Taco Seasoning (without the chili powder)

This is really good, except I omitted the salt. One huge advantage of making my own seasoning mixture is that I can control the sodium. In this case, I add the necessary salt to taste in each individual dish. If the dish contains salty ingredients like tomato sauce or cheese, often no additional salt is necessary.

one ounce is 2 tablespoons which is usually what a packet of taco seasoning is. This is a great seasoning for tacos. Thanks

FYI-For Southwest Cooking, MEXICAN OREGANO should be used as opposed to the traditional oregano used in Italian and Mediterranian dishes. There is a huge difference in flavor between the two. Try both and decide. Thank you for this good recipe. Great to start off with and allows for personal taste adjustments.

I come from a family of chili powder enthusiasts, so I've been raised to be a chili powder snob. I can say that there are mixes, and then there is real chili powder, which only uses dried chili pepper. I believe McCormick makes both, and both are under the guise of "Chili powder"-- the difference is really easy to taste. That said, I really liked this seasoning, especially the addition of oregano, which I never would have considered before. My husband loved the heat from the crushed red pepper flakes. I cut the salt in half, though-- I think it would have been too salty for me in the amount called for. Thanks for the recipe. It has inspired me to include oregano in my mother's traditional Mexican dishes.

How much of this do you use if a recipe calls for a package of taco seasoning?

This was very good. Chili powder is for chili, and Ancho, Chipolte, Cayenne, etc. are powdered chilies. The fact that this can be adjusted for heat is great.

Excellent! I've used this over and over!

This was terrific!!

thank you for making a recipe without chili powder in it. It never made sense to me because its just full of most of the stuff you're about to add anyway. Chili powder and chile powder are two different things JT. Chile powder consists purely of dried and ground chile peppers, while chili powder is a combination of ground dried chiles, oregano, cumin, garlic and salt. Uses. Chili powder is most commonly used to season chili.

Oh my gosh, this was fantastic!!!! Much better than our previous go to packet junk. My husband and toddlers think it's too spicy though (booo), so I think we'll cut back on the pepper flakes. It is so delicious though! For those who don't know, like us, we added water to the browned ground beef, then put 3 tbs. of the seasoning in and mixed it up. I'm going to have to make quite a few servings of this and fill up our jelly jar to use every week :)

this is great! I dont live in the states so its hard to find mexican food so everything has to be made from scratch! Now I have this mix in a bottle in my kitchen and use it on so many things! Its great with shrip also.

This is my go to seasoning mix for Tacos. I quit buying the packets and keep bottles of cumin on hand for this because my sons ask for it often. I put less salt and red pepper than called for.

Nothing against chili powder, but I think I like this version of Taco Seasoning better than the ones that include. Only change was to reduce the salt to 1/2 tsp, and since I do have Mexican oregano on hand I used that. I also like the heat from crushed red pepper flakes, although again, nothing against cayenne! :) I guesstimated that half a recipe of this is equal to a typical packet of seasoning mix, so that's what I added to the Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken that is simmering away at the moment. Smells delicious, and I think I'll be better able to use the chicken in different recipes due to the omission of the chili powder.

This is my first rating...I had to share my pleasure in this "keeper" mix; it has been transcribed in my most used cookbooks so I'll always have it on hand...I made it per recipe w/the exception of salt content; cut back to one teaspoon salt and on occasion 1/2 t. salt & 1/2 t. (gasp!) MSG...my bad!..(p.s. I take as much pleasure in reading ratings as checking out recipes). Keep up the great work on this site!

Oh my god! Oh my god! This was amazing and I can even adjust it for when I'm cooking for others that have to eat less spicy food but I think it's better than the prepackaged alternative.

Just as good as packaged and a lot cheaper. I keep it in the cabinet at the ready.

This recipe is wonderful! I searched specifically for a recipe that did not include chili powder as neither my husband or I like it. I cannot remember the last time I bought a packet of taco seasoning. This is my go-to recipe! Thank you!

This recipe makes a seasoning that tastes better than the prepackaged stuff. The best part is that you can control each spice and herb in the recipe depending on the flavors you and your family enjoy. And the only chili powders I can find are blends, so this recipe eliminates redundancy found in other taco seasoning recipes.

