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Avidly Ravenous

March 23, 2021

Homemade Southwest Seasoning

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Tacos are one of my all time favorite foods. I especially love a good street taco, covered in crisp onion, and an arguably excessive amount of cilantro. In fact, I probably make shredded chicken tacos at least every other week. At that rate of consumption, it is silly to go out and buy piles of taco seasoning. So I figured, why not mix up my own southwest seasoning with the spices I already had on hand.

Close up of southwest seasoning not yet mixed in a bowl.

This all purpose homemade southwest seasoning is great for tacos of nearly all varieties. Chicken, beef, fish, tofu, beans, sweet potato - they are all excellent dressed up with this zesty blend. This seasoning would also work great for a kicked-up seasoned sour cream, mixed in with some nacho cheese, or to season a pot of slow-cooked black beans.

The bottom line is that there is no reason that you have to buy pre-mixed southwest seasoning when it is this simple to prepare ahead of time. Wait until a day when you are feeling energetic, maybe a sunny day when the vitamin D is reaching down to your soul. You know the kind of day I mean. Depending on the frequency with which you use southwest seasoning, go ahead and double or triple this recipe. It scales up well, so look, I will not judge you if you want to make a gallon of this pure taco joy all at once. Live your dreams, taco-based or otherwise.

Southwest seasonings layered in a spice jar, with a name and date tag.
It is basically sand art, which feeds your stomach and your soul.

To get a start on your taco aspirations, try my instant pot chicken tacos. While you are at it, whip up a recipe of homemade corn tortillas - or pull them out of your freezer, if you've been listening to my advice. Toss it all together, add your favorite toppings - cilantro is for winners - then sit down and enjoy your hard work. You made this dream happen, so keep up your momentum. You can do it and you are worth it, in case no one told you recently.

Keep your belly full, your mind engaged, and your heart open.




Lillian
A close up of southwest seasoning not yet fully mixed in a bowl.

All-Purpose Homemade Taco Seasoning

This taco seasoning is great for tacos of all varieties. Make your continuous taco-based dreams come true without the hassle of going to the store to buy another spice mix.
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Course basics

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika hot Hungarian, if you have it
  • ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes depending on spice tolerance
  • ½ teaspoon ground cayenne optional depending on spice tolerance
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Find your preferred taco seasoning vessel and label it with the contents and date.
  • Measure all ingredients into said vessel.
  • Shake that baby up until well combined.
  • Use about 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat. Use your discretion to adjust that as necessary for your specific dish.
  • Use up your taco seasoning within a year of the date if stored in the pantry or two years if stored in the freezer.
Keyword all-purpose, all-purpose taco, all-purpose taco seasoning, basics, dip, homemade, homemade taco, homemade taco seasoning, seasoning, seasoning mix, sour cream, spices, spicy pasta, taco, taco seasoning, tacos
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Fast and Easy Instant Pot Chicken Tacos - Avidly Ravenous says:
    April 6, 2021 at 8:00 am

    […] Sure, you could go buy a mix from the store. Or instead, you could whip up your own batch of easy taco seasoning, without leaving the comfort of home. Doesn’t it sound better to never have to remove your […]

    Reply
  2. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Tacos - Avidly Ravenous says:
    October 5, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    […] it’s tacos, so obviously. Before cooking, the sweet potatoes are dressed with my all-purpose southwest seasoning. I prefer the savory side of sweet potatoes and frankly, I think it’s their strongest side. […]

    Reply

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