Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning: Cheap, Healthy, Quick and Easy to Make up Low Carb and Gluten Free Taco Mix!

I love to have homemade mixes on hand that I know exactly what is in them. Homemade Taco Seasoning is one of my most used.

If you need to be gluten or dairy free, it is even more important.

Why make your own Taco Seasoning:

I bought McCormick taco seasoning mix for years.  It says “No MSG”, which was one of the deciding factors on that brand.

I later noticed though, that the label also says “processed in a facility that also processes dairy” so to those who are very dairy sensitive, that will not work for them.

It also says “partially produced with genetic engineering”. Now that REALLY makes me uncomfortable.  

It also lists sugar as an ingredient, which I do not see as necessary at all and “natural flavor”. That could mean literally anything so avoiding that is good in my opinion too.

So! Saying all of that is why I like to make my own mixes whenever possible and usually it IS possible and easy too.

A homemade mix is only taking ingredients I probably already have on hand (or can easily get) and yes, mixing them together.

This takes only 7 herbs and spices from my cabinets and combining them into one jar. It makes enough for 7 pounds of meat.

It can be doubled or tripled to make as much as you need.

If you are Keto or Low Carb

An added bonus to making your own seasoning is that there are 2 net carbs in 1 Tbsp of this homemade mix and 3 carbs in 2 tsp in the packaged stuff so 6 carbs to make a pound of meat with homemade seasonings and 12 to make it with the packaged.

That is a big savings of carbs and it is healthier and cheaper too. (I got those carb counts from the Butter Makes Your Pants Fall Off site.) 

How you use your Homemade Taco Seasoning

You will need 3 Tablespoons of mix and 1/2 cup of water added to each pound of meat.

Cook and drain the ground beef (or turkey, whatever you use) and then add the seasoning and water.

Cover and simmer it about 10 more minutes until it thickens.

When I do 5 pounds of meat, I add 1 cup of mix and 2 cups of water; maybe just a little more water.

If I am going to pull out my skillet, take time to cook meat and then wash it, I might as well get 5 meals out of it as 1, right?

If I can wash something once instead of 5 times, you can bet that is the route I will take.

What to make with your Homemade Taco Seasoning:

Below I had 3 meals to put in the freezer and enough for tonight and leftovers for now.

 

Cooked meat freezes great and is so nice to pull out of the freezer when you need a meal. Of course tacos are the obvious thing but Easy Taco Casserole is also quick and easy with the meat all ready to go. 

For Low Carb and Keto options with your cooked, ready-to-go meat, try Low Carb Taco Pie, Keto Cheesy Taco Beef Casserole, and Low Carb Taco Salad. 

Other Seasoning Mixes

Homemade Taco Seasoning 

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Homemade Onion Soup Mix  

Homemade Ranch Dressing mix

Homemade Italian Dressing Dry Mix

Note; if you read the label on my jar lid, you will see I have to add 2/3 cup of water.  I changed that after I took the picture and made the meat again.  It is a bit too much.  The 1/2 cup listed in the directions is correct.

 

Ingredients:

(Full printable ingredients and instructions are just below.)

cumin powder

garlic powder (affiliate link)

chili powder

onion powder

dried oregano crushed some

sea salt (affiliate link)

paprika (affiliate link)

Instructions:

Gather your spices. Add them to a mixing bowl or right into the jar and combine well.

Label your jar. I put directions right on the label so I don’t have to dig around for them when I need them.

When you are ready to cook your meat, you need 3 Tbsp of seasoning mix and 1/2 cup of water for each pound of meat.

Cook and drain meat, add seasoning and water and stir.

Cover and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until it thickens.

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