I made this seasoning with a few adjustments. For the crushed red pepper flakes and paprika, I used my own blend of peppers (I grow and dry many types from mild to HOT). Anyway, it turned out great! When my guest arrived for dinner, she immediately thought I was making tacos based on the aromas filling the house. Thanks for the recipe!

I ground my spices fresh, and the black pepper was the only thing I tasted in my chili. Grinding the peppercorns is NOT a good idea for this. I mean, we're talking so much that it was actually too spicy to even eat (and I love really spicy food). So don't do that.

This was pretty good, a little too salty for my taste. Next time I'll cut the salt to 1 tsp. I love being able to make a good taco seasoning from my spice rack, so thanks for the recipe!

I'm so happy to have found your recipe without chilli powder. Did it as is. It's perfect.

I just mixed this all up, and it smells wonderful! I'll be using it tonight. I'm not sure how much to put in, so I guess I'll experiment. Thanks for this great recipe.

Fantastic. Every cook in my family wanted this recipe. Make sure to use mexican oregano!! I omit onion powder and use fresh onions.

Excellent mix of spices! will use again and again

This is a great seasoning for all kinds of food in the amounts that you want...I love a smidgon sprinkled on thick slices of fresh tomato and other raw vegetables...Put it in a salt shaker and sprinkle it on(it really improves zucchini!)...Mexican oregano is "Pot Margoram" which I ordered from an online spice shop...I also reduced the salt...An econonmical and versatile recipe...Thank you so much for making it available...It is greatly appreciated!

Great mix! You can tailor this to your family's tastes. Even add some cayenne pepper if you want it hot! For those who are wondering how much to use, I put in 1 1/2-2 TBSP per pound of hamburger. Again, it depends on your taste. Start light, then if it's not enough you could add more the next time.

Oh yeah! My family liked this as much as the packets, and this was fun to mix up. Of course I have to tweak everything. I reduced the salt and cayenne, added 2 tsp flour and 1 tsp beef bullion granules. Also added 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp ground thyme, 1/2 tsp ground marjoram, and 2 tsp ground coriander. Those are spices I use for my chili, so figured what the heck. Add 3/4 cup water and 2 Tbsp of spice mix to a pound of ground beef and cook down. Lovely! Thank you for the great recipe.

I have been experimenting with making my own shells and this recipe pop up. I live in a house where I have to be careful with heat and pungent spices. so I made this and sprinkled it on the mild salsa for me. It was excellent. so next morning I made scramble eggs added some salsa and sprinkled this on the eggs. Then we had baked chicken legs with one of those healthy leaf mixes. I sprinkled it on the salad. Made the salad outstanding. My conclusion is thank you. I now have a format to play. As everybody agrees that chili powder is ground pepper, since I ground the pepper flakes into a powder I now have a seasoning with chili powder (that should make the chili mix people happy. LOL. The variations are endless. Today I made bolognaise sauce. it needed something I added this seasoning. I stopped making my seasoning salt to control the salt in our diet. If I drop the cumin and oregano and add brown sugar celery seed and turmeric plus 1/2 cup salt I have seasoning salt. This summer if the seeds are viable, I will have ground dried ghost pepper in this recipe. That will really put the chili powder in this recipe. No it will not be given to the one I love. thanks again a simple recipe with great potential for playing. One final note I have to make chili for one (she doesn't like beans either)next time guess what my chili sauce is going to be? LOL with maybe a touch more ground pepper.

I ran out of chili powder and found this recipe. This was great. I used about half of it with a little over a pound of ground turkey. Good flavor. I could have probably used more of it, but it was good. Will make again.

Perfect Taco recipe!

This was fabulous and my entire family loved it! I didn't have red pepper flakes so I used 1/8 tsp. of cayenne instead. I used 1/4 cup of seasoning to 1 lb. of ground turkey with 3/4 cup of water. There was a decent kick to it and any spicier may have been too much for my kids (but not my husband and I). While the meat was browning I added 1 Tbsp. of minced garlic. After the meat was browned, I drained it and added 3/4 Cup diced onion and 1 small diced green pepper (I sauteed the green pepper and onion separately before adding to the meat). I then added the seasoning and combined thoroughly before adding 3/4 Cup of water. I simmered uncovered for 15-20 minutes. I will certainly be making this again!

