finely minced crisp cabbage.

Acids act a little like salt in that they help bring out the natural brightness of foods and work to meld flavors together. Try making a quick salad dressing with lemon juice and zest or red wine vinegar with a smidge of oil—or toss veggies and grains with citrus or vinegar to brighten them up.

There are many ways to add flavor to a dish without using spices or herbs. Here are a few ideas: Use different cooking methods: Cooking methods like roasting, grilling, or caramelizing can bring out natural flavors in foods, such as the sweetness in caramelized onions or the umami in roasted mushrooms.

Citrus juices and/or citrus zest (orange, lemon, grapefruit etc.) can be added to marinades and rubs or squeezed over meats, pasta, rice, and/or veggies. Hot spices and peppers, such as cayenne, jalapenos, and roasted chipotle peppers, are useful.

In two words…not much! Both contain the same seasonings, but in different proportions. Chili seasoning mix contains a higher concentration of chili powder and a packet of taco seasoning usually contains a higher amount of cumin. That's about the only major difference!