Homemade Taco Seasoning (gluten free / low carb)

This easy homemade taco seasoning recipe is perfect for low-carb diets as it is sugar-free, starch-free, and gluten-free. Use it in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning.

We're excited to share this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe in our basics series. The basic series is all about providing staple recipes like this spice blend that can be used in all sorts of Cast Iron Keto recipes.

Now, you may be wondering "why do I need to make my own homemade taco seasoning" and there are a few answers to this. One, you don't have to make your own spice blends but we find that it can be super handy to have spice blend recipes in your pocket for that inevitable time you go to make dinner and realize you're out of the spice mix you need.

It's also relatively hard to find store-bought taco seasoning without flour or anti-caking agents so making your own ensures that you have a gluten-free, low-carb, keto-friendly spice mix.

The taco seasoning packets that you're most familiar with typically contain the following ingredients:

Chili Pepper, Maltodextrin, Salt, Onion Powder, Spice, Corn Starch, Sea Salt. Contains 2% Or Less Of Vegetable Oil (Canola, Soybean And/Or Sunflower Oil), Silicon Dioxide (Anticaking Agent), Citric Acid, Sugar, Natural Flavor.

Now, we don't know about you but those are not ingredients that we especially want in our food. There's no reason for a simple spice mixture to have the highly processed ingredients in bold above. Plus, if you have a well-stocked spice cabinet then there's really no reason not to whip up your own.

If you do want to buy store-bought taco seasoning, this one from Frontier Co-Op is the cleanest sugar-free and starch-free one we can find readily available in our local grocers. You could also opt for Primal Palate's blend.

That being said let's jump into how to make your own big batch of seasoning!

Ingredients in Homemade Taco Seasoning:

• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

This awesome recipe makes a large batch of taco seasoning mix, about 10 tablespoons worth so it's enough for multiple recipes. Just store in an airtight jar for up to 1 year.

How to use taco seasoning:

For starters, you can use this spice blend in any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. You can use it to make taco meat with ground turkey, beef, or chicken. Taco recipes, taco soup, or even taco salads are all good options to put this recipe to use.

How to make quick taco meat:

Looking to make a quick batch of taco meat? Here's our go-to recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground meat (turkey, chicken, or beef or a plant-based beef substitute like Beyond Meat)
• 1 tablespoon Homemade Taco Seasoning
• ½ cup unsweetened tomato sauce

STEP-BY-STEP COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat the avocado oil in a 10" or larger cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Once hot add the ground beef to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Allow to brown without touching it for 5 or so minutes then stir.
• Add in the spices and cook for one minute until fragrant. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer until thickened. Season with salt to taste and serve.

That's it! How easy was that?!