It is very light on the "spicy" and heavy on the "garlic" for my family's taste buds. I tried to adjust the seasonings to our tastes but I was not lucky (my fault: not the recipe). Thank you hungry for sharing your recipe.

I added a touch more garlic and also added .5 tsp of dried parsley. It's definitely a winner, I'll never buy the pre made stuff again!!!

I really liked this because you can tweak it to however you want...less salt...no crushed red (for my granddaughter), and it still tasted good. I'll be making a large batch of this for my daughter/granddaughter! Oh, I initially tried this because I was out of chile powder, and most recipes call for it.

FABULOUS! I used to just used chopped onion, salt and pepper in my taco meat. My husband likes lots of flavor so today I tried this spice mix. I dislike the filler and preservatives etc. in package mixes and I didn’t want chili powder because I use that in my chili with beans. This recipe was delicious! My husband was absolutely thrilled with the flavor! It was not too much heat or salt for us. I used 2 Tablespoons to a pound of ground beef. This is my “go to” taco seasoning mix! I’ve no need to make changes or look any further. THANK YOU for posting your wonderful recipe!!

This is the best taco blend I've ever made. I always make enough to fill a 1 cup mason jar.

I had to tweak the recipe because after simmering the taste of cumin was strong. Other than that I loved it I used it to make my taco salsa for a family gathering.

The chili powder I use is simply dried, ground-up poblano chili pepper. I decided to try this recipe anyway, and while it was not awful, it was definitely missing something and the flavor was off.

My family loves the flavor of this taco seasoning. I am on a sodium restricted diet, so I reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. And I add a tablespoon of flour and add water to the meat and seasoning to make it a little saucy. This is my go-to for taco night!

This was very good. I searched for taco seasoning that would not turn the meat juice red. I've enjoyed street tacos from the Mexican restaurant near where I work. I wanted to get the same light taco meat that they serve. This recipe gives me what I wanted. I serve it with pinto beans, flour tortillas, cheese, and lots of cilantro. This way, my 21 year old son will eat something healthy at home! However, I may have accidentally put too much crushed red pepper flakes in it. I doubled the recipe, because I cooked two pounds of meat (ground beef and turkey). It was pretty hot, but I don't remember if I accidentally used one tablespoon instead of two teaspoons of red pepper flakes. I do remember pouring out one measuring spoon of pepper flakes and thinking that was an awful lot, and then not putting in what I mistakenly thought was necessary to double the recipe. I'm glad I did what I did. I essentially increased the pepper by 50%. It was hot, but not too hot. Everyone loves it.

5 15 18 ... https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/219652/taco-seasoning-without-the-chili-powder/ ... 'Glad I tried this recipe finally! Like the submitter, I'd rather not use chili powder since it's a blend & blends vary by company. 'Other things, sure; but not tacos. I added this to 1 1/2# browned ground beef with a half cup or so of precooked bacon. That bite was a medium plus heat. Once I added some cheese, & sour cream on the shell, it was mild. That makes sense since it's pretty much "designed" for one pound. If not adding dairy, this would be more toward hot than not. I reduced the salt & pepper to 1t each, thinking the bacon would salt it up. 'Think still a bit too much black pepper - not because of hot spiciness, but black pepper flavor. 'Not the biggest of deals really. I'll try this again without adding the bacon. It was passed its prime, pretty sure. :o ;)

I was out of Old El Paso seasoning and so I tried this. It is excellent! I had to cut the red pepper flakes out because my family won’t eat any dish if they see pepper flakes. I added 1/2 tsp. of McCormick Cajun seasoning instead. Delicious...and my husband just gave me a smile and a thumbs up! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us.

I have been to the store several times and I keep forgetting chili powder. I made this with my daughter, I did not change any of the ingredients and she absolutely loved it and said it’s much better than the packet seasoning. We will be making it again today

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this! My taco meat tastes like tacos again! I've been looking for a taco seasoning recipe without salt, and like you say in the description most call for chili powder which is a mix of herbs that usually already has salt added in as well. So trying to find a no-salt chili powder recipe to turn in to taco seasoning, I ended up with something that had 10 TBS of paprika *facepalm*. Anyhow, this is so good, my tacos taste like tacos again HUZZAH

THANK YOU for this recipe!!! My little girl has lots of allergies, which are impossible to nail down with mixes. I know she flares up because of SOMEthing in chili powder. If she reacts to

I added a bit more pepper flakes, but the base was wonderful

In the future I’d use far less salt. I followed the recipe exactly and in my opinion it just came out entirely too salty. Will definitely try again though!

Great alternative to the store bought taco seasonings. With this recipe you get more of the flavor and less of the tongue curling saltiness (and you can always cut the salt even more). This will definitely be a repeat recipe for me! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!!

I added two teaspoons of corn starch to bind the hamburger meat and get the same consistency that the packaged seasoning seems to give. I also ran the seasonings through a blender.

This is fabulous. I didn’t have red pepper flakes so I subbed a little cayenne. It’s now my go to recipe for taco seasoning.

Great recipe! I used about 1/2 the amount of crushed red pepper flakes, and I'd say the taco meat ended up on the mild side of medium when using about 1.5 Tbsp seasoning per lb of meat.

very good. used smoked paprika which lent a really nice flavor. works well as a rub on pork.

The first time I used it, was accidentally done! Then I checked Allrecipes.com! Forgot the paprika!!! Fixed it and now I use it when I make Taco's! Saves time, and money.

This was great! I was looking for something more authentic and not containing a thickening agent like starch in store bought seasonings. I used some Spanish smoked paprika and it added a great Smokey flavor. I use about 1.5 - 2 Tbsp per pound of meat (ground turkey, shredded beef, pork or chicken) then simmer with water for a while then reduce it. I had my 9 year old prepare a large batch and store it in with the other spices.

Good

I made this to add to enchilada meatballs (on this site). I replaced the red pepper flakes with half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (out of the flakes) and it was just the right amount of spicy. If you are sensitive to spice, I'd cut back some on the cayenne/red pepper flakes. I did not add salt (we are salt sensitive) and didn't miss it. I look forward to trying the remaining mixture on chicken breasts later this weekend.

I omit salt and adjust the heat to taste. We love the flavor.

I reduce the salt and add Accent.

Loved it! Tacos were delicious and love being able to make the seasoning instead of buying the packets.

For someone like myself with acid reflux, it was great to find a recipe where I control all the spicy stuff. For me no chili or paprika or red pepper flakes. It's still delicious since once I put my recipe together I don't feel like Mexican dishes aren't out of my reach anymore.

Flavor is great but a bit too salty. I'll use 1 tsp salt next time. I also subbed 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper for the 1 tsp crushed red pepper and it's turned out a good "medium" heat. Very glad to find a recipe that doesn't use packaged chili powder.

I really liked it. I used Ground Cayenne Red Pepper instead of the pepper flakes. I think it was spicier but that was a good thing. It says 10 servings but I used it all on 2 pounds of a ground beef/ground pork mixture and it was way more flavorful than I was expecting but so good. The family liked it.

Thanks, hungry for the perfect Taco Seasoning recipe. I add corriander and use smoked paprika and chipotle powder.

As highly allergic to chili & cayenne powders, was looking for seasoning for tacos, fajitas & chili So glad I found this. This is not only yummy, but even better than the ones with chili & cayenne.

Okay, not great.

You saved me the math! I've never been one to use a "Taco Seasoning" packet, but I've ran into a few "Dump Dinner" type recipes that ask for one. I'm also suspicious of "Chili Powder." What kind of chili? This recipe is pretty much what I throw into my Latin/SW cooking anyway, but now, with some minor tweaks (I'm watching my sodium, for instance) it's become my own personal Seasoning Powder! I've dropped the salt and black pepper, so I can adjust that per dish, and gone with powdered oregano and cayenne pepper instead of flakes to keep it all more of a powder. And now I put it on almost everything! Love it!

I’m not a fan of chili powder so this is perfect for me. I used smoked paprika & left out both peppers; threw in a sprinkle of onion salt then tossed it on cooked shredded chicken & put it in taco shells. Delish!